Dr. J.Y. White considers medicine a calling and not a job.

Perhaps that's one reason the Orangeburg physician was the recipient of the S.C. Academy of Family Physicians Distinguished Service Award, presented at the November assembly of the Academy.

The award was presented to the life member by the chapter's president, Neal Shealy, MD, and

"Recognizes the outstanding and distinguished service of the recipient and their demonstrated exemplary leadership, character, community involvement and advancement of the specialty of Family Medicine."

The Great Falls, S.C., native grew up on his father's dairy farm and later worked at JP Stevens Cotton Mill to earn money for his college tuition.

White was a hospital corpsman during World War II and served his country for two years at Bethesda, Md.

White received his medical degree in 1952 from the Medical University of South Carolina, and completed his family physician internship at the Tri-County Hospital (now the Regional Medical Center) in 1953.

He began a private practice in Bowman in 1953 before returning to Orangeburg in 1974, where he joined the practice of Dr. "Bill" Whetsell and Dr. L.P. Varn.

White joined the Regional Emergency Physicians Group in 1986, and as director served those patients who passed through the ER doors until 1994.

Presently, the honoree is an attending physician at the Methodist Oaks.

"It's rewarding to see senior citizens are well taken care of in their later years," he says.

When asked if there have been any disappointments in his medical career, he replies, "yes."

"When the Regional Medical Center closed Edisto Medical Services where I served from 1997-2003.

"We treated between 15 and 18,000 active patients -- patients that were thrown into the medical market which already had a shortage.

"And then when the hospital closed Copeland Medical Center where we had about 4,500 patients who all of a sudden had no physician."

On a brighter note.

"My patients come first over a lot of other things.

"My wife Nell has put up with me all these years. I could not have accomplished what I have done without her love and support.

"I thank God for good health, a sound mind, patients and patience."

The S.C. Academy of Family Physicians, with a membership of over 1,380, is a constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, which represents more than 93,000 family physicians and medical students nationwide.

In 1984, Dr. James Young White was also honored by his colleagues as the S.C. Family Physician of the Year.

T&D Correspondent Rendy Boland can be reached with comments or story ideas by phone at 803-535-2222. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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