OAPA Awards


There are several awards provided annually to honor individuals who have made an exemplary impact on the PA profession.

Nominator & Nominee Eligibility:

  • A nominator shall be an OAPA member in good standing.
  • Nominee need not hold OAPA membership.
  • Previous nominees and recipients and Board members are eligible for nomination.
  • Members of the Awards and Scholarship Committee are ineligible for nomination during the year(s) in which they serve on the committee.
  • Nominee is not required to belong to a health care service profession.

The 2024 nomination period closed on August 8, 2024. Learn more about the 2024 awardees in this article. Check back in summer 2025 for the next awards cycle!


Charles L. Hudson, MD Award

This award is dedicated to the memory of Charles L. Hudson, MD, a Cleveland Clinic Foundation physician who is credited for, in the early 1960's, presenting to the American Medical Association the original paper on the concepts for the utilization of non-physician practitioners in the delivery of primary care medicine. This award honors an individual who has demonstrated exemplary service to the PA profession and the community and has furthered the image of PAs.

Jerry A. Greco, PA-C Memorial PA Educator of the Year Award

Given annually to a person who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to PA education in the state of Ohio, nominees for this award should have provided significant dedication to the provision of PA education.

John Trimbath Award for Exceptional Preceptorship

Since his graduation from the George Washington University PA Program in 1979, John Trimbath helped prepare a path for the next generation of physician assistants by influencing government policy and hospital bylaws that are used in many institutions across the nation. This award expresses appreciation and honors PAs who share John Trimbath’s passion and expertise in precepting PA students.

Philanthropy Award (open for rolling review, no deadline)

OAPA may choose to support a philanthropic project with an award of up to $1,000. The purpose of the project shall be to improve the health of the community. Applications are available upon request to oapa@ohiopa.com and will be reviewed by the OAPA Board of Directors. Up to one project may be selected annually, as budget permits.

 


Recent Award Winners*

 

  Charles L. Hudson, MD Award Jerry A. Greco, PA-C Memorial PA Educator of the Year Award John Trimbath Award for Exceptional Preceptorship
2024 not awarded Megan Pater, MPAS, MA, PA-C
Mount St. Joseph University

Taylor Yoder, PA-C
Physicians and Surgeons for Women

2023 Elizabeth Adamson
Former OAPA Executive Director
not awarded

Andrea Boyd, PA-C
Southwest General Health Center

2022 Sterling W. Hedrick, MD
Columbus Arthritis Center
not awarded

**Inaugural Honoree**

Shannon Urena, PA-C
Aultman Medical Foundation

2021 not awarded Cheryl Geng, PA-C
Ohio University

not applicable

2020

Steven Ward, PA-C, NRP
University of Cincinnati

Jensen Lewis, PA-C
Case Western Reserve University

not applicable

 

*See a mistake? We did our best to document recent past winners, but if we overlooked someone, please let us know at oapa@ohiopa.com.