• AAFP Program of Excellence Awards Recognize 15 Family Medicine Interest Groups

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 5, 2021

    Media Contact:
    Janelle Davis
    (913) 912-0377
    jdavis@aafp.org

    LEAWOOD, Kan. —The American Academy of Family Physicians has named 15 medical school Family Medicine Interest Groups (FMIGs) as 2021 Program of Excellence Award winners. These organizations are selected for their outstanding efforts to promote and advance family medicine at their medical schools and in their communities.

    FMIGs are medical school-sponsored, student and faculty-run organizations that give medical students a chance to learn more about the specialty of family medicine through regular meetings, workshops, leadership development opportunities, and community service and clinical experiences. The Program of Excellence Awards recognize FMIGs for their efforts to promote interest in family medicine careers at a time when family physicians are in especially high demand for their comprehensive primary care expertise.  

    "The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present a unique set of challenges for both medical students and educators. Yet, even in the face of challenge, medical schools nationwide have adapted their programming and developed strategies to teach students how to care for people during a public health emergency,” said Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, senior vice president for education at the AAFP. “We commend this year’s FMIG Program of Excellence Award winners for their innovation and commitment to helping medical students understand what it means to be a family physician, as well as the importance of a strong primary care workforce.”

    Winners of the overall 2021 Program of Excellence Award are:

    • University of Washington WWAMI Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Albany Medical College Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Northeast Ohio Medical University Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Family Medicine Interest Group
    • University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita Family Medicine Interest Group
    • University of Texas Medical Branch Family Medicine Interest Group
    • University of Iowa Family Medicine Interest Group

    In addition to recognizing eight FMIGs for their overall performance, this year’s AAFP Program of Excellence Awards acknowledge excellence in specific categories.

    Winners in specific categories are:

    • Award for Excellence in Community Service: East Tennessee State University Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in Professional Development: Oregon Health and Sciences University Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in Promoting the Value of Primary Care: Pennsylvania State University Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in Promoting the Scope and Diversity of Family Medicine: University of Rochester Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and Responsiveness: University of Hawaii Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in FMIG Operation: University of North Carolina Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Award for Excellence in Mentorship: Zucker School of Medicine Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Special Consideration for First-time Applicant: University of Rochester Family Medicine Interest Group
    • Special Consideration for New FMIG: University of California-Riverside Family Medicine Interest Group

    In addition, the University of Washington WWAMI Family Medicine Interest Group was recognized for consistent excellence and improvement, and the University of Rochester Family Medicine Interest Group was recognized for its exemplary efforts as a new applicant for the award.

    The FMIG experience equips students with a better understanding of the vital roles family physicians play in our health care system and the opportunity to learn leadership skills to help them as they open their own medical practices and serve communities in the future. Students also form supportive relationships with peers and mentors, allowing them to discover and connect with professional role models.

    The AAFP would also like to take this opportunity to recognize and honor Dr. Rick Kellerman as an exemplary model of an FMIG faculty advisor. Dr. Kellerman serves as the FMIG faculty advisor on top of his role as Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita. His students describe him as intentional, having a natural talent for leadership, and as one who works hard to help make their ideas happen. The AAFP commends him on all the accomplishments that he has contributed to and helped the FMIG at the University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita achieve.

    This year’s winners were honored during the AAFP National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students, where they gathered virtually across the country to network with each other, hear addresses by family medicine leaders and learn which schools won the Program of Excellence Awards.

    The AAFP publishes winning applications to share best practices and innovative programming ideas with other FMIGs and family medicine educators nationwide. For program details and resources, visit the AAFP’s dedicated web page.

    FMIGs are independent groups, governed by their host medical school and supported by faculty and staff with resources and support from the national FMIG Network administered by the AAFP.

    Editor’s note: A PDF copy of the winning applications is available here.

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    About American Academy of Family Physicians
    Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 130,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits — that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care. To learn more about the specialty of family medicine and the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, visit www.aafp.org. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.