Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center (SMSC), part of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), and the Central Coast Alliance for Health (CCAH) have named Russell G. Witt, a June 2008 Health Sciences graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), as the recipient of the annual Primary Care Physician Award.

"We worked with CCAH to establish this award not only to foster more primary care physicians for our area, but physicians who can help provide medical care for the underserved in our community," said Ric Nichols, administrator of SMSC. "Russell is a worthy recipient of the award and we wish him all the best in his medical training."

"I've decided to pursue a medical degree due mostly to my family's personal experience of having wonderful doctors and being taken care of in our times of most need," said Russell Witt, an area local from Aptos. "I'm very honored to receive this award and look forward to caring for patients in our community."

The award was established in conjunction with the University of California, Santa Cruz Foundation in 2007 by SMSC and CCAH to help carry out the Alliance's mission to provide high quality primary care to Central Coast Medi-Cal patients .

The award supports a graduating senior with a major in Health Sciences at UCSC who will be entering an accredited medical school soon after successfully completing his or her bachelor's degree. The recipient's medical training must result in an M.D. or D.O. degree and the recipient must intend to return to the Central Coast of California to practice in the area of primary care. The funds are intended to help meet the student's requirements for fees and tuition.

"As a non-profit health plan that serves over 85,000 members we see the overwhelming need for more physicians who see Medi-Cal patients in our area," said Alan McKay, executive director of CCAH. "This is an excellent way to support the education of physicians who can return and help fill this need."

Candidates are recommended by UCSC's Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology to a committee comprised of representatives from SMSC, CCAH, and the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency. There is no implied obligation or requirement that the award recipient shall be on staff at any particular organization in the area, but they will be expected to serve Medi-Cal patients.

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