Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) Program of Excellence Award

Overall awards: Chosen based on demonstration of well-rounded, exemplary FMIG activity and operation.

Category and special consideration awards: These FMIGs demonstrate excellence in one area or qualify for special consideration because they’re a first-time applicant or have overcome significant obstacles. Examples of category and special consideration awards are:

• Excellence in Community Service
• Excellence in Professional Development
• Excellence in Exposure to Family Medicine and Family Physicians
• Excellence in Promoting the Value of Family Medicine as Primary Care
• Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• First-Time Applicant
• Most Improved FMIG

Faculty award: The Joyce Jeardeau Memorial Award acknowledges the major role that faculty advisors and staff supporters play in the success of an FMIG. The award goes to one advisor, nominated by their FMIG, who has demonstrated exemplary support.

FMIGs are eligible to apply if they are at:

• A U.S. allopathic or osteopathic medical school
• A U.S. clinical training site (including FMIGs with student members or leaders from multiple U.S. or international medical schools)
• An international medical school that contributes significantly to the U.S. family medicine workforce*
• A group doesn’t have to be called an FMIG to be considered for an award, but its primary mission must be to promote and educate students on family medicine.

To win the overall Program of Excellence Award, an FMIG must demonstrate that it is well-rounded with competency in a number of key areas, including:

• FMIG structure and operation
• Community service
• Exposing students to family medicine and family physicians
• Promoting the value of family medicine as primary care
• Professional development
• Measures of success

The FMIG must also illustrate significant changes or enhancements. For example:

• What was learned from the previous years' activities?
• What new innovations have been or will be developed?
• What elements of programming were modified to meet members’ needs?

Program of Excellence Award winners are recognized each year at FUTURE. All leaders and members from award-winning FMIGs are presented with plaques to display back at school.

Additionally, two winning schools each receive a $600 cash prize.

One cash prize is awarded to a school that’s been a consistent winner of the award and continues to excel and improve.

A second cash prize is awarded to an FMIG from a school that isn’t a historical winner of the award, but has made great strides in a new direction. This could be a single innovative and exemplary program or initiative, a new FMIG, or an FMIG relaunched after being dormant for many years.

You can apply for a Program of Excellence Award online. Applications open in the spring.


An important thing to keep in mind throughout the year:

The application form requires details about your group and its programs in paragraph form. Although the form lets you save work and return as needed, you may find it helpful to complete the written portions of the application collaboratively in a shared space, like a Google document, prior to entering final responses into the application for submission.