AAIP 2021 Physician of the Year

Posted by Margaret Knight on 08/05/2021

Ronald Blaine Shaw, MD
AAIP 2021 Physician of the Year

Ronald Blaine Shaw, MD recently retired as Chief Executive  Officer/Chief  Medical  Officer for the Wah-Zha-Zhi Health Center serving Osage Nation in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Dr. Shaw is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including St. John Broken Arrow Hospital and St. John Medical Center-Tulsa. He received his medical degree from University of Washington School of Medicine, his Residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and has been in practice for more than 38 years.
Shaw, is from the Grayhorse District in Osage county, was instrumental in the Nation’s compact with the Indian Health Service for the creation of the Wah-Zha-Zhi Health Center. He has also served on the Nation’s Health Advisory/Authority Boards and is a former Osage News health columnist. He was elected to the Osage Congress in 2014.
Dr. Shaw resigned December 31, 2017 to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer positions for the newly formed Osage Nation Health Services beginning January 1, 2018.
Dr. Shaw has actively served the Association of American Indian Physician as a Board member and as Past President. He has been steadfast tireless advocate and actively engaged as a member on behalf of the association on a number of fronts.  He has served on a number of AAIP Committee positions including: Rites and Ceremonies Committee, Governance, Policy and Legislation and more.
Dr. Shaw is a highly-qualified Osage physician who seeks to provide Osage Nation citizens with the highest quality healthcare, both mentally and physically. “Dr. Shaw is someone with great experience in the delivery of tribal healthcare. I think that is recognized by him being elected president of the Association of American Indian Physicians,” said Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear. “He has been the medical director for the Citizen Potawatomi for some time and has done tremendous things for their clinic. They’ve expanded services, expanded their clinic, and that’s how I know his work.”
Shaw has practiced medicine for over 35 years. His professional interest includes addiction treatment. He was recently interviewed by NPR’s “All Things Considered” on the opioid crisis affecting Indian Country and on the front line of the COVID Pandemic.  He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and received his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Most importantly, Ron is rooted in his Osage traditional ways. He is active in his culture and with his ceremonies, songs and dances. In my teachings your life is full when you are a good husband, father and uncle to those around you. Ron has been all of these and more. As an uncle, Ron has mentored countless Native students and doctors as well as citizens of his Nation.  For these reasons and many others, Dr. Ron Shaw is most deserving and well suited for the 2021 AAIP Physician of the Year Award.