Family Medicine Educator of the Year
Kevin F. Murray, MD
Dr. Murray has earned a distinguished record of achievement in family medicine as an educator, clinician, leader and advocate. Through dedication, innovation and leadership, he has improved family medicine residency education and influenced the careers of family physicians across our state and nation.
Dr. Murray’s career tracks the development of family medicine. He earned his M.D. from the UWSOM in 1978 and completed residency training at Tacoma Family Medicine in 1981. He first entered private practice serving the small communities of Snoqualmie and North Bend. He began his career as a professional educator at Family Medicine Spokane in 1984. In 1989 he returned to the Puget Sound region, and later to residency teaching in 1991 where he served as Associate Director and Acting Program Director at the (then) Providence Family Medicine Residency Program. Completing the circle, he became the Program Director of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency in 2000, and continued to lead the program for over a decade.
Dr. Murray currently holds the triple job title of Vice President of Primary Care, Vice President of the Academic Division and the DIO for MultiCare Health System.
Dr. Murray is a highly valued teacher, recognized by his trainees for dedication to his patients, the principles of family medicine, and the values of comprehensive patient-centered care. According to one student, “One of the most memorable things about Dr. Murray is the care and time that he took with every patient. I always felt that I got to know my patients’ situations better after rounding with Dr. Murray. He has a wonderful way of seeing the big picture, be it figuring out how to negotiate work hour restrictions or working with a resident in trouble.”
Dr. Murray is noteworthy for his enthusiasm, expertise and vision. One major outcome of his leadership is the Educational Health Center Initiative, an ongoing collaboration between the Dept. of Family Medicine and the Northwest Primary Care Association.
His leadership role in the UW Family Medicine Residency Network deserves special emphasis. As Network President, he led conversations about educating residents in Community Health Centers, an important initiative aimed at transforming residency education AND meeting the workforce shortages. The conversation has now expanded to the national stage. The development of the Teaching Health Center was included as an initiative in President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. In Washington State we are already seeing the benefits of this program through Central Washington Family Medicine’s new training track in Ellensburg, and a new program at the Puyallup Tribal Clinic. Interest in these collaborations is growing in Everett, Tacoma, Wenatchee and Vancouver. Without Kevin’s passion and persistence in keeping everyone at the table, this would never have been possible.
Dr. Murray is a long-time member of the WAFP and the AAFP, and has served in many capacities. He distinguished himself as WAFP President in 1996-1997 and served as President of the WAFP Foundation. In these positions he has nurtured programs to improve education from the pipeline to practice. His dedication to residents and students is second only to his dedication to patients.