A Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) is a big achievement in itself. Becoming a Master of the American College of Physicians (MACP) is prestigious and indeed. Dr. Voss, Medical Director, President, and CEO of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Clinic has achieved that designation.
“It’s the most significant award I have ever received because it represents peer recognition, which is very special,” said Dr. Voss.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) is the largest professional society in the country devoted to academia and medical education. Most members are American physicians, but there are also members from around the world. To become an FACP you have to be a board certified internist and have a recommendation from a member of the FACP.
Masters comprise a small group of highly accomplished physicians who have been selected because of personal character, positions of honor, contributions toward furthering the purposes of the ACP, eminence in practice or in medical research, or other attainments in science or in the art of medicine. Evidence of their achievements can come from many types of endeavors, such as research, education, health care initiatives, volunteerism, and administrative positions. The Master must be distinguished by the excellence and significance of his or her contributions to the field of medicine. All Masters and awardees honored since 1923 are listed on ACP’s Web site.
Of the 143,000 members in the ACP, 889 of them have received an MACP, that’s 0.6 percent. Dr. Voss became a FACP in November of 1970 and then in May of 2016, travelled to Washington D.C. to receive his MACP. He described the ceremony as a very moving and gratifying event.
All the new Fellows and Masters were wearing academic regalia, with black robes with three stripes on the sleeves indicating a doctorate. The new Masters sat on stage, while the new Fellows were sitting in the audience. The candidates received a gold hood representing the mastership. Each Master was called individually and introduced to the audience.
Dr. Voss became the Medical Director, President, and CEO of the VIM Clinic in 2001. That’s when the clinic became independent from Martin Health System.
The VIM Clinic began to operate as an independent entity. To help sustain the clinic, Dr. Voss voluntarily assumed the Medical Director position without pay. He has continued in that role to the present time. Martin Health System has continued in their role providing help.
“This last part of my life as medical director [of VIM] has been the most important and fulfilling. When I speak at fund raising events, I say we are the single most effective health care safety net probably in the country,” said Dr. Voss.
In addition to becoming an MACP, Dr. Voss received a New York University School of Medicine Alumni Leadership Award, President Barack Obama’s Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism, and the Guardian of the Mission Award as clinical associate professor of medicine at the Florida State University College of Medicine, among others.
The VIM Clinic provides health services for uninsured Martin County residents. For more information visit vimclinic.net.