When Dr. John Magauran began his medical career he never thought he'd chart a course as a country doctor.

Today he makes house calls. He listens patiently to a laundry list of ailments. And he never shows frustration.

That's why Magauran was nominated by Susanna Cheung, chief executive officer of Opportunities for the Retarded Inc. Magauran is one of the three men and two women to receive this year's Jefferson Awards for Public Service. The five will be recognized on Thursday at a luncheon at the Pacific Club.

"He is a mild-mannered man," Cheung said. "He has patience and will sit there for a long time and speak softly, smile and nod his head. He has an extremely good bedside manner."

When Magauran came to Hawai'i in 1996 it was to be a general internist. But life has a way of taking us along different paths, he said.

At the time he was running a 24-hour clinic in Waikiki and Cheung asked him to help with developmentally disabled clients in Wahiawa. Magauran started visiting them once a month and the next thing he knew he was there full time. Now he practices medicine solely in Wahiawa.

"I believe we need to advocate for the elderly and the developmentally disabled," Magauran said. "It is often the case that it is easier to get access to medicine if it's in an area they're comfortable in."

The 47-year-old Magauran also is the medical director of the newly built ORI Anuenue Hale Wellness Center next to Helemano Plantation.

"I can't believe that you can get an award for doing something you like," Magauran said. "There are people out there in the community who are involved with things and I didn't think I was doing anything special. I like to do this."