Paul Klas, MD receives Educator of the Year honor

Paul Klas, MD, medical director, Gundersen Family Medicine Residency Clinic, was recently recognized as the Family Medicine Educator of the Year by the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians.

Paul Klas, MD, Family Medicine Educator of the Year (right), is presented with a plaque by Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians executive director, Larry Pheifer

"Through the Family Medicine Residency Clinic, we are improving the health of our community outside of our clinic walls," Dr. Klas says. "We are joining forces with our community health workers, community social workers and several schools. All of these endeavors are early in their development, but hold promise to show our medical residents how they can be involved in our great community."

In addition to being a physician, a leader, and an educator, Dr. Klas is the program director for the Gundersen Family Medicine Residency Program. He also teaches motivational interviewing to medical students during their primary care rotation.

"This honor is validation of Dr. Klas' dedication to the education of our Family Medicine residents, his teaching skills, his expertise in patient care, and his passion to train the new generation of Family Medicine physicians" says Greg Thompson, MD, chief medical officer and director of Medical Education. "Dr. Klas is a great role model as teacher, leader, and physician for all of us in Medical Education."

"He consistently models the most admirable characteristics in a family physician: knowledge, empathy, professionalism, and humility," says Family Medicine resident Wesley Fox, MD. "Dr. Klas' lifetime of dedication has impacted the lives of many people, and his impact will keep growing for many more years through those he has taught and inspired."