The SDSMA presented awards to recipients at the Annual Awards & Scholarship Recognition dinner on May 31, 2024.

• The SDSMA’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes a physician or lay person who has been of outstanding service to the medical profession in South Dakota. This year the Distinguished Service Award recipient is Dean Krogman of Brookings, the SDSMA’s chief lobbyist. 2024 was Dean’s 40^th legislative session in Pierre.

• The Outstanding Young Physician Award was presented to Ashlea Semmens, MD of Rapid City. This award is given to a young physician under 40 or within the first eight years of professional practice after residency and fellowship training. This physician is recognized for outstanding achievements, dedication and service to the community and the SDSMA at the local, state, or national levels.

• The SDSMA’s Community Service Award is presented each year to a physician who separates himself or herself through outstanding work in the area of community affairs. This year the award was given to the Prairie Docs – Brookings physicians Andrew Ellsworth, MD; Kelly Evans-Hullinger, MD; Debra Johnston, MD; and Jill Kruse, DO. Joanie Holm, RN accepted the award on the Prairie Docs’ behalf.
  
  
• Bart Pfankuch, content director of South Dakota News Watch, is the recipient of the SDSMA’s Richard P. Holm, MD Media Award. The Media Award recognizes those who have helped promote the medical field and medical issues in the media.

• The Young at Heart Award is presented to a physician who has inspired young physicians as a mentor, role model and leader. This year’s recipient is Dan J. Heinemann, MD of Sioux Falls.

• Lucio N. Margallo II, MD of Mitchell is the recipient of the SDSMA’s Past President’s Award. This award is presented each year to the immediate past president of the SDSMA in recognition of their many years of work and dedication to the SDSMA.

• Susan M. Anderson, MD, is the recipient of the Special Presidential Award. This award is chosen by the SDSMA president to recognize the recipient’s contributions to the medical profession. The award was given posthumously and was accepted by Matt Anderson.

• The Friend of Medicine Award recipient is Sen. Tim Reed of Brookings, who represents District 7 in the South Dakota Senate. This award is given in recognition of contributions serving as an effective advocate for health care and the medical profession.

• The COPIC Humanitarian Award honors a physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to their community. Shannon D. Emry, MD of Sioux Falls, founder of Midwest Street Medicine, is the recipient of this year’s award. The award recognizes individuals who unassumingly volunteer outside the spectrum of their day-to-day lives. The recipient of the award designates a $10,000 donation from COPIC to be provided to a health care-related 501(c)(3) organization in South Dakota. Midwest Street Medicine is the donation recipient.

• Eleven physicians were recognized with the SDSMA’s 50-Year Award for medical practice in South Dakota. Physicians who received this award were: Kenneth P. Aspaas, MD of Sioux Falls; Gail M. Benson, MD of Sioux Falls; Alfred E. Hartmann, MD of Sioux Falls; Robert C. Hohm, MD of Huron; Thomas C. Johnson, MD of Yankton; Si Gaph Lee, MD of Aliso Viejo, Calif; Patrick M. McGuigan, MD of Rapid City; Peter K. Rodman, MD of Sioux Falls; Gonzalo M. Sanchez, MD of Tucson, Ariz; Ronold R. Tesch, MD of Brookings; and Daryl R. Wierda, MD of Sioux Falls. These physicians have been practicing medicine for a half-century and have contributed greatly to the medical profession.