The Kansas Academy of Family Physicians recently announced the recipients of the 2025 KAFP Awards, including several outstanding physicians and an exemplary Wichita medical student. According to KAFP, the honorees represent the heart of family medicine in Kansas, demonstrating clinical excellence, compassionate service and leadership in their communities throughout the state.

Rick Kellerman, M.D., FAAFP, past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians and KAFP, received the President’s Award as an outstanding individual who has advanced the health of Kansans through family medicine. Kellerman, now professor emeritus, recently retired after 34 years with the Department of Family & Community Medicine at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, having served as professor and chair, and longtime adviser to students managing the JayDoc Community Clinic in Wichita. An outspoken advocate for addressing physician shortages, Kellerman has also been a prolific contributor to medical literature.

Gretchen Irwin, M.D., MBA, FAAFP, professor and chair of the Department of Family & Community Medicine, said Kellerman’s mentorship has shaped the careers of countless physicians, many of whom now practice in underserved areas of Kansas.

“Whether supporting preceptors or being a listening ear when physicians are struggling in their practice, he is right there to lend a hand if he can,” she said. “And that has led to a huge number of doctors coming to Kansas and continuing to practice family medicine in Kansas.”

Anna Trofimoff, a fourth-year medical student at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, received the Student Leader in Family Medicine award, which was announced by the KAFP Foundation. She has volunteered at the JayDoc Free Clinic and domestic violence shelters in Kansas, and also organized training sessions on ultrasound, joint injection and suturing workshops, trauma-informed education, and efforts to examine curriculum that resulted in adding trigger warnings to presentations on sensitive topics.

Trofimoff has been a strong advocate for marginalized communities, particularly the LGBTQ population, and has demonstrated her commitment to health equity and her desire to create a more inclusive health care environment, according to KAFP. This focus on comprehensive, inclusive care highlights her compassion and understanding of the assorted needs of her future patients in this diverse state. She approaches every patient “with a deep sense of respect and individuality, ensuring they feel valued and understood,” said Tessa Rohrberg, M.D., associate professor in Family & Community Medicine at KU School of Medicine-Wichita.

Other recipients of KAFP Awards included:

• Roger Klein, M.D., KU School of Medicine-Wichita student and resident alumnus, received the Rising Star Award. He is currently a volunteer clinical assistant professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine. He practices in Lyons, where he serves as director of trauma at Rice County Hospital and health officer for Rice County. In addition to his clinical roles, he is an active mentor to medical students and residents, offering hands-on training and insight into the rewards and challenges of rural practice. Joseph Saffold, M.D., assistant professor at KU School of Medicine-Wichita, said he’s personally seen the positive influence Dr. Klein has on resident physicians, encouraging them to embrace rural medicine and providing them with real-world experiences that enhance their training.
• Laurel Witt, M.D., a KU School of Medicine-Wichita alumna, received the Exemplary Teaching Award. She is currently an associate professor and director of the undergraduate medical education division in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health at KU Medical Center. Thanks to Witt’s leadership, the family medicine third-year clerkship “has been transformed into one of the most highly rated in our university – and in the country,” said Joseph LeMaster, M.D., MPH, professor at KU Medical Center.
• Belinda Vail, M.D., FAAFP, chair of the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health at KU Medical Center, received the President’s Award and was named the Kansas Family Physician of the Year, having spent nearly 40 years serving Kansas communities and shaping future generations of family physicians.
• David Brown, M.D., a family medicine resident at KU Medical Center, received the Carol A Johnson MD Family Medicine International Mission Scholarship as an advocate for advancing equitable preventative care and social justice for underserved populations, including those with limited English proficiency.