ORLANDO, Fla. – Vidor Friedman, MD, FACEP, of Orlando, who serves as the chair of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians’ Governmental Affairs Committee, is the 2008 recipient of the Martin J. Gottlieb Award. The award was created in 2004 by Mel Gottlieb, of Jacksonville, Martin’s father, to recognize individuals who embrace Martin’s strong belief and example of supporting and leading emergency medicine advocacy efforts to support access to care for patients. The award memorializes Martin, who passed away in 2004. The presentation took place during the 2008 Symposium by the Sea, at the Boca Raton Resort and Club, in Boca Raton.

“This award is truly an honor for me,” said Dr. Friedman, who accepted the award from Mel Gottlieb. “Marty was not just a friend but a true mentor for me, and others, in politics and advocacy. He is sorely missed!”

Dr. Friedman is the Director of Emergency Services for Florida Hospital, Celebration Health, in Celebration, and is also the immediate past chief of staff of that hospital. He serves as chairman of the Florida Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and is a director for his emergency medicine group, Florida Emergency Physicians, which is based in Maitland. Dr. Friedman was recently elected as the secretary/treasurer of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) and has also served as a member of the FCEP Board of Directors since 2003. Since 2005, Dr. Friedman has served on the board of directors for the National Emergency Medicine Political Action Committee (NEMPAC). He received his MD from the University of Cincinnati in 1986, after receiving his Bachelor’s of Science from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1982. He graduated from the Michigan State University Emergency Medicine Residency Program in 1989, serving as chief resident his final year.

Past recipients of the award include David Seaberg, MD, FACEP; Michael Zappa, MD, FACEP (2006); and David Vukich, MD, FACEP (2005).

The Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) represents more than 1,200 emergency physicians in the state of Florida. FCEP members represent the health care safety net of Florida’s residents and visitors. More than seven million patients seek care annually in Florida emergency departments. FCEP was founded on Oct. 15, 1971 and is headquartered in Orlando.

- FCEP -