Patenge Medalist Recognized

May 5, 2008

Surrounded by friends, family and colleagues, three individuals this year were honored with MSUCOM’s highest honor, The Walter F. Patenge Medal of Public Service. William P. Gifford, M.D., director of medical education at Sparrow Health System; Janet Olszewski, M.S.W., director of the Michigan Department of Community Health; and Susan C. Sevensma, D.O., current president of the Michigan Osteopathic Association joined the ranks of 120 previous medalists who have been recognized with this honor since 1971.

Walter F. Patenge was a strong supporter of the osteopathic profession and was instrumental in the development and founding of MSUCOM. He served as the first president of the gubernatorially appointed Michigan Osteopathic Medicine Advisory Board.

The medal is awarded to individuals for their public policy leadership, their fine example of quality family medicine practices and for exemplifying the best tradition of concerned administration and public involvement.

William P. Gifford, M.D.

The director of medical education at Sparrow Health System, Dr. William P. Gifford also serves as clinical director of the Sparrow Family Medical Services Bone Density Center.

He has served as a past president of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, and as president and a long-standing member of the board of Gateway Community Services. Dr. Gifford has been very active in leadership roles in numerous health care and community organizations, including Sparrow Physician Hospital Network, Blue Care Network of Michigan, Ingham County Health Department, Sparrow Practice Management Company, and nine hospital committees. He also serves as an associate professor in the MSU College of Human Medicine.

Retired as a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, Dr. Gifford served active duty from 1968 to 1970 as executive officer of the 595th Medical Clearing Company and in Vietnam as a battalion surgeon’s assistant. He is a life member of the Society of Military Flight Surgeons.

Dr. Gifford received his B.A. in 1968 from the University of New Hampshire, his M.D. in 1977 from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and took his residency in family practice at Sparrow Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Family Practice and in ISCD bone densitometry.

Janet Olszewski, M.S.W.

Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) since 2003, Janet Olszewski is responsible for Medicaid and health coverage programs, mental health and substance abuse programs including five psychiatric hospitals, public health activities, and regulation of health professions and facilities for the entire state of Michigan. In 2007, she supervised $11.2 billion in funding and more than 4,300 employees.

The recipient of ten major awards from health and governmental organizations, Ms. Olszewski has served on more than 30 boards and commissions related to health, including as president of the Michigan Public Health Institute, the Governor’s Mental Health Commission, the National Quality Forum Board and the Michigan Long Term Care Task Force.

She has also served in several others posts at MDCH: as vice president of government programs and regulations for M-CARE, director of quality improvement and customer services bureau, director of managed care quality assessment and improvement, acting chief of services to crippled children, chief of the Eastern Regional Division, and program section chief of the Northern Regional Division. She also held a variety of positions at the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging.

Ms Olszewski received the Masters of Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of Michigan in 1975, and a B.A. in sociology from Boston University in 1973.

Susan C. Sevensma, D.O., F.A.O.D.M.E.

Current president of the Michigan Osteopathic Association, Dr. Susan C. Sevensma is the director of medical education at MetroHealth Hospital in Wyoming, and medical director of MetroHealth-Breton Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She serves as clinical assistant professor for MSUCOM, assistant regional dean for the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and clinical adjunct faculty for the Kirkhof School of Nursing.

President-elect of the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Directors and Medical Educators, Dr. Sevensma is a fellow of the Association of Osteopathic Directors and Medical Education. She serves numerous other committees and organizations, including as a gubernatorial appointee on the Michigan Osteopathic Medicine Advisory Board, a member of the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association, and a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Elder Abuse.

She received the Breath of Life Award from the American Osteopathic Foundation, was named Osteopathic Family Physician of the Year by the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and was recognized by the YWCA with the Woman of Achievement Award. Dr. Sevensma has made numerous presentations on medical education and health care.

A 1982 alumna of the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, she received her B.S. in 1979 from Grand Valley State University. She took her internship and family medicine residency at Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids, was board-certified in family practice in 1994, and completed a faculty development fellowship at MSUCOM in 1998.