Second Annual Impact Awards, First Mentoring in Medicine Award, Presented at IUP-IRMC Pennsylvania Mountains Rural Health Conference

The 2025 recipients of the Impact Awards are:

Bryan Doverspike, DO

As an obstetrician serving the Amish community in Smicksburg, Dr. Brian Doverspike has transformed rural maternal care through a dedicated mobile clinic. His work bridges cultural and clinical gaps by educating midwives on when hospital deliveries are necessary and when home births are safe, significantly improving outcomes for mothers and infants. He has introduced routine pelvic exams, Pap smears, and HPV vaccination discussions, expanding preventive care access for Amish women. His clinic also serves as a training site for Indiana Regional Medical Center residents and medical students, fostering the next generation of rural healthcare providers.

Nick Jacobs, IUP '69, M'72

Nick Jacobs has been a visionary leader in rural health innovation, founding multiple institutions including the Windber Research Institute and the Clinical and Translational Genome Research Institute. His work has advanced personalized medicine and rural access to genomic research. As a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense's Clinical Breast Care Project and founding executive of several health foundations, Jacobs has championed rural healthcare infrastructure and education. His prolific writing and national recognition-including awards from Walter Reed and the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association-underscore his enduring impact on rural health systems and policy.

A 1969 bachelor's degree in education and 1972 master's degree in education graduate of IUP, Jacobs is a 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient honored for his leadership in the healthcare and business communities.

He and his wife, Mary Ann Hoysan Jacobs, a 1968 bachelor's degree and 1993 master's degree in adult and community education graduate of IUP, have donated more than $40,000 to advance IUP's school of osteopathic medicine project.

"Over the years, I've been lucky enough to work with some extraordinary people, people who believe, as I do, that world-class healthcare doesn't have to stop at major city limits," Jacobs said as he accepted his award. "Together, we've tried to show that rural communities can be leaders in precision medicine, data-driven care, and innovation. Not because we have more resources, but because we have more reason to make every resource count. In rural health, you can't hide behind bureaucracy or buzzwords. You either solve the problem, or your neighbor doesn't get care. That's the reality that makes this work both humbling and inspiring."

Karin Rhodes

Dr. Karin Rhodes, Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, has dedicated her career to improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations. With over three decades of experience as an emergency medicine physician and health policy expert, she has led groundbreaking research and implementation efforts to reform delivery systems and strengthen community health. Her work translating evidence into practice has directly benefited rural communities, ensuring that healthcare visits are more effective, equitable, and responsive to local needs. Her leadership continues to shape policy and practice across Pennsylvania and beyond.

George Garrow

Dr. George Garrow, CEO of Primary Health Network (PHN), one of Pennsylvania's largest community health centers, Pennsylvania's largest Federally Qualified Health Center, Dr. Garrow oversees its mission of providing access to high quality care to all, especially members of historically underrepresented communities and those who are most vulnerable. Under his leadership, Primary Health Network has also been named as one of "North America's Inspiring Workplaces."