Physician of the Year

The PRO-LC Physician of the Year Award, the highest honor given by our organization, is awarded annually to a physician (or practice) in recognition of "outstanding advocacy which supports, promotes, and protects breastfeeding." The 2010 award recipient is Dr. Kelly Wade. (View Press Release).

The introduction to the presentation can be viewed here. Neonatologist Kelly Wade's remarks to the Pennsylvania Resource Organization for Lactation Consultants (PRO-LC) when receiving the Physician of the Year Award, January 28, 2011 are below.

Points to support breastfeeding: 5 points from the physician perspective

1. Teamwork: In today's health care model in which every person makes a difference, capitalize on the teamwork approach to breastfeeding success. Teamwork promotes patient safety and consistent advice.
2. Communication: Learn and teach the best ways to give breastfeeding advice and communicate with nursing and LCs
3. Time: Time is our most valuable, yet most limited resource in medicine. But every person who interacts with a mom can be a breastfeeding advocate so that all of our time adds up to continuous and seamless breastfeeding support
4. Feeding Wheel for Preterm Infants: 10 Steps to Breastfeeding Success (wheel originally from Berlith Persson, Helsingborg Hospital , Sweden ). Use this great tool to teach physicians, nurses and parents about the process of achieving breastfeeding success, particularly in preterm infants. This tool provides the roadmap so that parents can see into the future and walk the stepping stones along the way to breastfeeding success. You can even use the tool to initiate the conversation about breastfeeding during prenatal consultation for mom’s with threatened preterm delivery.
5. Witness success: During our training, most pediatricians don’t have very much interaction with breastfeeding moms beyond the first 48 hours of a nursery stay. They don’t often get to see mother/baby interactions once the milk is "in". But seeing is believing; witnessing our first baby born at 25 weeks gestation go home exclusively breastfeeding is the best evidence I have. We all need to share our success stories with others.

Finally, thank you for being such great teachers. Your patience, empathy, and steadfast dedication is admirable!

The recipient is selected by the PRO-LC Board of Directors; nominations are sought from the general PRO-LC membership. Criteria considered, when determining who should receive this distinction, include:

• Is the physician knowledgeable about current breastfeeding management practices?
• Does the physician make appropriate referrals (to IBCLCs or a support group) for lactation issues?
• Is the doctor receptive to information and research provided by IBCLCs?
• Does the physician promote breastfeeding among his/her colleagues (through lectures, grand rounds, or in other ways)?
• Do patients report that their doctor is supportive of their breastfeeding goals?
• Does the office setting (posters, freebies, magazines) promote breastfeeding - and support the WHO Code [regarding ethical marketing of breastmilk substitutes]?

The Physician of the Year addresses PRO-LC at its member meeting in January, when the recipient receives a framed certificate memorializing the award. Recipients are also given lifetime memberships in PRO-LC, one year memberships in ILCA (International Lactation Consultant Association) and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, a copy of the current edition of Hale's Medications and Mother's Milk, and a copy of the Philadelphia Breastfeeding Resource Handbook (a.k.a. "The Pink Book").

Recipients of the PRO-LC Physician of the Year include:

1993	Joan Adler, MD
1994	English Willis, MD
1995	John Ickler, MD [deceased 2000]
1996	Penny Soppas, MD [received IBCLC certification 2002]
1997	Kids First, Coatesville [award given to entire practice] Bruce Tilton, MD Joan Magee, MD
1998	Society Hill Pediatrics, P.C.[award given to entire practice] Janet Crino, MD Shea Conley, MD Cynthia Hill, MD M. Bidi McSorley MD Elizabeth L. Robbins, MD Beverly Viscusi, CRNP
1999	Brad Dyer, MD (View Press Release)
2000	Juliet Marciano, MD (View Press Release)
2001	Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare [award given to entire practice] Freyda Neyman, MD Kathryn Limmer, MD (View Press Release)
2002	Jeanette Pleasure, MD (View Press Release)
2003	Deborah A. Sandrock, MD (View Press Release)
2004	Vinod K. Bhutani, MD, FAAP
2005	David Banner, MD
2006	Delaware Valley Women's Care [award given to entire practice] Richard Gersh, MD Rebecca Gould, MD Elizabeth Louka, MD
2007	Colleen Gulczynski, DO
2008	Gail Herrine, MD (View Press Release)
2009	Esther Chung, MD (View Press Release)
2010	Dr. Kelly Wade (View Press Release)

If you are a PRO-LC member who knows a physician or practice worthy of the distinguished PRO-LC Physician of the Year Award, nominations are accepted year-round. Please use the following form to submit your nomination to the PRO-LC Board of Directors.

Nomination Form