OU-HCOM faculty member receives national honor

Athens family doctor named “Young Physician of the Year”

By Richard Heck
March 5, 2009

Jay Shubrook Jr., D.O., an Athens family physician and faculty member at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM), received the Young Physician of the Year Award from the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP).

Shubrook has a private practice in family medicine with University Medical Associates of Athens and serves as assistant professor of family medicine at OU-HCOM, where he earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree in 1996.

“Dr. Jay Shubrook was selected as ACOFP's 2009 Young Osteopathic Physician of the Year for his inspiring leadership and his commitment to educating future physicians,” stated ACOFP President Jan D. Zieren, DO, MPH, FACOFP dist. “His actions demonstrate a very real approach to improving the profession of osteopathic family medicine.”

The ACOFP Young Physician of the Year Award is presented annually to the physician that best demonstrates exemplary leadership qualities that honor the memory of Michael F. Avallone, D.O., FACOFP dist., after whom the award is named.

Recipients are chosen based upon the following criteria:

•  Completion of an American Osteopathic Association approved    family practice residency program,

• Certification by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians                

• Active in an osteopathic family practice for two to 10 years              

• Continuous membership in ACOFP and ACOFP state chapters, and               

• Service at the national and state level in any leadership capacity.

“I don’t feel that young,” Shubrook joked when asked about his thoughts of being named Young Physician of the Year. “It’s a really nice recognition,” Shubrook said. “I certainly feel honored because there are plenty of other people more deserving.”

“Dr. Shubrook is a superior academic physician- one who excels in everything he does.  He is an authority in the field of diabetes, performs innovative research, is one of our finest teachers, and performs valuable community service,” said OU-HCOM Dean Jack Brose, D.O. “His presence on our faculty lifts the entire college. Even though he is early in his career, Dr. Shubrook is a valuable mentor and role model to our new clinical faculty. We are very honored to have the Young Physician of the Year at our institution.  I only wish I could clone him.”

Besides receiving the award, this week Shubrook also becomes the new editor of ACOFP’s journal, “The Osteopathic Family Physician News.”

“It’s nice to have the opportunity to help shape this new journal,” said Shubrook, who added that he and his editorial board plan to change the format of the publication from a newsletter to a more formal scholarly journal.

Shubrook completed his medical internship and three-year family practice residency at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio. He became board-certified in family practice and osteopathic manipulative treatment in 1999.

Shubrook then joined the faculty of OU-HCOM, where in 2006 he was named director of clinical research and director of the Diabetes Fellowship. He also has served as associate director of the family practice residency program at O’Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens and as medical director of Wellworks, Ohio University’s wellness program.

At OU-HCOM, Shubrook has conducted extensive research into diabetes, receiving numerous grants and publishing more than a dozen professional papers.