Students

Family physicians are an invaluable resource for patients, their communities, and an evolving health care system. Family medicine offers a medical career of diversity and flexibility. It provides significant opportunities while allowing you to be the kind of physician you want to be.

Your family medicine journey starts as a medical student. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) have unique opportunities for students on the national, state, and local levels. AAFP and OAFP student membership freesign up today!

The OAFP is here to support you during medical school, residency, as a new physician, and throughout your family medicine career.

With six allopathic medical schools, one osteopathic medical school, and 38 family medicine residencies in rural, suburban, and urban communities, Ohio offers a wealth of resources for those pursuing a career in medicine. Learn more about Ohio.


As a member of the OAFP, medical students have the opportunity to participate in state and national activities, network with others students and the family physician community, and receive OAFP publications. In addition, leadership opportunities exist to get involved in the OAFP and the AAFP through service on the board of directors, commissions, committees, workgroups, taskforces, and resource teams. By being an Academy leader, you will have a voice and vote on key issues affecting the family medicine specialty.

The OAFP Foundation (Foundation) also has opportunities for medical students including scholarships and resources for your school’s family medicine interest group.

If you have questions or need more information on any of these opportunities or requirements, please contact Workforce Development Manager Caitlin Laudeman or call 800.742.7327.

Ready to join? Apply for your FREE membership on the AAFP website today!


Resources for the Match

Years of preparation lead a medical student to this pivotal point when the next phase of their medical training will begin. For months leading to the official Match Day, medical students navigate a variety of steps including interviews, site visits, networking events, and more. Each of these steps become critically important to the decision of ranking residency program choices and ultimately setting the path for the next stage of their career.

Following are resources to help navigate this long anticipated process:

What I love about being a family physician
I really love being able to get to know my patients over a long period of time and getting to take care of the whole family. – Melissa Jefferis, MD