[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 105 (Thursday, June 15, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING DR. ROBERT MAUDLIN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 15, 2023

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
career of Dr. Robert Maudlin, PharmD, and celebrate the impact he has 
had on Graduate Medical Education in Eastern Washington--and across the 
country--throughout his illustrious career of nearly 50 years.
  Dr. Maudlin, or Bob as he is known by his friends and colleagues, 
started his career in the United States Navy where he played baseball 
and served as a pharmacy technician. After completing his time in the 
service, he returned to the University of California at San Francisco 
to earn his PhD in Pharmacy, a degree that was relatively new at the 
time.
  After graduating, Bob came on board as a member of the pharmacy 
department faculty at Washington State University. He later joined the 
Family Medicine Residency Spokane program as the Assistant Program 
Director, a position he put his full heart and soul into. Through hard 
work and fierce dedication, Bob developed the model for the first rural 
training program in the United States. He is a pioneer who, as his 
colleague Dr. Justin Frederick said, ``Saw the global vision of 
Graduate Medical Education for our communities.''
  Dr. Maudlin is also characterized as a mentor, a stalwart champion 
for Graduate Medical Education, and a passionate advocate for creating 
residency programs to provide care in underserved communities. As Dr. 
Tanya Keeble, Program Director of the Psychiatry Residency Program 
recounts, ``The psychiatry program never would have gotten off the 
ground without Bob's ability to develop critical community 
relationships and create a sustainable residency funding structure. As 
a new program director, he was an enormous support to me.''
  Dr. Maudlin never wavered in his commitment to the growth of Graduate 
Medical Education, and he viewed his role at the Spokane Teaching 
Health Center as the perfect way to advance that goal. He was 
tremendously helpful in writing the initial grant needed to increase 
the primary care residency programs for the first time since the late 
1990s. He served as the Designated Institutional Official and helped 
guide the Executive Director and the Board of Directors during the 
startup phase of this new venture. As Traci Couture Richmond, Executive 
Director for the Spokane Teaching Health Center, said. ``Without Bob's 
deep knowledge of the grant requirements, the ability to get needed 
information from the partners, and his vision for what the STHC could 
be, we wouldn't be where we are today.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in congratulating 
Dr. Maudlin on his exceptional career. Without his influence and 
passion for training residents, Spokane and the region at-large would 
not be able to successfully train 118 medical residents per year. As a 
result of Bob's commitment to Graduate Medical Education, our health 
care system is stronger, and our community is a better place. I am 
grateful for his friendship since I was first elected to Congress, and 
I know his tremendous achievements and legacy will not soon be 
forgotten.

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