ORLANDO, FLA. -  Mylissa Graber, MD, FACEP, an Emergency Physician at the Coral Springs Medical Center, was selected as the 2006 recipient of the William T. Haeck Award as the Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) Member of the Year. Formerly the FCEP Member of the Year Award, this honor was renamed this year to pay homage to the first president of FCEP, Dr. William T. Haeck of West Palm Beach, who served FCEP in 1971-72. Dr. Haeck took part in the award ceremony at the 2006 Symposium by the Sea. After becoming the first person to receive the award under its new name, Dr. Graber was also elected Secretary/Treasurer of FCEP at a meeting of the Board of Directors.

“I am truly honored to be given such a prestigious award,” said Dr. Graber. “I believe it is our responsibility as emergency physicians to protect our patients and ensure that the people of Florida always receive the best emergency care available. FCEP and its leaders have been instrumental in continuously improving emergency medicine. I am honored to be in such company and will continue my commitment to making the emergency system in Florida the best in the nation.”

Dr. Graber is the education coordinator for Phoenix Emergency Physicians. The former president of the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association and the founder of the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association of Florida, Dr. Graber grew up in Coral Springs and attended the University of South Florida Medical School. She trained at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. She serves on numerous FCEP committees and on the American College of Emergency Physicians Finance Committee, and is Chair of Health Services for the Broward County chapter of the Red Cross. The daughter of Broward County Mayor and State Senatorial candidate Ben Graber, she is very active in FCEP’s advocacy efforts in Tallahassee.

The Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP) represents more than 1,100 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.