By Ray Nolting rnolting@parsonssun.com
A Parsons physician has been named president-elect of the Kansas Medical Society.
Dr. Robert Gibbs, medical director of radiology at Labette Health since 2003, will serve as president-elect for two years for the organization that advocates for physicians. After his two-year term, Gibbs likely will be named president of the KMS.
Gibbs said the election was in April and the organization opened the vote to all members of the medical society rather than just delegates from the counties. His office essentially is a vice president of the organization and he will work with the president, Dr. Jay Gilbaugh, a Wichita urologist.
“After two years, if I haven’t done anything to the contrary, then I will move up to the president for a two-year term. Essentially it’s learning the ropes of being the president of the Kansas Medical Society,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs has been an alternate delegate to the American Medical Association for KMS since 2005. “So I’ve had some interaction with the Kansas Medical Society. I’ve been involved with the board because of that.”
He was pleased with his new role in the medical society. “I think it’s quite an honor. I’m pretty honored to be in that position,” Gibbs said. Gibbs said he’s been a member of KMS since about 1994.
Born in South Dakota, Gibbs was raised in Coffeyville. He received a degree in chemistry from the University of Kansas and then graduated from the KU School of Medicine. He served his residency in radiology at the KU radiology residency program in Wichita. Following that, he took the job at Labette Health, which was called Labette County Medical Center at the time. In addition to being medical director of radiology, Gibbs is medical director of the radiology technology program at Labette Community College, medical director of the ultrasound program at LCC and serves on the Labette Health Board of Trustees and the board of the hospital’s foundation.
His wife, Vicki Rawdon, finished her residency in pediatrics in 2001 and practiced in Wichita until he was done with his residency. The couple have five children, the oldest of whom will be a high school senior next school year.