Dr. Simon named Family Physician of the Month and 2014 Educator of the Year

Lauren M. Simon, MD, MPH, FAAP has been named May 2014 Family Physician of the Month and received the 2014 Barbara Harris Award for Educational Excellence from the 8,700-member California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP). Simon is an associate professor of Family Medicine and assistant director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Loma Linda University (LLU). “I feel privileged and proud to mentor future family physicians and teach medical students and residents the full scope of family medicine,” Simon said. “Whether in clinic or the hospital wards, on the athletic fields, at schools or community events, there are always ‘teachable moments’ that demonstrate the breadth of knowledge and caring aspects of being a family physician.” Simon joined the LLU School of Medicine faculty in 1994, where she continues to teach and practice family medicine today. She also serves as a volunteer clinical faculty member for the University of California-Riverside School of Medicine. In addition to her work as a primary care educator, she serves on quality improvement committees at LLU, chairs CAFP’s Medical Student and Resident Affairs Committee, and for many years has volunteered as a team physician for University of Redlands, University of California-Riverside, Redlands High School and the Redlands Bicycle Classic, where she also serves on the Organizing Committee. “Dr. Simon is well deserving of both recognitions by the California Academy of Family Physicians for 2014,” said John K. Testerman, MD, PhD, associate professor and chair, LLU department of family medicine. “We are proud to claim her both as a graduate of our residency program (1993) and as a faculty member since 1994.” “The physician of the month award recognizes leaders who advance the field of family medicine and serve as outstanding examples in the field,” said CAFP president Mark Dressner, MD. “From training the next generation of primary care physicians to serving as a volunteer physician for local high school and university sports teams, Dr. Simon dedicates her work to serving the community. At the same time, her efforts to grow and strengthen the family physician community through medical education, legislative advocacy and leadership make her a true family medicine champion.” Dressner continued, “Dr. Simon is more than worthy of the Barbara Harris Award for Educational Excellence. She is an excellent family medicine teacher, a wonderful asset to the clinical faculty at Loma Linda University, and a leader in CAFP’s educational efforts. Simon received her BA in Geology from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY and her MD degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. She completed a family medicine residency at LLU, a fellowship in primary care sports medicine at Kaiser Permanente Fontana and earned a Master’s degree in Public Health at LLU. “I enjoy the diversity of family medicine, caring for patients in all stages of life,” Dr. Simon said. “I especially enjoy caring for numerous multigenerational families.” Congruent with the motto of Loma Linda University Health, “To make man whole,” Simon serves the overriding purpose of the organization to provide whole-person care to not just her patients but to individuals, families, and communities. She recognizes that the development of students and faculty members at LLUH involves more than the training of the mind, but promoting physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual growth as well as transforming daily activities into personal ministries. “In our specialty we’re fortunate to have the opportunity both to educate our patients and learn from them,” Simon continued. “In my practice at Loma Linda University Family Medical Group, which uses the patient-centered medical home model of care delivery, my team and I get to learn about patients’ families, interests, hopes, dreams, challenges, careers and ways we can inspire them to achieve optimal health. The collaboration is energizing!” Dr. Simon lives in Redlands, where she enjoys being an active volunteer in the community.