Among the top articles published in AFP last year were those nominated for the Kemp Award, which the AAFP has presented each year in recognition of the most outstanding AFP article written by family physicians. Articles are judged on the basis of quality of editorial presentation, scientific substance, originality of thought and relevance to family practice.

The Kemp Award has been presented annually since 1986 and has carried a $1,000 honorarium. It is named in memory of Walter H. Kemp, who served as managing publisher of AFP for 15 years. Medical editors nominate articles for the Kemp Award, and several finalists are presented to the AAFP Commission on Continuing Medical Education, which selects the top candidate for recommendation to the AAFP Board of Directors.

We're pleased to announce that the 16th annual Kemp Award goes to Thomas J. Gates, M.D., for his article “Screening for Cancer,” which was published in the February 1, 2001 issue of AFP. This article was selected from among 115 clinical reviews published in AFP last year. Dr. Gates' article reviews the types of evidence required to justify screening tests for cancer. Which screening procedures are justified and how proposed screening procedures should be evaluated are areas of controversy, and the article helps guide family physicians through current and future screening controversies. The article offers illustrative examples of existing screening recommendations for cancers of the cervix, lung, colon, breast, and prostate.

Dr. Gates is currently associate director of the family practice residency at Lancaster (Pa.) General Hospital. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, Boston, where he had an emphasis on preventive and social medicine. He completed a residency in family medicine at the University of Utah Hospitals, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The articles that placed as runners up are “Treatment of Hypothyroidism,” by William J. Hueston, M.D. (November 15, 2001), “Fingertip Injuries,” by Brett A. Johnson, M.D., and Quincy Wang, M.D. (May 15, 2001), “Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Young Children,” by Richard Kent Zimmerman, M.D., M.P.H. (May 15, 2001), and “Evaluation of Acute Headaches in Adults,” by C. Randall Clinch, D.O. (February 15, 2001). If you missed these articles when they were published, you can still find them atwww.aafp.org/afp.

Thanks and congratulations go to Dr. Gates for the award-winning review, the authors of the other finalist articles, and the many other authors who have made excellent contributions to AFP over the past year.