ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FROM DR. ANDREA FRIALL, 2023 THOMAS L. HICKS, M.D. OUTSTANDING PHYSICIAN AWARD RECIPIENT

Managing Editor’s Note: These are Dr. Friall’s notes and not a formal write-up. Please excuse spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Good evening.

Without the love and support of Eric and Camille, who you have just heard, I am certain I would not be standing here today. I will try to not be too emotional and get through this speech.

It is no surprise to any of us that Dr. Munasifi is being honored as the Humanitarian of the year. I first heard his name when I moved back to Tallahassee in 2001 and to this day it is synonymous with all the attributes associated with a true physician and humanitarian. Compassionate, respectful, skilled, trustworthy and dedicated to humanity as a whole. Congratulations on this tremendous honor.

Tonight I would like to begin with gratitude and end with an idea…

I am grateful for my family, friends, and colleagues who are here with me in this room and those unable to be here.

A very special thank you to Shannon Boyle for all her work and preparation for this evening. The PowerPoint presentation was moving and as usual, every possible detail of the evening was attended to perfectly. You are amazing!

Thank you to Dr. Ko, the selection committee, Pam Irwin, Rosalie Carlin, and all the other staff at the Capital Medical Society. As I scan the room, I see so many amazing colleagues.

So much love and appreciation for my family… supported me like many of you through the hundreds of hours dedicated to becoming a physician. When I told my father, I was receiving this recognition he said, “don’t make this about me” and I laughed and said I wouldn’t but honestly without his love and encouragement I would not be standing here today. So sorry dad, it is a bit about you tonight. My sisters and brother could not be here tonight but reading their comments fill me with joy. My Aunt Amy and Uncle Will who let me live with them when I first got back to town and love me as if I am their own daughter. Thank you.

So much love and gratitude for my friends… true friendship stands the test of time and “loving” a medical professional take a special kind of skill. It is constantly tested though med school, residency, and work life. So to my friends, I hope I am half the friend to you that you have been to me because your love certainly allows me to stand here today to receive this recognition.

Gratitude for my colleagues…I was a third year resident when I took the call from Dr. Arthur Clements who spoke of a place where “big” things were happening! He was right. The medical school was starting at FSU and he encouraged me to come to Tallahassee. The practice had also never had a women physician! I took a chance. I never looked back. Growing North Florida Women’s Care with Dr. Clements has been one of my most cherished journeys. He is visionary and I am proud to call him a colleague, friend, and mentor. Everyone who knows Dr. Clements has a story that will simply make you laugh out loud. He is charismatic and can convince you of almost anything…including that coming to Tallahassee is a far better choice than going home to practice in central Florida.

My NFWC family as a whole…Dr. Dixon…knew I was coming to Tallahassee and since we practiced so well together in residency in New Orleans, it was a no brainer. He helped me bring Camille into the world!

Cherish Bill Hambsh and Gina Josey and so many other dedicated employees. Gina picked me up from the airport when I was going to meet the partners for the first time. Bill made the deal seem sweet and puts up with my ideas for how to ideally care for women to this day! We are lifelong friends and I love them infinity.

In the audience, Dr. McKinnie, a genuine friend through and through and Dr. McAlpine is one of the kindest souls you will ever meet. Dr. David O’Bryan, Dr. Sundstrom is so kind and his sense of humor is what all of medicine needs.

I could spend all night telling stories and sharing gratitude about my partners, truly material for a hit reality show, so I will stop here. I am truly thankful for my ob/gyn practice and what it has shown me.

Much love and Gratitude for My TMH family…Dr. Dean Watson, legendary leader in starting the hospitalist program, transition center…When he was transitioning out of the role of CMO and I was thinking who is going to be the new “Dean Watson” I quickly learned…there is no such thing. One of a kind amazing human.

Mark O’Bryant for his example, leadership, and friendship. We entered this place around the same time and I feel I am the lucky one to have been able to be part of his leadership and vision for our medical community.

Lastly, to the selection committee at the Capital Medical Society, I am grateful and humbled to be the Capital Medical Society recipient of the 2023 Thomas L. Hicks, M.D. Outstanding Physician Award. As we have been told, this award honors a physician who has been a leader within the field of medicine and organized medicine while demonstrating clinical excellence and actively contributing to the education of future medical professionals.

As I read about Dr. Hicks, it took me on a journey of reflection. Like most of you who are physicians in the room, I chose the field of medicine to make a difference. I have been very blessed with a career enriched by so many of you in this room.

There are surely vast differences in what we define as “making a difference” amongst us but at its core, we believe in respect for human life, we understand all too well that it has a cycle. We believe through science, technology, our professional medical training, and core values that we can enrich the lives of our patients. But there is more to it.

I was first introduced to the concept of organized medicine as a medical student at Howard University through the student national medical association. On top of our clinical regular work, I realized that there was a gap between the care provided in the clinics and the connection to the needs of the patients we cared for in clinic. Participating in outreach education on HIV/AIDS, contraception, sexual health, diabetes, and hypertension added additional purpose and centered me. It help me fill the gap.

I also realized, as a medical student, that patients connected to me. We locked eyes and they relied on me to communicate with them in a way that was useful. I felt like a translator even when everyone in the room was speaking English. I am not sure how many of you in the room are empaths but as my career grew I finally learned what that feeling was about. The look was “you are the doc and you need to tell me what I should do”. A trust like no other. Never to be taken for granted.

My commitment to organized medicine continued through residency when I was tapped on the shoulder by Dr. Eduardo Herrera while doing my residency at Tulane and he said “you are going to be our ACOG junior fellow representative”…through ACOG I learned more deeply about my passion for caring for women. The organized structure provided me with access to tools and skills of professional growth with likeminded individuals all committed to caring for patients beyond the exam room. Later came countless trips to Washington DC to speak with legislators or their aides about appropriate reimbursement for physicians, reducing maternal mortality, reproductive rights, mental health, access to care and the list goes on and on. I even got my husband (already a veteran in the process) and daughter to join in on the fun! They made hill visits with us and my daughter got to see the process first hand and learn how to use her voice. Not to mention numerous summer trips to the FMA in Orlando as a Delegate where seeing my fellow CMS members lead has always been so inspirational to me. I have been in the house of delegates at the FMA with so many of you. Dr. Littles, Mahoney, Forsthoefel, Sell…

What it takes to be a physician is unmatched by any other profession in my opinion. But like all professions, there is a bunch of small print we never read. I did not see the memo that when you transition to CMO you will face devastating storms and a pandemic just to get you started. You are a leader whether you want to be or not. And when COVID hit, physicians and all aspects of the medical profession were now in the spotlight.

So I want to share with you the idea of servant leadership style.

Servant Leadership has been described as (and I am paraphrasing) …

“A leader that may aim to share power with others and encourage the development and growth of others. This trait can extend to listening to followers carefully to better understand their needs, but it also involves leaders holding themselves and others accountable for their words and actions.”

While reading I came across an article about servant leadership and as I accept this honor it resonated with me. It said…“The results of servant leadership are exponential: by leading as a servant, you multiply success and satisfaction — personal and professional, for you and your colleagues — above and beyond the limits of traditional leadership outcomes.”

I may be standing before you this evening for what we were able to accomplish during COVID and beyond, but in my opinion, I am only here through our mutual teamwork and collaboration. To me many of the principles of servant leadership demonstrate what organized medicine is about and how it should work.

7 Key Principles of Servant Leadership

1. Honor Others (Before Yourself) Albert Einstein once said, “I speak to everyone the same way, whether he is a garbage man or the president of the university.” This simple statement perfectly encapsulates the concept of purposefully honoring others before yourself. By speaking to everyone as if they are genuinely important, no matter their position in life, Einstein is demonstrating genuine respect for all people. Respect defines the underlying attitude of a servant leader.

2. Inspire Vision (Before Setting The Course) Model your vision THEN inspire others to be part of it; The biggest obstacle to inspiring a vision is recognizing how your organization can improve. Spend time considering a vision for growth and improvement, boldly communicate your vision, and help your team understand why it matters to them.

3. Choose Ethics (Before Profit) Great leaders prioritize the value of character over profit, and so they refuse to take advantage of opportunities for dishonest gain.

4. Empower Others (Before Personal Gain) “It’s amazing what you can achieve if you don’t care who gets the credit.” This quote by former President Harry S. Truman exemplifies how leaders achieve their greatest success — through the empowerment of the staff surrounding them.

5. Privilege People (Before Tasks) Simon Sinek, a visionary in the field of living out purpose, said, “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”

6. Balance Focus With Flexibility (Before Making Decisions) If you are reacting, you may already be too late. ***here is where I would say vulnerability is key and accepting the need to change without shame*** COVID taught us many things including learning to be flexible.

7. Serve With Humility (Before All Else) “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” Pastor and author Rick Warren articulates a valuable lesson for influential leadership… Humility is not mere self-deprecation or a focus on shortcomings, but rather purposeful care and concern for the world around you.

So that is the idea. We all have what it takes to make meaningful change…talent, treasure, and time.

Talent…I will repeat it again, what it takes to become a physician is unmatched by any other profession in my opinion. Happy Doctors’ Day as we celebrate and appreciate your talent today.

Treasure… There is much gained from the practice of generosity.

Time…the most precious of them all. And I will leave you with this.

Make Time

Advocating for your family, your career, your patients is always worth the time.

Just yesterday, I was in city hall participating in a panel on Black Maternal Health. When do I have time for that you ask? I “make time”. I left at 9:36 and was back on campus by 11:15 to enjoy all American lunch for medical staff wellness week. And as I ate lunch, I listened to a physician who recently went to the hill to testify in committee. He made time. My heart was full.

Lastly, in the article about servant leadership, it said…

“What do leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. have in common?” (And I would say describes many of the leaders in here tonight.) It’s not one thing, but rather a commitment to the key values that constitute being not just an effective leader — but a servant leader committed to helping others and transforming the world for the better.

Thank you for this honor.