Local family physician assumes head role on state academy board - Klamath Falls News

The following is a press release from the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Stewart L. Decker, MD, FAAFP, FWMS, assumed his role as President of the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) at the Academy's annual business meeting on April 24, which was held virtually.

Dr. Decker has been a member of the OAFP since 2014. His term as President will last one year.

Dr. Decker received his medical degree at University of Minnesota Medical School in 2014 and completed his residency in 2017 at OHSU Cascades East Family Medicine Residency Program.

While a medical student, Dr. Decker was a member of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians and was active in the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) as well. Before graduating, he spent a year in Peru, where he earned a certificate in international public health.

As a resident, Dr. Decker held many national positions, including Resident Delegate to the Congress of Delegates and was appointed to the Commission on Education, Subcommittee on Resident & Student Issues, Commission on Health of the Public and Science, and a Resident and Student Leader. From 2016 to 2017, Dr. Decker served as a Resident Board Member for the AAFP.

In 2016, Dr. Decker was received the AAFP's Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education. In 2019, he was honored by the Oregon Health Authority and American Cancer Society with an award of excellence for his promotion of HPV vaccination in Klamath County.

Recently, Dr. Decker served as the Chair of the OAFP Commission on External Affairs, advocating for primary care payment reform, telehealth pay parity, and other issues pertinent to family physicians in Oregon and across the country. He has also earned the degree of fellow in the American Academy and the Wilderness Medical Society. He is passionate about social justice, public health, and population medicine and is a frequent contributor to the AAFP Fresh Perspectives blog.

Dr. Decker practices family medicine at Sky Lakes Primary Care Clinic in Klamath Falls. When he is not working to improve the health and lives of Oregonians, he spends time with his wife, Cait, and can be found biking, hiking, skiing, mountaineering and taking advantage of the beauty and splendor of Southern Oregon.