W. Perry Dickinson, MD, Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Emeritus Director of the Practice Innovation Program, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Maurice Wood Award for Lifetime Contribution to Primary Care Research.
This award is presented annually by the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) to honor a researcher who has made outstanding contributions to primary care research over the course of a lifetime. NAPCRG is an international primary care research organization that brings together multidisciplinary primary care researchers and sponsors the premier primary care research meeting in the world. The award is named in honor of Maurice Wood, a pioneer in primary care research and founder of NAPCRG. Notably, DFM Distinguished Professor and Epperson Zorn Chair for Innovation in Family Medicine and Primary Care Larry Green, MD, was also a previous winner of this award.
This lifetime achievement award illuminates the impressive achievements and titles that Perry has held. Not only did he serve as President of NAPCRG from 2005-2007, he also was President of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM). He served on the Board of Directors of the Annals of Family Medicine and was part of the Council of Academic Family Medicine.
As Perry begins steps towards retirement, he described this award as a bow on top of his many years of hard work.
“I'm kind of getting toward the end of my professional career and it's nice to get the recognition and validation for the work that our team has done through the years. You know, you don't do the work for recognition, but it's always nice to be recognized.”
Perry emphasized that research is a team sport, with appreciation for his team members who supported him throughout his career, especially Miriam Dickinson, PhD, who was the Department’s biostatistician before her recent retirement, and is his wife.
When asked what words of advice he has for others in his profession and aspiring family physicians and researchers, he emphasized persistence.
“It takes a lot of persistence, and you know it's always going to be kind of an up and down sort of thing - but you have to have persistence and keep at it, and I think that's an extremely important quality in in terms of being successful in a research career period.”
Perry just received this award at NAPCRG’s 52nd Annual Meeting at the Québec City Convention Center in Canada. This award is particularly special to Perry as Maurice Wood was a good friend.
Congratulations, Perry!