archives collection - American Academy of Family Physicians ...

Born April 21, 1920, in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, Edward J. Kowalewski, M.D. became a
household name in the field of Family Medicine, not only in Pennsylvania and Maryland, but also
nationally and globally. He attended the Pennsylvanian colleges of Gettysburg as well as Franklin
and Marshall for pre-medical training, earning his B.S. in 1942. Kowalewski thereafter attended
George Washington University Medical School, earning his M.D. in 1945 and completing his
residency in 1946. He was then stationed at the U.S. Army General Hospital in Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania and served his country as a U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeon until opening up his first
family practice in 1948. In 1948, Kowalewski began a twenty-three year span in which he was
involved in three family practices: a Solo Family Practice in Rothsville, Pennsylvania (1948-1953),
as well as a two-man Family Practice Partnership (1953-1957) and a three-man Family Practice
Partnership (1957-1971), which were both located in Akron, Pennsylvania. It was shortly after the
opening of his solo practice that he joined the American Academy of Family Physicians (then the
American Academy of General Practice) in 1951. Dr. Kowalewski founded and was a president of
the Lancaster (PA) County Chapter before becoming the president of the Pennsylvania Academy of
General Practice (1960-1961). As an active member of the AAFP, Kowalewski fulfilled numerous
roles throughout the 1960’s: Board of Directors Member (1964-1967) and Chairman (1966-1967),
Executive Committee Member (1966-1969) and Chairman (1967), and President (1969-1970).
Additionally, he served on a number of committees and commissions which broached topics such as
environmental medicine and Indian health, among others. Kowalewski made a difference outside of
the AAFP also, being selected by the United States Department of State to tour the Iron Curtain
representing the typical family physician and winning the Medical Tribune Auto Safety Award in
1968 after being responsible for a national law requiring medial strip barriers on all major U.S.
highways. Shortly after his stint as 22 nd President of the AAFP, Kowalewski began teaching at the
University of Maryland School of Medicine, serving as a Professor and Chairman for the Department
of Family Practice until his retirement. During this period, he also became the first American
president of the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of
General Practice/Family Physicians (WONCA).
The Edward J. Kowalewski, M.D. Collection contains an extensive amount of AAGP material
including his Executive Committee Files, President and Past President files, speeches and reports
during his time as AAFP President (1969-1970), Special Presidential Committee File (1970), and
general meeting files (1967-1969). There are also collections of his work in other associations such
as the Pennsylvania Academy of General Practice (PAGP) meeting files, American Board of Family
Practice (ABFP) files, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Files, and the Family Health
Foundation Files. Furthermore, there exist collections of a more personal nature such as his
published articles (1945-1980), his correspondence (1964-1971), retirement scrapbook (1990), and
clippings and articles relating to him (1960-1980). The collection also contains his Congressional
Testimony Files and a special collection of the Cahal, Yarborough, Rooney and Murphy Bill Files.
60