December 14, 2022
Dr. Shannon B. Dowler, a family physician committed to serving her local community and the state of North Carolina as a whole, has been honored as the 2022 Distinguished Family Physician Award winner by the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP). The honor is the most prestigious award from the NCAFP, the state's largest specialty medical association, comprised of more than 4,300 members.
Dr. Dowler serves as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for NC Medicaid and Deputy CMO for Health Access within the NC Department of Health and Human Services. She previously served as Medical Director of a Federally Qualified Health Center and as a physician executive within Mission Health System, all before joining NC Medicaid in 2018. She maintains her clinical skills through part-time volunteer practice at the Buncombe County Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic.
During the presentation of the award, NCAFP outgoing President Dr. Dimitrios (Takie) Hondros highlighted Dowler’s service at the local and state level, highlighting her efforts to combat Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and more recently her work at Medicaid to swiftly change many policies due to the global pandemic. In addition, Dr. Hondros noted Dowler’s work to minimize patient disruptions and mitigate administrative burden for primary care during the Department’s recent transition to Medicaid Managed Care.
“During the pandemic, state Medicaid policies changed at lightning speed, particularly around telehealth,” Dr. Hondros said during the presentation of the award. “I was personally astounded by how quickly new policies got put in place to make sure physicians could still care for their patients during COVID.”
Beyond her work with Medicaid, Dr. Dowler continues her focus on STIs through service at a clinic in Buncombe County. She is also in the process of publishing her first book “Never Too Late: Your Guide to Safer Sex After 60,” that will be available on Valentine’s Day.
Dr. Dowler completed her undergraduate degree at Appalachian State University and her medical degree at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She completed her family medicine residency at the MAHEC-Asheville Family Medicine Residency. Dowler is married with two college-age sons, and lives in both Madison County and Raleigh.
About the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. and the Distinguished Family Physician Selection Process
The Distinguished Family Physician Award is given annually by the NCAFP to a family physician whose career exemplifies an unwavering commitment to his/her patients, the ideals of Family Medicine, and to enhancing the quality of life in his/her local community. The winner is selected by a confidential committee. The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. (NCAFP) is a non‐profit professional association headquartered in Raleigh representing over 4,300 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students across the state. It is the largest medical specialty association in North Carolina and is a constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, based in Leawood, KS. For more information about the NCAFP or to request an interview with Dr. Dowler, please contact NCAFP Executive Vice President Greg Griggs at 919-980-5228 or ggriggs@ncafp.com.