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| | HR0631 | | LRB100 15059 MST 29898 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
| 3 | | Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Sharon Smaga |
| 4 | | for receiving the "2017 Rural Physician of Excellence Award" |
| 5 | | from the Illinois Rural Health Association; and
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| 6 | | WHEREAS, One of the biggest healthcare challenges across |
| 7 | | our nation is the shortage of physicians who practice in rural |
| 8 | | settings; and
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| 9 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga graduated from the University of Chicago |
| 10 | | Medical School in 1982; and
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| 11 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga completed her residency in family |
| 12 | | practice through Southern Illinois University (SIU) at |
| 13 | | Memorial Hospital in Carbondale in 1985, where she became Chief |
| 14 | | Resident; and
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| 15 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga began her career in family practice in |
| 16 | | Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and
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| 17 | | WHEREAS, In 1987, Dr. Smaga returned to Carbondale, where |
| 18 | | she has served tens of thousands of patients as a physician |
| 19 | | with the SIU Family Medicine Center; and
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| | HR0631 | - 2 - | LRB100 15059 MST 29898 r |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga has made a major impact on improving the |
| 2 | | quality of life for many geriatric patients, serving as Medical |
| 3 | | Director for SIU Alzheimer's and Related Memory Disorders |
| 4 | | Clinic in Carbondale, as well as her service to programs such |
| 5 | | as the Older Adults Community Care Collaborative Initiative and |
| 6 | | the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program; and
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| 7 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga inspired hundreds of medical students, |
| 8 | | many of whom went on to practice in rural areas during her |
| 9 | | 28-year teaching career at the SIU School of Medicine; and
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| 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga's board certifications in both family |
| 11 | | practice and geriatric medicine have allowed her to care for |
| 12 | | multiple generations of families in her community; and
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| 13 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smaga will now have more time to devote to |
| 14 | | cultivating her garden at home during her retirement after she |
| 15 | | dedicated her entire career to cultivating an improved health |
| 16 | | care environment for the residents of southern Illinois; |
| 17 | | therefore, be it
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| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE |
| 19 | | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we |
| 20 | | commend Dr. Sharon Smaga for her 35 years of selfless service |
| 21 | | and dedication to her patients and we wish her the best in her |
| 22 | | retirement; and be it further
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