Resident and Student Leadership

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports the professional development of family medicine residents and medical students and has a longstanding commitment to their progression as leaders, patient advocates, highly skilled clinicians, and community collaborators. The AAFP is dedicated to ensuring that all family medicine residents and medical students can confidently understand, embrace, and enhance the specialty of family medicine by providing education, resources, leadership opportunities, and career planning. Family medicine residents and medical students are vital to fulfilling the mission and vision of the AAFP, and for the ultimate success of the specialty. The AAFP values the unique perspectives of residents and students in all aspects of its work, which includes shaping policy, advocating for health and health equity, directing initiatives, and defining the future of family medicine. Additionally, investing in residents and medical students facilitates their personal growth and their ability to become catalysts for change in their communities, now and throughout their future careers.

A diverse primary care workforce with equitable representation is crucial to meeting the health needs of patients in the United States. Ensuring a sufficient supply of culturally conscious family physicians to care for and reflect the communities they serve depends on prioritizing initiatives for medical students to choose family medicine and support of residents throughout training.

Every effort should be made to provide opportunities for all residents and medical students to become champions for family medicine. The AAFP applauds constituent chapters, primary care organization partners, medical institutions, departments, and others who are also committed to this goal. To meet and surpass the educational and experiential needs of medical students and family medicine residents, secure the future of family medicine, and improve the health of patients and communities, the AAFP and others must engage multiple, diverse student and resident voices in sustainable ways at the community, institutional, state, and national levels. (2019 COD) (September 2024 COD)