HR0419 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0419 LRB103 34438 ECR 64268 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commend Amir John Wahab, MD for receiving the 2023 Rural Physician Lifetime of Service Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association; and

WHEREAS, One of the biggest healthcare challenges across our nation is the shortage of physicians who practice in rural settings; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab graduated from the Ross University School of Medicine in 1992; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab completed his residency at the Southern Illinois School of Medicine in Springfield in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab began his career in medicine at Memorial Care in Lincoln in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab has served in many leadership positions within the medical arena, including as medical director of Maple Ridge Nursing Home, co-director of the SIU Resident Rural Track Program, chair of the Lincoln Memorial Hospital Executive Committee, and vice-chair of Clinical Operations; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab is also an active member of his community, serving on the Board of Directors for Lincoln College and being involved in Lincoln's Christmas parade ever year; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahab cultivates future practitioners' interest in rural medicine by serving as an adjunct professor to medical students at both the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University, as well as hosting high school students for job shadowing opportunities at his practice; and

WHEREAS, When not practicing medicine, Dr. Wahab is quite the outdoorsman and enjoys hunting a variety of wild game during hunting season; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Amir John Wahab, MD for receiving the 2023 Rural Physician Lifetime of Service Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, that we commend Dr. Wahab for his compassion and dedication to his patients and for filling such a tremendous void in rural medicine for over 25 years in central Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Wahab as a symbol of our esteem and respect.