St. Paul, April 29, 2025 – The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) named Robert Levy, MD, FAAFP, recipient of the 2025 MAFP Innovation & Research Award. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a major contribution to the development of family medicine research and innovation.
Levy is a leader in addiction medicine whose research and innovative approaches focus on integrating addiction treatment into primary care and hospital settings while ending the stigma attached to addiction and opioid use disorders.
As a board-certified physician in addiction medicine and family medicine, Levy is a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and completed a fellowship in Addiction and Chronic Pain at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in 2011. Since then, he has been a key faculty member at the University of Minnesota North Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency program, where he teaches and mentors the next generation of physicians. In addition to his academic role, Levy practices full-spectrum family medicine, including obstetrics, and provides care in various settings, including primary care, hospital medicine and rural emergency rooms. He serves as treasurer of the Minnesota Society of Addiction Medicine and has held a repeat term on the American Society of Addiction Medicine Public Policy Committee since 2018, actively shaping policies to improve addiction care.
Levy’s work extends beyond clinical care and education into research and innovation in addiction medicine. He has led multiple initiatives aimed at improving the integration of addiction treatment into primary care and hospital settings, with a particular focus on reducing stigma and enhancing access to care. His research interests include chronic pain management, addiction in pregnancy and the neonatal period and supporting health care professionals with substance use disorders. Recently, he received a grant from SAMHSA to support efforts in addressing Minnesota’s opioid epidemic. Through his leadership and research, Levy continues to develop innovative approaches to addiction treatment, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive and compassionate care.
Laura Miler, MD, MPH, Associate Professor at North Memorial, says: “Dr. Levy’s most significant contribution to family medicine is aiding multiple family medicine residency programs in the development of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder programs at their clinic sites, starting with his home site, Broadway Family Medicine Clinic. Dr. Levy and his team work specifically to ensure that research surrounding substance use disorder is geared toward primary care and community health. Dr. Levy’s work directly improves the lives of the patients that he treats for opioid use disorder by implementing evidence-based interventions to support patients in their recovery. He has extended this influence by implementing MOUD protocols at multiple clinics across the state to maximize the access that patients have for this life-altering intervention and care.”
The MAFP is proud to honor Robert Levy, MD, FAAFP, for his community-based participatory research, dedication to improving patient care and bringing attention to interventions that can be implemented quickly and thoughtfully.
About the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) is the largest medical specialty organization in Minnesota, representing more than 3,100 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students. The MAFP promotes the specialty of family medicine in Minnesota and supports family physicians as they provide high quality, comprehensive and continuous medical care for patients of all ages.
About the MAFP Academy Awards
The MAFP recognizes its members for their hard work and dedication to family medicine via its own Academy Awards. Minnesota family physicians, residents, medical students and researchers are nominated—by educators, learners and colleagues—for a variety of awards. After reviewing nomination letters and credentials, the Innovation & Research Award recipient is chosen by designated members of the MAFP Research and Quality Improvement Committee. More background on the awards can be found at mafp.org/awards.
Media contact: Kendra Myers, 952-224-3876, kendra@mafp.org