Carlos Latorre, MD, FAAFP, a Vicksburg family physician, was honored as the inaugural Katie Patterson Award recipient for 2024 by the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) at its Annual Meeting in July.

“The Katie Patterson Award was created to honor the late Dr. Katie Patterson, a friend and mentor to all,” MAFP officials said. “This award will be given to one outstanding family physician each year who actively provides guidance and encouragement to medical students or residents, and contributes to the personal and professional development of future leaders in the field of family medicine.”

In practice for 13 years, Latorre completed an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and earned his M.D. from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. He spent three years training at the family medicine residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and served as chief resident.

Latorre, a board-certified family physician, is currently the Associate Chief of Staff for Primary Care at G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, and practices family medicine in Vicksburg at Mission Primary Care Clinic. Active in the MAFP, Dr. Latorre has served on its board of directors as secretary, vice president, and president-elect before leading the academy as 2021-22 president.

A winner of several awards, Latorre earned the Doctor of Distinction Award in 2015 from the Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) and was honored with the MSMA’s James C. Waites Leadership Award in 2014 and 2019. While a family medicine resident at UMMC, he earned the Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, the Daniel Mark Pogue MD, Humanitarian Award, and the George Lally Bevill Memorial Fellowship Fund Award.

At this year’s meeting, keeping up with the annual tradition of their family vacation during the
MAFP meeting, Dr. Patterson’s husband, David, and their sons, Samuel, Reilly, Nicholas, and John Kastens
joined the event, where David presented the first Katie Patterson Award.

“To win anything, any award, is an honor, but this… to be recognized as the inaugural recipient of this award in Katie’s honor… this means a lot to me on a deeper level; this is truly so special to me,” Latorre said.