John Adams, M.D., doesn’t just want residents to improve their skills when they rotate through his practice in Fremont — he wants to show them a different side of medicine.
“It is most important to show them what medicine is like outside of Omaha and give them an opportunity to see what’s available in out-state Nebraska,” Dr. Adams said. “You get to do a little bit more as an internist in this sort of community.”
As a volunteer faculty member for more than 20 years, Dr. Adams has introduced the smaller community aspect of practicing medicine to at least 120 physicians. His longtime service has earned him the January Volunteer Faculty of the Month Award from the College of Medicine.
Born in Madison, Wis., Dr. Adams grew up in Lincoln. He graduated from UNMC in 1975 and completed a residency in internal medicine in 1977. He began working at a private practice in Fremont in 1978.
Throughout his years of service, Dr. Adams has organized and led the Greater Nebraska Internal Medicine residency rotation at his private practice in Fremont. There, Dr. Adams watches residents grow into their roles as physicians, and does a little learning of his own.
“It’s a good way to keep my education up-to-date, but the greatest satisfaction is working with the residents,” he said. “I enjoy watching them work and asking them how things are done at the university.”
Dr. Adams’ fondness for working with residents is reflected in the numbers who have passed through his office.
“Approximately one-half of the residents that have graduated from our residency program during the past 20 years have spent two months of their training rotating to Dr. Adams’ practice in Fremont,” said James O’Dell, M.D., director for the internal medicine residency program. “Obviously, Dr. Adams has had a tremendous impact on those approximately 120 physicians and their understanding of Greater Nebraska medicine.”