Jason Stopyra, M.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has been named 2016 North Carolina Doctor of the Year as part of the NC Doctors’ Day observance led by the North Carolina Medical Society.
In addition to practicing in the Emergency Department at Wake Forest Baptist, Stopyra serves as medical director of Emergency Services in Randolph County and as medical director of Emergency Services, medical director of the Health and Nutrition Center and medical examiner in Surry County.
Stopyra won the honor by receiving the most votes among 10 finalists – chosen from more than 300 nominees – in online balloting that concluded Sunday. The award was presented to him today – National Doctors’ Day – at a reception at Wake Forest Baptist.
The award includes a prize of $5,000, which Stopyra plans to donate in equal amounts to five families with members who have serious illnesses.
Stopyra earned his bachelor’s degree at Cornell University in 1996 and his medical degree at the University of Buffalo in 2000. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist in 2003 and joined the Medical Center in 2013 after working at Northern Hospital of Surry County in Mount Airy.
The North Carolina Doctor of the Year Award was established by the NCMS in 2015 to honor physicians who are experts in treatment and care, passionate about their patients and active in their communities. The inaugural recipient was Gloria Graham, M.D., a dermatologist at Eastern Dermatology and Pathology in Morehead City and a graduate of Wake Forest School of Medicine.
The North Carolina Medical Society is the oldest and largest physician organization in the state Carolina, devoted to representing the interests of physicians and protecting the quality of patient care. Established in 1849, it has more than 13,000 members.
Media Relations
Eryn Johnson: eryjohns@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-8228
Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487