CHFM Launches Online Catalog

The Center for the History of Family Medicine, or CHFM, has created a free, downloadable and fully searchable online catalog of its collections of papers, photographs, audio and video materials, and other artifacts that tell the story of the specialty.

The "Guide to the Collections of the Center for the History of Family Medicine" (277-page PDF; About PDFs) features a complete listing of CHFM's holdings, which document the history, development and practice of family medicine.

The center's holdings comprise three major areas:

CHFM manager Don Ivey said in a news release that the guide was developed as part of the center's ongoing commitment to preserve and share the history of family medicine.

"As the only historical resource center devoted exclusively to telling the story of general practice, family practice and family medicine in the United States, we believe that this guide will be a unique and valuable resource for researchers, historians and family physicians alike," said Ivey, who added that the guide will be updated annually.

The CHFM, which was established in 1992 to "actively collect, organize, preserve and provide access to the records of the leading family medicine organizations," is located at AAFP headquarters in Leawood, Kan. The center is a program of the nonprofit AAFP Foundation.

For more information on the CHFM, including how to donate materials, contact the center at (800) 274-2237, Ext. 4420 or 4422. Or, e-mail the center.