At its annual conference Friday in Biloxi, the Mississippi State Medical Association named Centreville physician Dr. R.J. &uot;Dick&uot; Field Jr. its 2004 Doctor of the Year for Community Service.

Field, a 48-year veteran of rural surgery at Field Memorial Community Hospital in Centreville, was nominated for the honor based on a lifetime of exemplary civic and social contributions, FMCH spokesperson Susan Knighton said.

&uot;Due to Dr. Dick’s many, many community contributions for the betterment of Wilkinson and Amite counties and Centreville, he was nominated by the Wilk-Amite Medical Society and won,&uot; Knighton said.

Field, a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons, served as president of the Centreville Chamber of Commerce several times over the past four decades and established the Centreville Downtown Development Association in 1999. Field, 77, purchased land on Centreville’s Main Street to secure a location for the Centreville Renal Care Dialysis Center and led an effort to locate a Christian radio station in the town.

He was also instrumental in gaining requirements for physicians to attend football games in Mississippi and has served as team physician at Centreville schools since 1963. &uot;His life and legacy have been clearly defined by his almost 50-year commitment to service in medicine, community, missions, youth and education,&uot; Dr. David B. McGraw wrote in nominating Field for the award.

Reached by telephone Friday afternoon, Field said he was honored to receive the award and hoped it would serve as an inspiration for younger doctors.

&uot;It’s so important for our young people to see that being a doctor means so much more than just practicing medicine. It shows them they have a great opportunity to impact the lives of people,&uot; Field said.

Field’s biography, &uot;Dr. Dick, The Heart and Hands of a Rural Surgeon,&uot; was written by Bob Pittman and published in 1999.