October 2001 • Volume 7 • Number 10
From passion to patience -- seven steps to a thriving FMIG
BY CINDY McCANSE
"Outlast, outplay, outwit." That's the catchphrase from the hit TV show Survivor.
But what does the phrase have to do with growing a successful family medicine interest group?
Everything, said Michael Sevilla, M.D., during a session, "Effective FMIG Leadership: You Have To Start Meeting Like This," at the recent National Conference of Family Practice Residents and Medical Students in Kansas City, Mo. Sevilla is a resident delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and a member of the Commission on Resident and Student Issues.
He opened the discussion by outlining seven steps students can use to fashion a top-notch campus FMIG. Participants then broke up into small groups led by FMIG regional coordinators to brainstorm about specific issues faced by FMIGs.
Michael Sevilla, M.D., of Salem, Ohio, instructed medical students at the National Conference in the proper care and feeding of a campus family medicine interest group.
Regional FMIG coordinator Lauren Giammar of Canton, Ohio, encouraged students at the session to focus on one quality of a successful FMIG at a time.Here's some of what Sevilla had to say:
- Passion. You gotta have heart. "Great leaders are not just 'out there,'" he explained. "Great leaders are ordinary people -- like you and me -- who do extraordinary things."
- Preparation. Basically, you need to do your homework, Sevilla said. "Ask yourself, 'What are M1s and M4s looking for?' Brainstorm about what future FMIG sessions should cover, then create an outline of events you want to see happen in the coming months." And don't forget to anticipate problems and devise solutions ahead of time to overcome them.
- People. Take full advantage of knowledge held by the folks who remain involved with the FMIG over the long haul, Sevilla urged. Officers change every year, he noted, but people such as the program's faculty adviser, resident adviser, and staff at your state and national academies "bring a history to the organization."
- Empower. "Encourage leadership at all levels," said Sevilla. "Great leaders take the time to train those who'll come after them." For example, it's a good idea for outgoing officers and FMIG advisers to sit down annually with folks coming on board and take a long, hard look at the program and the preceding year's activities. "Look at what worked and what didn't," Sevilla said. "That way, (new) people can hit the ground running; they don't have to keep reinventing the wheel every year."
- Persistence. "Don't fall prey to false expectations," Sevilla warned. The "high" of a particularly successful meeting or event won't last forever. "You have to find creative ways to keep the excitement up," he noted, "and that can be tough." One way to do that, he added, is to celebrate ...
- Party. "Reward your successes!" said Sevilla. Throw a party to celebrate some major milestone achieved. And remember, "it's important to thank everybody," said Sevilla. Whether you use e-mail, write a personal note or verbally recognize someone during a meeting, do it "and you'll be surprised by the number of people you'll have back," he said.
- Patience. Remember, Sevilla urged, "Leadership is a learned skill, and you'll make mistakes along the way." Just learn from them and go on, he said. Never letting yourself forget what family medicine is all about can help you keep the day-to-day issues you deal with in the proper perspective.
"Great leaders are focused on the patient," said Sevilla. "That's really why we're all here (at the National Conference), isn't it?" It's not to go to this procedures course or visit that residency program booth, he said, "It's because we want to help people."
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2001 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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