Michael LeFevre is a nationally respected expert on health policy, but to his young patients, he’s the doctor who can quack like Donald Duck.
It’s a good mix of talents for the family-medicine physician recognized in October with membership in the prestigious Institute of Medicine, the health branch of the National Academies of Science.
LeFevre should have suspected the honor was coming. He’s co-vice chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a position largely considered a launching pad for the IOM.
Task force members study medical problems that affect large parts of the population. Using scientific evidence, they make recommendations for preventive care on important health issues such as prostate tests and breast cancer.
Similarly, LeFevre serves as a member of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, which updates recommendations for treating high blood pressure.
With the pressures of high-visibility responsibilities, LeFevre maintains a can-do attitude about his workload and the realization that IOM membership means more service.
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