Virtual FMIG Gets New Look, New Features

Starting this week, users who log into AAFP's premier Web site for medical students interested in family medicine, Virtual FMIG -- or family medicine interest group -- will no doubt notice some major changes. Thanks to a grant from the AAFP Foundation, the FMIG site has been redesigned and is bigger, brighter and more colorful. In addition to new features and content developed just for students, the Academy has added a new section for pre-medical students.

Virtual FMIG focuses on giving students relevant and timely information about the specialty of family medicine, including information about the scope, training, and lifestyles of family physicians, according to Amy McGaha, M.D., assistant director of the AAFP Division of Medical Education. Resources on the site include promotional materials and presentations that students can use when discussing family medicine with their colleagues.

One new feature, the Student Interest Discussion Forum, provides a communication tool that allows students to share information and experiences as they explore family medicine, McGaha said. Students can subscribe to the forum by submitting their e-mail addresses.

"Today's medical students rely on the Internet to receive the most up-to-date information about medicine and to connect with peers who share similar interests," said McGaha. "The AAFP, through Virtual FMIG, has long been a reliable source for excellent information about family medicine, and we want to continue to provide medical students with the resources they need to research careers in family medicine. The enhanced Virtual FMIG allows us to integrate new formats to deliver this information in innovative ways."

The newly added section for pre-medical students includes information specifically targeted to younger students, such as descriptions of the rigors and joys of a medical career, a primer for applying to medical school, and more information about family medicine as a career.