John L. Lawson Receives Distinguished Service Award

Each year, MSDC presents its Distinguished Service Award to a physician member for outstanding service to the Medical Society. This year, the Medical Society presented the award posthumously to John L. Lawson, MD. Although he died this year at the all-too-young age of 48, Dr. Lawson was an active and vibrant contributor to the Medical Society from the day he joined MSDC in 1991.

Dr. Lawson was a “volunteer’s volunteer,” always doing more than most, yet feeling he was not doing enough. He was passionate about the importance of organized medicine, and in particular the Medical Society. He served on numerous committees, including the Strategic Planning Council, the Finance Committee, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and the DOCPAC Board. He was also an active participant in the Medical Society’s Young Physicians Section and served as a delegate to the MSDC House of Delegates. He served three terms as MSDC treasurer before seeking and winning the president-elect seat in 2002. He served with distinction as MSDC president in 2003 and as board chair in 2004.

The loss of Dr. Lawson is deeply felt by his patients and colleagues throughout the medical community.