The OAFP Foundation (Foundation) works to cultivate student career choice in the specialty of family medicine and ensure a thriving family physician workforce for Ohio by providing educational grants, preceptorship stipends, and scholarships to allow meaningful, family medicine-focused experiences to students and residents.
During this year of uncertainty, the OAFP Foundation was still able to meet program expectations by adapting its program elements to fit virtual formats. This allowed the Foundation to continue providing family medicine experiences to over 100 medical students and residents, including 58 medical students in the Leroy A. Rodgers, MD, Preceptorship Program– adding to the total of over 1,200 students since 1990.
Although this year has been one of uncertainty and change, students across Ohio have shown how they value family medicine and are working hard to become outstanding physicians for their communities:
“At the end of this 4-week family medicine externship experience, I can easily say that I would recommend it to any rising second-year medical student, regardless of what specialty they are interested in. This month hasn’t just given me a better look at what a career in family medicine would entail, but it also allowed me to practice very basic skills required of all physicians, whether it be in regards to patient skills, professionalism, or critical thinking,” said Alberta Negri Jimenez, medical student at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Medicine.
“Overall, the externship was a great way to see real life examples of what I have been learning in medical school, strengthen my patient interviewing skills, and talk with more family physicians about the field itself. Today, my perspective of family medicine changed as I am even more interested in family medicine now, and I can see myself practicing it in the future. I loved the long-term relationships with patients, the variety of the field, and its huge impact on public health,” said Kenan Alzouhayli, medical student at OSU College of Medicine.
“Coming into the Leroy A. Rodgers, MD, Preceptorship Program, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I thought I would get some good first-hand clinical experience and meet with real patients, but what I got what so much more. This is an experience that will stick with me for the rest of my life and I hope to someday make that kind of impact on medical students too,” said Leah McCollum, medical student from the Northeast Ohio Medical University.
“This preceptorship was like a breath of fresh air; giving me a chance to step outside of the classroom and into the world of family medicine. I was fortunate enough to work with some of the most amazing family medicine doctors in the area and interact with their patients. This gave me a small taste of what my life would be like as a family medicine doctor. Through this experience, I was able to practice my clinical skills and connect the information that I had learned in the classroom to the exam room. Over the course of just a couple of weeks, I had become confident with my patient-interaction skills, and I soon began to look forward to speaking with the patients every morning,” said Olivera Prica, medical student from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“Overall, this experience has made me more excited to one day become a family physician. It has solidified my desire to work in an underserved rural setting. The preceptorship, along with the webinars, have opened my eyes to the full scope of family medicine. I’ve realized that I don’t have to sacrifice my other passions in order to become a family doctor. I am grateful to Dr. Devol for being a great role model over the course of this preceptorship and to everyone at the OAFP Foundation for this very informative and eye-opening experience,” said Taylor Woodyard, medical student at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Please consider making a year-end contribution today to ensure medical students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful, family medicine-focused experiences and fill the family medicine pipeline. You can make your year-end donation online today or mail a check to the OAFP Foundation, 4075 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43214.
We are so thankful for the support of our individual donors, corporate members, and other partners who make possible the widespread success of the Foundation year after year—thank you!
Learn more about the Foundation’s impact in its 2020 Annual Report.
For more information, please contact Director of Foundation & Strategic Programs Kaitlin McGuffie or call 800.742.7327.