A college education would not have been possible for Carthage physician Dr. Frank Bowen had he not received financial assistance. 

Dr. Bowen, who began his medical practice in 1952 in Walnut Grove before moving to Carthage in 1957, continues to practice medicine at age 89. But his   successful medical career would not have been possible without a loan from a relative and other financial support. 

“If you know my history, you know that I needed assistance to continue my education,” said Dr. Bowen. “I grew up on a small farm…and an uncle of mine provided finances for my schooling at East Central (then Junior College), and it (the loan) was paid back. Also, as a World War II veteran, I received the GI Bill assistance to allow me to finish my pre-med courses and my internship. At that time, there was a state scholarship of up to $5,000 for a four-year course if I chose to go to a rural area, which I also had.” 

After the death of his wife, Bobbie, Dr. Bowen decided to honor her memory by establishing a scholarship in both their names to be presented to a student in need of financial assistance to attend ECCC in Decatur. 

“East Central is where we met and got our start as a young couple,” Dr. Bowen said, “and we believed that a deserving person needs to be provided a quality education.” 

Dr. Bowen and his wife met while attending East Central their freshman year in 1940-41. They married in 1943 while Dr. Bowe was stationed in Tampa, Fla., and were together for more than 63 years when she died of heart disease at age 84 in February 2007.

“We were friends and sweethearts all during my career…we never forgot each other, and were always thinking about each other,” said Dr. Bowen.

Mrs. Bowen, a Leake County native, attended Mississippi Southern College, now the University of Southern Mississippi, and was a school teacher. They had a son, Frank W. Bowen, Jr., who resides in Carthage and works for Sta Home Health and Hospice.

In establishing the scholarship, Dr. Bowen designated the award “for a student from Leake County who needs help and is aspiring to do something for himself/herself.” Qualifications specify that scholarship recipients finish in the top 10 percent of their graduation class from a high school in Leake County, and plan to enroll at ECCC the fall semester following graduation. 

The first recipient of the Dr. Frank and Bobbie McPhail Bowen Scholarship is Christina Nollie, a 2010 graduate of Carthage High School. The award was presented at the annual AT&T Scholarship Awards Luncheon held July 20 on the Decatur campus. This year’s event resulted in $76,000 in annual or endowed scholarships presented to 120 students planning to attend ECCC for the 2010 fall semester, according to Dr. Stacey Hollingsworth, event coordinator who serves as executive director for foundation and alumni relations. 

Nollie graduated with a 3.9 grade point average and finished eighth in her class. She was a member of the Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America and served as advice columnist for the school newspaper, The Tiger Times.

Her activities at ECCC will include serving as assistant editor of The Tom-Tom, the campus newspaper. She also plans to be involved in Phi Beta Lambda, an organization for business students.

She is the daughter of Worthy Nollie and Annie Gould, both of Carthage. 

Nollie, who said she is “most appreciative” of the scholarship, plans to major in office systems technology. Her career goal is to be a business owner one day. 

While Nollie is making plans for her career, Dr. Bowen is approaching 60 years of service in the medical field.

In addition to his office practice – and being on call 24 hours a day - Dr. Bowen serves as medical director for Golden Living Center, a long-term care center in Carthage, and serves as medical director for a local hospice center.

In reflecting on his career, Dr. Bowen said he knew he wanted a career in medicine at an early age. 

“It (career choice) was when I was in the seventh grade,” said the Memphis native who was reared in Oktibbeha County, “and read biographies of famous doctors, including Edward Jenner, who discovered the smallpox vaccination; and Albert Schweitzer, who was a missionary, a physician and a very talented musician…which had an effect on my decision to become a physician.”

Dr. Bowen said his military service also helped inspire his career choice.

“I enlisted in the Army during World War II because I was about to be drafted,” he recalled. “I went to the draft board, asked to enlist and be assigned as a medic. Captain Cornelius Byrd, of Georgia, was in one of the companies I served and helped influence my decision to enter the medical field.”

Dr. Bowen also credited several individuals who were “major influences” while he was in medical school and later when beginning of his career.

“When I was in med school, Dr. Arthur Guyton, who was a professor of physiology, was a major influence,” Dr. Bowen stated. “In spite of his handicaps, he was a wonderful teacher and very brilliant. He actually recommended me for med school (at University Medical Center.)” 

Dr. Bowen also credited Dr. William (Billy) Wood, with whom he served on staff at the Carthage hospital. “He assisted and helped me in many things when I was getting started in practice.” 

Another major influence in Dr. Bowen’s career was Dr. James Hendrix, a plastic surgeon. They became acquainted when Dr. Bowen was in med school. “Dr. Hendrix taught me to do sutures…and helped me excel in repairing lacerations.” 

In response to changes in medicine since beginning his practice, Dr. Bowen noted technology has come a long way with more changes to come.

“When I was in medical school, the medications I studied in pharmacology were very few, but were quite comprehensive at the time,” he stated. “There were only three or four medications that I studied in medical school that I would even think about prescribing now. We have new medications and new procedures available all the time. Of course, there are many still in trial, and some will work; some will not.”

Dr. Bowen said the advancements in medicine have obviously helped people live longer and healthier lives.

“The study of cardiology and its advancement has helped people live a lot longer now. In the surgical field, transplantation of organs is something that was started after I began practice and is now very common. Bone marrow transplants are also performed quite frequently,” he said. “Other diseases are being studied and treated, moreso than what we did when I was in medical school. The study of medicine is never-ending…and is a must for physicians to be successful.”

In reflecting on his college days at EC, Dr. Bowen said he has “special memories” of his time on the Decatur campus.

“Being reared on the farm and going to a small school, I enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends…and especially meeting my future wife!” he said. “Dormitory life was lots of fun. I enjoyed the people I got to know. The times we had on campus were very enjoyable.”

Dr. Bowen recalled college life as being rather simple.

“Most people going to East Central were not very prosperous,” he said. “We were all just about the same class of people. We formed friendships with a lot of other people. I looked at my annual recently, at all the notes and things written by my friends, and I still appreciate all of them,” he said. “However, very few of my classmates and alumni are still living. Of course, during pre-med and medical school, friendships were more or less with just my own classmates rather than being with other groups. It (time spent) was more studying and making sure you did the right thing.”

When Dr. Bowen is not tending to the needs of his patients, he spends time helping young people and being involved in various community activities. He is also a member of numerous organizations and is the recipient of several professional and community honors. 

He was named Mississippi Physician of the Year in 1996 by the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, an organization he served as president in 1993-94. He received the Exemplary Physician Award from the Central Medical Society in 2008, and the Mississippi State Medical Association honored him with a Community Service Award in 2009.  

Dr. Bowen, a past president of the Leake County Chamber of Commerce and Carthage Rotary Club, was selected Leake County Man of the Year in 1980 and was chosen Father of the Year by the Carthage United Methodist Church in 1996. He was twice chosen Rotarian of the Year, in 1989 and 2009.

Some of his volunteer work includes providing free physical examinations to high school athletes; assisting students attending Boys’ and Girls’ State and participants in camp activities; working with Career for A Day Committee by allowing students to who wish to enter the field of medicine to observe activities in the office and hospital; serving as a Medical Preceptor for the University of Mississippi Department of Family Medicine; and serving as the Leake County Advisor for Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental students for the University of Mississippi.

Dr. Bowen is obviously interested in helping young people and offers the following advice for students planning a career in medicine: 

 “Think of the people you serve,” he said. “Have a good beside manner…be able to communicate...take part in community activities…and do things for other people…not just for money or yourself.”