2025 OAFP Doctor of the Year
The Oregon Academy of Family Physicians is honored to introduce the 2025 Family Doctor of the Year, Thomas M. Schwartz, MD. For more than 20 years, Dr. Schwartz has provided full-spectrum family medicine in southeast Portland, offering inpatient and outpatient care as well as obstetrical services. His work has spanned generations, caring for entire families, delivering babies of patients he once delivered himself, and training dozens of residents in comprehensive family medicine.
Dr. Schwartz received his medical degree and completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin. He served as medical director of Providence Medical Group Southeast from 2006 to 2022 and currently holds roles as chief medical officer and clinical faculty at Providence Milwaukie Hospital, while continuing to see patients at Providence Medical Group Southeast in Portland.
Patients consistently point to Dr. Schwartz’s ability to listen thoughtfully.
“His ability to listen and understand your medical issues has earned my respect,” said longtime patient Traci Kienberger. “He genuinely listens to your concerns, which is an admirable quality.”
Another longtime patient described Dr. Schwartz as a physician whose commitment extends far beyond routine medical care. The patient shared that Dr. Schwartz visited a family member receiving at-home hospice care during his lunch break to offer comfort and support, and that he remained present even after the patient’s passing by serving as a pallbearer at the funeral.
“Dr. Schwartz possesses the perfect blend of medical expertise and heartfelt compassion,” the patient said. “He is the kind of physician who consistently goes above and beyond, and we are deeply grateful to have him in our lives.”
In her nomination letter, colleague Melissa A. Hemphill, MD, FAAFP referred to Dr. Schwartz as the ‘moral compass’ of the Providence Medical Group Southeast clinic, which was founded as a mission-based practice serving immigrants, uninsured, and marginalized patients. She noted that long before the medical community widely recognized the need to address health care inequity, he centered the clinic on compassionate, culturally curious, and intentional care for the most vulnerable people in outer southeast Portland.
“He always considers the community and patient first, and financial/insurance/systemic concerns second,” she said.
Colleagues also applauded Dr. Schwartz for his willingness to think beyond traditional models of care and step outside his comfort zone to better serve the overlapping communities he works with. He has nurtured and sustained multidisciplinary teams, addressed social determinants of health, and helped guide his clinic into an exceptional patient-centered medical home. In the hospital setting, he skillfully navigates the complexities of medical staff leadership and large health systems while modeling compassion for medical and nursing staff and residents alike. Through his co-facilitation of ‘Schwartz Rounds’ he has created space for care teams to reflect on difficult patient experiences and support one another.
Dr. Schwartz was further recognized for leading by example, never asking others to take on work he was unwilling to do himself. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when personal protective equipment was limited, he stepped forward to see patients. During subsequent COVID surges, he led additional hospital rounding teams to ensure patients continued to receive the care they needed.
The OAFP applauds Dr. Schwartz for a remarkable lifetime of service and his unwavering dedication to family medicine, his patients, and his community.
2026 OAFP Family Doctor of the Year
Nominate a Family Physician
Doctors may be nominated by their colleagues, or community or family members. If you have someone you would like to nominate, please contact us at your earliest convenience so we can determine whether or not your nominee is an OAFP member.
We require letters of nomination (answer all the questions in the below form) from three individuals in each of three categories:
- Colleagues
- Patients
- Community leaders/members
Deadline to receive all information for the Family Doctor of the Year is March 1st.
Past Family Doctors of the Year
2025 Thomas M. Schwartz, MD, Milwaukie
2024 Wendy Warren, MD, Klamath Falls
2023 Tony Germann, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Woodburn
2022 Thomas Creelman, MD, FAAFP, Warm Springs
2021 All OAFP Member Physicians
2020 Gary Plant, MD, FAAFP, Madras
2019 Liz Powers, MD, FAAFP, Enterprise
2018 Molly Fauth, MD, Hood River
2017 Dan Paulson, MD, Springfield
2016 Kristen Dillon, MD, FAAFP, Hood River
2015 David Gilmour, MD, Central Point
2014 Jon Schott, MD, Baker City
2013 John Saultz, MD, FAAFP, Portland
2012 Norman Castillo, DO, Corvallis
2011 James Calvert, MD, Klamath Falls
2010 Bonnie Reagan, MD, Portland
2009 Lisa Dodson, MD, Portland
2008 Bob Holland, FAAFP, MD, John Day
2007 Mark Valenti, MD, Redmond
2006 Keith White, MD, FAAFP, Independence
2005 L.J. Fagnan, MD, FAAFP, Portland
2004 Bruce Byram, MD, Philomath
2003 Robert Hakala, MD, Bend
2002 Tom Hoggard, MD, FAAFP, Portland
2001 Bruce Thomson, MD, Corvallis
2000 Lance Loberg, MD, FAAFP, Salem
1999 Robbie Law, MD, Reedsport
1998 James Sinnott, MD, Coquille
1997 John Crocker, MD, Reedsport
1996 Mark Rampton, MD, Corvallis
1994 Lowell Euhus, MD, Enterprise
1993 David Cutsforth, MD, Philomath
1992 Bob Bomengen, MD, FAAFP, Lakeview
1991 Merle Pennington, MD, Tualatin*
1990 Richard Wopat, MD, Lebanon
1989 Rickard McLean, MD, FAAFP, Reedsport*
1988 Willis Irvine, MD, Portland*
1987 Carlos Kemper, MD, FAAFP, Madras*
1986 David R. Grube, MD, Philomath
1985 Donald Jeppesen, MD, Roseburg*
1984 Marvin John, MD, Hermiston*
1983 Dorin Daniels, MD, FAAFP, Ontario*
1982 Raymond Reichle, MD, Portland*
1981 Donald McGeary, MD, Medford*
1980 Bill Ferguson, MD, Hillsboro*
*Deceased