MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS | | Newsletter - September 12, 2025 | | |
35 Days Until CME on the Coast! Have You Registered?
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The deadline to reserve your room at the MAFP Group Rate is THIS Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
- Early Bird Registration Ends September 25th
| | Speaker Spotlight: Tatyana Kushner, MD, MSCE | | |
Tatyana Kushner, MD, MSCE is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Director of Outcomes Clinical Research in the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Her clinical practice encompasses the full spectrum of liver diseases, with a focus on viral hepatitis (hepatitis B,C, and D) and women with liver disease, including pregnancy-related liver conditions and reproductive health as it pertains to liver disease.
Her research interests focus on delineating the influence of chronic liver disease (such as viral hepatitis) on pregnancy outcomes, on delineating the epidemiology and outcomes of individuals living with viral hepatitis, such as delta hepatitis, and developing interventions to optimize detection and treatment of viral hepatitis. Her work has been published in numerous gastroenterology and liver journals.
Topic: The Path to Viral Hepatitis Elimination: Enhancing Screening, Treatment, and Continuity of Care
| | The University of Mississippi Medical Center recently held their annual Medical Alumni Awards Dinner celebrating the achievements of six alumni for their remarkable achievements in patient care, research, teaching, community service and more. Two of our own Mississippi Family Physicians were recognized for their outstanding achievements and contributions. | |
Dr. James Dustin Gentry of Louisville was recognized with the Early Career Achievement Commendation. The Early Career Achievement commendation highlights an “accomplished young alumna/alumnus who has made outstanding contributions to the health care field within 15 years of receiving their medical degree.
A 2011 UMMC School of Medicine graduate, Dr. Gentry has made a remarkable impact in rural healthcare—caring for patients across the hospital, clinic, nursing home, hospice, and emergency department. He also serves as Medical Director for Quality Hospice and Louisville Healthcare Nursing Home, and as a clinical leader at Winston Medical Center.
From being named Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians New Physician of the Year in 2021 to serving on boards, advocacy committees, and pandemic response efforts, Dr. Gentry continues to demonstrate exceptional dedication to his patients, his community, and the medical profession.
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Dr. D. Stanley Hartness, a 1968 graduate of UMMC School of Medicine, was inducted into the 2025 Medical Hall of Fame.
For more than 40 years, Dr. Hartness dedicated his career to family medicine in Kosciusko—delivering babies, caring for nursing home patients, serving in the ER, mentoring future physicians, and making a lasting impact on his community. His leadership extended statewide as president of both the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) and the Mississippi State Medical Association.
In 1998 Dr. Hartness received the Family Physician of the Year Award from the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, and in 2013, the MAFP Conference Room was dedicated to he and his wife, Beth, for their service to MAFP and in the profession of medicine in Mississippi.
| Also recognized were several members from the medical school class of 1975 or “Golden Graduates” who received medallions recognizing the 50th anniversary of their graduation. Family Medicine Physicians in this class include Drs. William Arnett, Madison; Bill Jackson, Corinth; and Sue Simmons, Maben. | | Comment On AAFP's 2025 Proposed Resolutions | | |
The American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP) 2025 Congress of Delegates (COD) is set for Saturday-Monday, October 4-6, at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, CA. The COD is the AAFP’s policy-making body and this year’s meeting will include debate on 57 different resolutions.
All members are encouraged to review the 2025 Resolutions and Condolence Resolutions and submit written testimony by Tuesday, September 16, directly on the AAFP’s resolution page. Member login is required. To provide comments, select the desired resolution and scroll to the bottom of the page to enter your testimony.
2025 List of Resolutions
Your MAFP has submitted nine resolutions, and we will be well represented. Our delegates are listed below. The MAFP team will work to reduce the administrative burden to Physicians and improve patient care.
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Lucious Lampton, MD, FAAFP
AAFP Delegate
Magnolia, MS
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Jennifer Gholson, MD, FAAFP
AAFP Delegate
Summit, MS
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Dustin Gentry, MD, MBA, FAAFP
AAFP Alternate Delegate
Louisville, MS
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Katherine Royals, MD
AAFP Alternate Delegate
Hattiesburg, MS
| | Miss Mississippi Visits MAFP | | |
We were excited to welcome Miss Mississippi 2025, Anna Leah Jolly, to the MAFP office. During her visit, she met with Foundation and Workforce Director Beth Wilson to review our Tar Wars program, which she will present during her reign.
Through Tar Wars, Miss Mississippi helps promote tobacco-free living by visiting schools across the state. Aimed at 4th and 5th graders, the program encourages students to make healthy choices and avoid tobacco use. Anna Leah will bring Tar Wars to 20 schools this year.
To request a presentation for your classroom, visit
Miss-Mississippi.com/book-miss-mississippi.
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Want to Attend NCCL? Plan Ahead!
When: April 23 - 25, 2026
Kansas City, MO
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We're getting a head start on looking for delegates to attend NCCL in the Spring. We'd love for you to consider going on behalf of MAFP.
What is the NCCL?
The NCCL is the AAFP's leadership development event that empowers a select group of change makers to catalyze positive change in family medicine. NCCL will inspire you to build on your leadership skills and create a lasting impact for current and future generations of family physicians.
NCCL constituencies include:
NCCL constituencies include: women, minorities, new physicians (in the first seven years of practice following residency), international medical graduates (IMG) from schools outside the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, and LGBTQ+. The conference offers and opportunity for members to voice their individual and group perspectives.
This is a great opportunity for upcoming leaders who want to get involved in state and national levels, a great opportunity to network with family docs in other states, and a great opportunity to develop resolutions that shape AAFP policies.
If you are interested in being a delegate for the MAFP in any of the above constituencies, please contact Blake Butler at publicawareness@msafp.org.
| | Mississippi LEADS the Medium Size Chapters in Survey Completions! | | |
Please take 10 minutes to fill out the AAFP Career Benchmark Survey Below!
After the success of the first-ever AAFP Career Benchmark Dashboard, we’re excited to round out the data with new insights and the latest numbers to arm our members with the knowledge they need to make smart career moves.
Help compile data that will provide a robust picture of modern compensation for family physicians. Any family physician can take the anonymous survey through November 3, 2025. The more data received, the better the insights. Help MISSISSIPPI stay on top!
| | Home Cleaning Supports Patient Health | | |
More people are realizing that regular cleaning and disinfecting are an important part of staying healthy. In fact, a recent survey from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) found that most Americans now clean with health in mind, not just as a chore.
Pass along this simple guide to leveling up cleaning at home to support wellnes among your patients this cold and flu season. A quick review of the different levels of clean can help everyone make informed choices about caring for their home environment and families. It’s easy to share practical, friendly advice on illness prevention from familydoctor.org.
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