• AAFP Leadership Pre-conference

    Wednesday, April 22, 2026 
    Kansas City Convention Center | Kansas City, MO

    Advancing Leadership, Health Equity, and Belonging in Family Medicine

    Breakout Sessions

    Attendees may only select one session to attend.

    Understanding Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health in your Clinic and Community

    Presenter: Kristina Bridges, PhD, University of Kansas Medical Center

    This session is an interactive training that outlines prevalent health inequities; describes how social factors impact health; and discusses the role family physicians can play in addressing SDoH, and reducing health inequities.

    Participants will:

    • Define key SDoH and core social needs terms

    • Learn how to develop a culture of health equity

    • Evaluate your current system and create an implementation plan

    Beyond Allyship: Building Accountability and Authentic Partnership in the Midst of Chaos

    Presenter: Safiya McNeese, MD, Residency Clinical Director Swope Health Family Medicine

    In a time of rapid change and organizational stress, this session challenges participants to move toward sustained inclusive leadership in family medicine. Participants will practice communication strategies that promote inclusion and trust-building in clinical settings. The session concludes with guided reflection to develop a personal accountability plan for advancing personal responsibility and belonging within the family medicine community.

    Participants will:

    • Differentiate between allyship and saviorism as they relate to professional conduct and workplace culture.

    • Demonstrate communication skills that promote inclusion and reduce bias in professional settings.

    • Create a personal accountability plan for fostering equity and belonging within the family medicine community.

    Exploring Foundations of Rights, Responsibilities, and Ethics in Family Medicine Leadership

    Presenters:

    James Stowe, PhD, President and CEO, Center for Practical Bioethics

    Terry Rosell, PhD, DMin, HEC-C, Bioethics Consultant, Center for Practical Bioethics

    Ryan Pferdehirt, D.Bioethics, HEC-C, Vice President of Ethics Services, Center for Practical Bioethics

    Russell Makepeace, JD, Shareholder, Bartosiak Makepeace

    Participants will:

    • Examine the core constitutional and statutory protections that apply to health care providers in clinical settings. Attendees will review the scope and limits of professional rights under employment law relevant to workplace protections, foundational privacy and confidentiality frameworks such as HIPAA, and other related healthcare rights and responsibilities.

    • Explore respectful and ethical communication strategies to foster safer clinical environments. Attendees will investigate how to navigate complex or high-tension interactions in clinical environments in ways that protect patient trust, uphold professional responsibilities, and support provider well-being.

    • Discuss how knowledge of legal, ethical, and professional issues can be translated into clinical and leadership practice by analyzing case studies that reflect real-world family medicine scenarios and identifying practical actions applicable to individual practices, chapters, and organizational settings.

    Note: The information presented in this session is for informational and discussion purposes only and does not constitute legal or business advice. We encourage you to seek advice - specific to your own factual situation, circumstances, and jurisdiction - from your own trusted professionals, to exercise your own business judgment, and to remain in compliance with all applicable laws and standards. The views of the speaker(s) are not necessarily those of the AAFP. The AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented and is not responsible for results arising from its use.


    Session Agenda

    Coming soon.