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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Benjamin
4Shepherd on receiving the "2019 Rural Physician of Excellence
5Award" from the Illinois Rural Health Association; and
 
6    WHEREAS, One of the biggest healthcare challenges across
7our nation is the shortage of physicians who practice in rural
8settings, and there is an especially dire need for increased
9mental health services in these underserved areas; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. Shepherd graduated from the University of
11Illinois College of Medicine's Rural Medical Education Program
12in 2006; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Dr. Shepherd then completed his residency in
14Family Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of Iowa in
152011; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Dr. Shepherd began his professional career in the
17rural health arena at KSB Hospital in Mt. Morris in 2011; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In 2011, Dr. Shepherd returned to the University
19of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford as an Assistant
20Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Family Practice; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Since 2013, Dr. Shepherd has served the Winnebago
2County Sheriff's Office as a staff physician for inmates and,
3since 2016, has provided psychiatric counseling to the Illinois
4Veterans Home; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In 2014, Dr. Shepherd joined St. Margaret's Center
6for Family Health in Princeton, where he has continued to
7provide outpatient family medicine and psychiatric services to
8the community; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dr. Shepherd's talents are not limited to
10medicine, as he is also a very competitive basketball player
11and gourmet chef; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we congratulate Dr. Benjamin Shepherd for receiving the "2019
15Rural Physician of Excellence Award" from the Illinois Rural
16Health Association, and we commend him for his compassion and
17dedication to his patients and for filling such a tremendous
18void by bringing mental health services to rural settings; and
19be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Dr. Shepherd as a symbol of our respect and

 

 

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1esteem.