A ripening filed of rice in Dunklin County. October 2017.
During the first seven months of my tenure as MSMA President, I have enjoyed the adventure of vising all 114 Missouri counties (and the City of St. Louis). My truck’s odometer has added 13,000 miles in the process! Usually accompanied by my wife, Marilyn, we have been amazed by the geographic diversity of this state, as well as the uniform friendliness of its people. However, we believe that the most unique region in Missouri is “The Bootheel.” This southeastern corner, protruding southward into Arkansas, is comprised of seven counties in the flat floodplain of the Mississippi River. Everything here is distinctive, including the terrain, types of crops, and accents of the people. Huge fields of cotton and rice were being harvested while we were there in October.
Matthew Riffle, MD, MSMA member since 2010, Internal Medicine, practicing 29 years, Poplar Bluff, Butler County.
Even the medical community seems distinctive. Though the larger hospitals and physician groups are in Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, and Sikeston, smaller communities like Kennett, Caruthersville, East Prairie, and Dexter also have readily accessible health care services. We were impressed by the physicians we visited who had returned to their hometowns to provide many years of compassionate service. An example is Andrew Painter, MD, a family practitioner and longtime MSMA member in Portageville, who has been there over 50 years. He fondly remembers the day when he delivered babies in his office! Citizens of these communities are fortunate.
I continue to marvel at the great attitude and service orientation of Missouri’s practicing physicians, residents/ fellows, and medical students. It makes me proud and thankful to be part of this profession.
Stefan Scheidler, MD, MSMA member since 2007, Family Practice, practicing 10 years, Kennett, Dunklin County.
John Nwora, MD, Internal Medicine, practicing 23 years, Caruthersville, Pemiscott County.
Andrew Painter, MD, MSMA member since 1977, Family Practice, practicing 50+ years, Portageville, New Madrid County.
Stevan Douglas, MD, Family Practice, practicing 19 years, East Prairie, Mississippi County.
Gordon Jones, MD, MSMA member since 1987, Family Practice, practicing 31 years, Sikeston, Scott County.
Cheryll Rich, MD, MSMA member since 2017, Family Practice, practicing 18 years, Dexter, Stoddard County.
Biography
Warren C. Lovinger, Jr., MD, MACP, MSMA member since 1979, and President for 2017–2018, is an Internal Medicine physician, Nevada, Missouri.
Contact: wclovinger@gmail.com
