CHAPMAN GETS STATE MEDICAL AWARD; CAPE GIRARDEAU ALLERGIST CITED BY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Dr. Jean A. Chapman, a Cape Girardeau allergist and internist, has received the Missouri State Medical Association's 1999 Citizenship and Community Service Award.

The award recognizes doctors who have reached beyond the practice of medicine.

Chapman is the fourth Cape Girardeau doctor to earn the statewide award. Dr. John Ritter received the honor in 1996. Dr. James Kinder was honored in 1997 and Dr. John Holcomb was honored in 1998.

While Chapman's resume is filled with numerous professional honors and accolades, he says a couple local projects rank high on his personal list of achievements.

With others in Cape Girardeau County, Chapman campaigned, lobbied and offered educational programs to establish a county public health program.

After three failed ballot issues, voters approved a public health center, which has thrived, Chapman said.

Public health was an issue important to him and the welfare of the community.

He has served eight years as the county's health officer.

In 1990, Chapman started the "Ask Your Doctor" program, a weekly live call-in cable television show. Chapman has been host to more than 375 shows and has interviewed doctors in all major specialties.

But he said his motivation to do the "Ask Your Doctor" is somewhat less altruistic. "That's just plain fun," he said. "It is a good thing to do, and it really is fun."

Among his professional accomplishments, Chapman helped establish a system to collect pollen and mold data nationwide.

"That has proven a good educational tool as well," he said.

Chapman is chairman of the pollen and mold committee of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, which initiated the program to gather daily pollen and spore counts by volunteer certified aerobiologists around the United States.

The counts are used by allergists to track seasonal variations and by chemical researchers investigating pharmacotherapy for seasonal allergies.

The Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Society will hold the Jean A. Chapman Immunology Symposium in May. One of the key speakers will discuss pollen and mold counts.

Chapman said judges at the state level may have been surprised that a small-town allergist and internist is a master in the American College of Physicians.

"I'm not sure how that happened either," he joked.

In March 1995, Chapman was among 22 doctors nationally to attain the level of master within the American College of Physicians. As of August, 346 physicians hold the honor.

Chapman began his higher education in 1946 at Southeast Missouri State University. He received a master's degree in anatomy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and then pursued his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine. He continued his medical training in internal medicine at St. Louis City Hospital and Barnes Hospital. He also served as a general medical officer in the U.S. Air Force.

Chapman returned from his medical education and military service to Cape Girardeau, where he has remained for 40 years.

For 38 years, from 1959 to 1997, he practiced internal medicine, specializing in allergy, asthma and immunology.

He has served as chief of the medical staff at Southeast Missouri Hospital and has served 22 years on its board of trustees.

He taught the senior residents from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine at Carbondale each year.

He has been instrumental in helping the educational committee of the American Academy of Family Physicians develop a core curriculum in allergy and immunology and has assisted in the development of community-based allergy and immunology programs in more than 62 different residency programs throughout the country.

Chapman has been Cape Girardeau County Medical Society's president, treasurer and CME program chairman. He also served on the board of directors and is chairman of the emergency services committee.

He has been a delegate to the Missouri State Medical Association for many years and served as the public affairs commission chairman.

He was a founding member, president and secretary of the Missouri State Allergy Association. He served on the board, holding offices and served as president of the American Association of Certified Allergists.

He has been active in the Missouri Society of Internal Medicine and the Missouri Chapter of the American College of Physicians, serving on the board and council and committees of these organizations.