NASHVILLE, TENN. — The Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) honored several physicians at the 2026 Annual Meeting and House of Delegates in Franklin, Tenn.

Dr. Ann Price of Nashville and Dr. Joseph Cofer of Chattanooga received TMA’s Outstanding Physician Award. This award, considered as TMA’s lifetime achievement award, is presented annually by the House to member physicians who have made their own personal mark on the profession of medicine in Tennessee and on their colleagues.

A dedicated leader in organized medicine, Dr. Price served as President of the Nashville Academy of Medicine and was a founding member of the Tennessee Medical Association’s Young Physician Section. Her commitment to service extends well beyond medicine, with leadership roles supporting organizations such as Siloam Health, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, the National Kidney Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Through her enduring contributions, Dr. Price has helped cultivate a culture of integrity, service, and community impact across Nashville and the state of Tennessee.

After serving as a naval flight surgeon, Dr. Cofer completed his general surgery residency in Chattanooga and a transplant fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center. In 2004, he founded Hamilton County Project Access, a groundbreaking “clinic without walls” that connects uninsured patients to a coordinated network of volunteer physicians, hospitals, and clinics. As director of the surgery residency program at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, Dr. Cofer mentored generations of surgeons and helped lead the adoption of data-driven practices that significantly improved patient outcomes, including a 19% reduction in post-operative complications through the Tennessee Surgical Quality Collaborative. Even in retirement, he continues to serve as Medical Director of Project Access.

The Tennessee Medical Association is a nonprofit professional organization for Tennessee physicians. TMA represents more than 10,000 Tennessee physicians and physicians-in-training. The organization advocates for public policies, laws and rules that promote healthcare safety and quality for all Tennesseans and improve the nonclinical aspects of practicing medicine. Learn more at tnmed.org.

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