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Dr. Joan Connell Recognized for Humanitarian Efforts
Posted 10/24/24 (Thu)
Joan Connell, MD
Dr. Joan Connell, a UND Center for Family Medicine pediatrician from Bismarck, was recognized during the North Dakota Medical Association’s (NDMA) Annual Meeting for being the 2024 recipient of the COPIC Humanitarian Award.
This prestigious award honors a North Dakota Medical Association (NDMA) physician for volunteer medical services and contributions to the community. The award is sponsored by Copic - NDMA’s medical liability partner – and designates a $10,000 donation to the recipient’s charity of choice.
Nominated by Dr. Michael Jankoviak, he sees firsthand Dr. Connell's fierce dedication to always putting the patient first. Her success in treating acute and complicated medical patients requires many focused hours outside of the office visit. She tirelessly searches for and finds the best support for her patients’ needs. While this could be said of many physicians, Dr. Connell has an intense desire to improve her patients' health trajectory.
Dr. Connell has become the go-to person when navigating some of the most challenging patient care hurdles. She volunteers many hours researching and navigating possible solutions to consistently and successfully achieve that goal. The time and tenacity required to successfully accomplish this can never occur in an eight-minute office visit.
Through her 20-plus years in medicine, she has served as a health advocate and leader, going out of her way to make a difference by serving as NDMA’s Physician Advisory Group Chair, advocating for underserved populations and many other health-related causes. Her tireless efforts are truly worthy of recognition. When it comes to advocating for medicine, she is a true champion.
Dr. Connell selected Soul 57 as the recipient of the $10,000 Copic donation. Soul 57 strives to provide a community for youth who've experienced the tragedy of losing a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. With the help of mental health professionals and trained individuals who provide tools in the grieving process, Soul 57 offers a setting where youth can connect, communicate, and navigate their grief with peers who have experienced similar loss.
NDMA is a member organization dedicated to protecting physician practices and patient care. Learn more about NDMA at ndmed.org.