MADISON – John J. Frey, III, MD, has received the Wisconsin Medical Society’s prestigious Director’s Award – the organization’s highest honor. He accepted the award during the Society’s Board of Directors meeting June 20.
Doctor Frey is a family physician and emeritus professor of family medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH) in Madison, where he was chair of the Department of Family Medicine from 1993 to 2006. He has served as editor of WMJ, the Society’s bimonthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal since 2006.
The Director’s Award was established in 1928 and is granted only on occasion to those outstanding physicians who have served the medical profession with integrity and honor and who have made numerous and substantial contributions to the profession and the community.
In presenting the award, Society Board Chair Molli Rolli, MD, called Frey “truly deserving” of the honor and said, “During his tenure as editor, Dr. Frey has taken the quality of our journal to a new level and expanded its reach far beyond the borders of Wisconsin. He has volunteered countless hours reviewing manuscripts, reaching out to reviewers, suggesting feedback, working with authors and writing editorials. And although that dedication and commitment are certainly key reasons he is being honored with this award, his contributions to medicine extend far beyond the pages of WMJ.”
Throughout his career, Dr. Frey has been a prolific writer, educator, speaker and mentor. He has published numerous articles on a wide range of topics, including health care workforce issues, graduate and undergraduate education, management of common clinical problems, and the social history of family medicine. He served as editor of Family Medicine, the official journal of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, for nine years and is currently associate editor of the Annals of Family Medicine, a bimonthly, peer-reviewed research journal jointly sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians and six other major family medicine organizations. He is also a frequent a speaker at medical conferences across the country and internationally.
“I really am honored, since this award captures much of what makes me proud and happy to have been serving as WMJ editor, and for the activities and things that have been important for me during my career in medicine,” said Dr. Frey.
With more than 12,500 members dedicated to the best interests of their patients, the Wisconsin Medical Society is the largest association of medical doctors in the state and a trusted source for health policy leadership since 1841. WMJ has provided a forum for publishing scientific research, case reports, review articles and other writings that inform and educate the medical community since 1903.