We value the specialty of family medicine and promote its choice to medical students and to the general public.
The OAFP Foundation (OAFP/F) encourages students to choose family medicine as their specialty and to become leaders for the specialty, OAFP and OAFP/F. Retaining the family physicians that are trained in Ohio medical schools and residency programs is a key to improving access to healthcare for Ohioans.
OAFP/F values introducing students to the specialty of family medicine and providing education grants, scholarship awards and preceptorship opportunities in urban and rural settings. These efforts link students with family physicians and provide important exposure and insight to family medicine and its impact on patients and the community.
Student Membership Dues
Student members are one of OAFP's greatest assets. To help cultivate future members and leaders and to encourage student interest in family medicine, OAFP/F pays student membership dues to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). These dues include membership in OAFP. Students may join during any year of medical school.
SEARCH-enhanced Leroy A. Rodgers, M.D., Summer Preceptorship Program
Preceptorships match first- and second-year medical students with practicing family physicians for a period of four to six weeks during the summer months. Students gain intensive exposure to family medicine, often living with the physician and attending community meetings as well as hospital rounds. This program provides medical schools with grant stipends for their participating students. Family physicians from urban and rural practice communities volunteer to mentor these students. Students who have this type of experience early in their medical school careers are more likely to choose family medicine as a specialty.
OAFP/F began to support the summer preceptorship programs of Ohio medical schools in 1990 and continues through the present. In addition to donations from individuals and local OAFP chapters, a major source of our funding is the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Student/Resident Experiences and Rotations in Community Health (SEARCH) program. The OAFP/F program now conforms to all of the requirements for Ohio's SEARCH program, including providing the medical student with a clinical experience in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and student's completion of a community project. These projects include health promotion and disease prevention activities such as giving short presentations in schools, senior centers and churches; participation in health fairs and activities such as community assessments, surveys, health literacy and health disparities projects.
Summer Research Externship
(Program is suspended until further notice.)
Like preceptorship experiences, research externships match students with family
physicians to gain intensive, first-hand knowledge of the research process.
OAFP/F's objective is to encourage early student interest in family
medicine. Students help conduct research and gain an understanding of the means
and methods of valid scientific research. This program is supported in part
by a matching grants program sponsored by the AAFP Foundation. Reports are submitted
to the AAFP Foundation by Dec. 30 of the year the grant was received.
Senior Student Award in Memory of Thomas E. Rardin, M.D.
(Program is suspended until further notice.)
This award is presented to outstanding senior medical students who are OAFP members
entering an Ohio family medicine residency program. The selection is made on a
competitive basis, judged on excellence and dedication to family medicine. Nominees
submit their curriculum vitae, their reasons for pursuing a career in family medicine
and a letter of recommendation. Their match in an Ohio family medicine residency
program is confirmed. Recipients receive a plaque and a monetary award and are
invited to the OAFP/F's Annual Recognition Ceremony held in August.
Sarah B. Schwartz, graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine is the 2006 recipient of this award.
Wilburn H. Weddington,
M.D., Minority Student Award
(Program is suspended until further notice.)
All medical students in Ohio who are members of an under-represented-in-medicine
population are eligible to apply for the Wilburn H. Weddington, M.D., Minority
Student Award.
It is intended to give encouragement to their medical career. Minorities are
those who are under-represented-in-medicine and include African American, Native
American, Mexican American, Mainland Puerto Rican and other. The selection is
made on a competitive basis, judged on academics, community service, career
goals and a letter of recommendation. Recipients receive a plaque and a monetary
award and are invited to the OAFP/F's Annual Recognition Ceremony held
in August.
2006 award recipients are:
- Jennifer Bigback (M4) The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Kathy Cornelius (M4) Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
- Jessica Diggs (Ph.D./M.D. candidate) Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
- Monique Ross (M4) The Ohio State University College of Medicine
« Back
| 
