During its meeting on September 29, the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) Board of Directors approved a policy statement on the allowance for residents to actively participate in the voting process – either at the polling booth or by absentee ballot.
“Family medicine residency programs in the state of Ohio should ensure, with reasonable exception, that all family medicine residents have the opportunity to participate in the election process by allowing adequate time away from clinical duties so that one may cast their ballot during designated polling hours or that the program provide sufficient assistance in acquiring absentee ballots for their trainees.”
On October 6, a letter was sent to all Ohio family medicine residency program directors under the signatures of OAFP President Doug Harley, DO, FAAFP, and Executive Vice President Kate Mahler, CAE. The aim of this statement is not to cast a scheduling burden on family medicine residency programs but rather to prioritize an opportunity to advocate for the community and patients that these outstanding clinical teams support via vote.