On September 15, the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Case) family medicine interest group (FMIG) hosted a Lunch & Learn session for medical students to learn about advocacy in family medicine and student member benefits from the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Sonal Patil, MD, MSPH, spoke to Case students about advocacy in family medicine in varied contexts such as health systems, patient population needs, through the OAFP Public Policy Workgroup, and specialty advocacy within major organizations. Dr. Patil is the primary care medical director for MetroHealth Bedford Health Center, MetroHealth’s largest federally qualified health center. Her research work focuses on how primary care quality is measured, and the context and effort needed to provide complex, whole-person healthcare.
After Dr. Patil answered student questions about her career journey and unique pathways open to family physicians, attendees had time to network with each other before heading to their next class.
Case FMIG leaders Elisabeth Fear and Sambridhi Khanal organized a great session for medical students at their campus and the OAFP looks forward to joining them again in 2027.
OAFP Foundation Lunch & Learn Program
The Foundation provides up to $100 each year to medical school FMIGs and family medicine clubs to host events for medical students to learn about student member benefits from the OAFP and the AAFP and hear a presentation on a topic of your school’s interest presented by an Ohio family physician. These events promote the family medicine specialty and show the breadth of practice, interests, and opportunities available to family physicians in Ohio.
To learn more about this opportunity for your school’s FMIG, SAACOFP, or family medicine club, contact Workforce Development Director Caitlin Laudeman.
To support future student programming like this from the OAFP Foundation, make an online donation today!