Philadelphia Medicine Fall 2021 - 27

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IN THE NEWS
Congratulations
Society Honors Award Winners
The Philadelphia County Medical
Society conducted its annual
award presentations in late June
at the Philadelphia Country Club.
Winners are:
CRISTOL AWARD
Recipient:
Mark C. Austerberry;
Presenter:
James L. Cristol, chairman
STRITTMATTER AWARD
2020 Recipient:
Robert H. Rosenwasser,
MD, MBA, FACS, FAHA;
2021 Recipient:
N. Scott Adzick,
MD, MMM, FACS, FAAP;
Presenter:
Julia A. Haller, MD
PRACTITIONER OF
THE YEAR AWARD
Recipient:
Wayne Bond Lau,
MD, FAAEM, FACEP;
Presenter:
Walter Tsou, MD, chairman
Cristol Award
Mark C. Austerberry
The Cristol Award
Committee and the
PCMS board of directors
have made an
exception regarding
the criteria for the
Cristol Award, which
is normally presented
to a physician. The
award this year is being
presented to our
PCMS executive director for his significant
contributions to the Society, and furthering and
enhancing the educational and charitable goals,
purposes and functions of organized medicine.
The award honors the memory of David S.
Cristol, MD, an outstanding member of PCMS.
Mark Clark Austerberry, executive director
of the Philadelphia County Medical Society
(PCMS), assists and supports a physician
membership of more than 5,500 members.
During the past 15 years, Mark has guided
PCMS to become one of the premier county
medical organizations in Pennsylvania. He
is a leader in communicating with other
local, state and national medical associations,
medical schools, hospital administrators,
public health agencies and elected officials in
unifying the physician voice for the medical
community.
A West Chester University graduate with a
degree in public health, his health care career
began as a Peace Corps volunteer, where he
was stationed in Tunisia, North Africa for
three years. One of Mark's responsibilities
was developing milk collection and sanitation
programs that decreased tuberculosis in five
Tunisian villages. When Mark returned to
the United States, he was able to bring his
vast public health experiences and wealth
of knowledge to his position as community
development coordinator, helping create
various chronic disease and prevention
programs while also coordinating training for
the Montgomery County Health Department
and the Lehigh Valley Hospital System.
PCMS was fortunate to welcome Mark
in 2007. His vast experience in organized
medicine, combined with his work in public
health, helped to guide PCMS through some
tumultuous years, including the COVID-19
pandemic. For example, Mark led the way
in helping to locate personal protective
equipment for our physicians, but he also
worked with volunteers crafting masks and
visors himself and ensuring their delivery.
Prior to COVID-19, PCMS became
actively involved in assisting physicians and
hundreds of resident/fellow physicians who
lost their programs because of the unfortunate
closure of Hahnemann University
Hospital. Mark solely led the charge, seeking
legal help as well as the assistance of several
organizations, including PAMED and the
AMA who contributed funds to PCMS
which provided help with relocation costs
for the displaced Hahnemann residents and
fellows. In addition, with Mark's leadership,
an Ad Hoc Committee was formed for the
purpose of engaging legal counsel to represent
the interests of the residents especially as it
related to tail insurance obligations, which
was thankfully underwritten by the AMA.
Mark has been our guiding light and support
throughout the Hahnemann historic turmoil
and also assisted displaced physicians in
Philadelphia.
Mark has stood by our physician leaders,
providing wise counsel and constant leadership,
which has led to a strong and thriving
Philadelphia County Medical Society. Mark
has also been involved in a number of organizations
and local government, including
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Fall 2021 : Philadelphia Medicine 27
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Philadelphia Medicine Fall 2021

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