PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia has awarded Hannah Ankrom, a 2026 graduate of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), the 12th annual Farson-Smith-Earley Award for her dedication to rural healthcare.
“Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia is pleased to partner with WVSOM in an effort to improve the accessibility and delivery of primary health care services in the rural areas of our state,” said Jay Sheehy, president of Highmark West Virginia. We commend Hannah for her passion for primary care and for wanting to practice primary care medicine in rural West Virginia after the completion of her residency, as well as serving as a rural health advocate for our state.”
The Farson-Smith-Earley Award, named in honor of former Highmark West Virginia Blue Cross Blue Shield presidents Thomas D. Farson, Gregory K. Smith, and J. Fred Earley II, who led the organization from 1973 to 1995, 1995 to 2009 and 2009 to 2016, respectively. This honor acknowledges WVSOM graduates committed to practicing medicine in rural West Virginia.
Ankrom, a Lewisburg resident, will receive a $3,600 stipend, and will serve her residency at Wheeling Hospital, focusing on primary care for rural patients.
About Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia
Highmark West Virginia Inc., doing business as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, serves over 500.000 members across all lines of business including the National BlueCard® program. In West Virginia, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield holds the largest share of the commercial market, and more West Virginians carry a Blue Cross Blue Shield card than any other insurance carrier in the state. We offer across all business segments and ancillary lines of coverage. Highmark West Virginia Inc. employs more than 500 people and serves as a key economic driver in the state. Highmark West Virginia supports all West Virginians through their Charitable Fund, providing grants more than $9M since being established. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.
