Monday, October 7, 2024
A distinguished honor for a distinguished faculty member of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine as Maria Crompton, DO, FAAFP, DipABLM, was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians at their annual conference. Dr. Crompton, the director of rural medical education at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, was inducted at a convocation of new fellows at the FMX Conference in Phoenix.
“I am so incredibly honored to earn this Degree of Fellow from the American Academy of Family Physicians,” Crompton said. “To me, this degree is special in the organic way it is typically earned. it’s not one where physicians are strategic about planning and doing certain activities just to earn the letters – it certainly wasn’t on my radar – but one where AAFP recognizes the efforts being made and says I see you, thank you. I am thankful for the AAFP as well. Congratulations to all of those conferred with me this year, and to all before us who led the way. I see you too, thank you!”
Crompton, a TCOM rural track graduate in 2008, has been a faculty member serving in
both clinical and academic roles since returning to Fort Worth from her rural east
Texas practice.
The Degree of Fellow recognizes AAFP members who have distinguished themselves among their colleagues, as well as in their communities, by their service to family medicine, by their advancement of health care to the American people and by their professional development through medical education and research.
Fellows of the AAFP are recognized as champions of family medicine. They are the physicians who make family medicine the premier specialty in service to their community and profession.
From a personal perspective, being a Fellow signifies not only ‘tenure’ but additional work in your community, within organized medicine, within teaching, and a greater commitment to continuing professional development and/or research.
Dr. Crompton has been leading the ROME program since May of 2023. She has helped re-emphasize student community engagement within the rural training sites, and helped expand to include Social Determinants of Health assessments & resource matching, Lifestyle Behavior assessments with individualized counseling, Inter-professional training with learners from HSC and other institutions, and grant funding to broaden the services offered.
Dr. Crompton also helped spearhead the first Fort Worth Chapter of Walk with a Doc in 2021 a national organization that encourages members and continues as the physician lead for their monthly walks.
From HSC Newsroom - Community by Steven Bartolotta