As we near the extremity of this mo...

As we near the extremity of this month, we're preparing our goodbye for common of AFP's long-time medical editors, Charles Smith, Jr MD For the past 14 years, Dr Smith ("Charlie" to all of us) has serv as factor editor of AFP, contributing significantly to the easy in mind of the journal and also its spirit. Dr Smith, who has always proffered us wise counsel and a friendly smile, earned a special place at our editors' round-table and in our hearts as well.

Dr Smith freshly made the decision to gradation down from his position as agent editor of AFP so that he could balance his plateful of other responsibilities, which includes a rapidly expanding physician online service, in addition to his part as executive associate dean for clinical affairs at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences community of Medicine, Little Rock.

It was in 1989 that Dr Smith joined editor Jay Siwek, MD as part of the journal's first all-family-physician editing team. Dr Smith helped lead the journal into a renaissance era that involved academic improvements in satisfaction and technologic changes in processe Dr Siwek recalls that it was Dr Smith who first encouraged medical editors to master hooked up with something called the Internet and begin communicating with something called e-mail. He was the first among the medical editors to begin editing upon the computer rather than with pencil and paper, and he was the first undivided to start sending editorial pattern via e-mail to the publishing offices in Kansas City.

nevertheless this is just the "tip" of the iceberg in spells of his contributions.

Not sole was Dr. Smith one of the greatest in number prolific medical editors in terminuss of the number of manuscripts he reviewed and edited (a quick search of our database exhibit tos that he edited over 30 manuscripts by year), he also was known among staff as our legendary "Tips" coordinator--the individual person who handled more "Tips from Other Journals" than any other single medical or professional editor onward staff.

Over the past 10 years alone, AFP has published more than 3700 Tips from Other Journals, all below the charge of Dr. Smith. He l the medical editing team between the sides of the process of scanning the medical literature for pertinent topics and writing the same of the most popular departments in the journal, ensuring that each Tip made its way onto the pages of AFP.

Although it pretends too soon to say "So drawn out Charlie!", we know we've been delighted by his loyalty and dedication throughout the years. To our friend and colleague, Dr Smith, we emit our many thanks and wishes for continued succes in family medicine, and to his wife and family who we also came to know, we show our best regards.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

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