The annual American Academy of Family Physicians’ (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students (National Conference) is designed for residents and medical students to advance their knowledge, make connections, and learn what’s on the horizon for family medicine. Attendees can attend educational sessions, hear from nationally renowned speakers, participate in procedures and workshops, advance policy at their respective congresses, connect with residency programs and future employers, and most important of all – grow their passion for family medicine! This year’s conference was held July 28 – 30 in Kansas City, MO, after being held virtually in 2020 and 2021.
Attendees engaged in sessions on Family Medicine Interest Group Leadership, Residency Bootcamp workshops, hands-on procedure workshops, and learning sessions on a wide variety of topics that are applicable to family medicine and student and resident education. The exhibit hall included residency programs, practice opportunities, fellowship programs, publishers, advocacy experts, medical missions, medical products and services, and more. Among the numerous sessions, workshops, and visits to the expo hall, were the Congresses of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students.
Ohio resident and student delegates selected and supported by the OAFP Foundation (Foundation) represented their fellow medical students and family medicine residents during the congresses. Delegates participated in the congress sessions through writing and giving testimony to resolutions, serving on reference committees, and voting on resolutions and national leadership positions. This year’s Ohio delegation was as follows:
Read the 2022 National Conference delegate reports.
The Academy and the Foundation would like to extend congratulations to Olivia Dhaliwal for being elected AAFP Student Alternate Delegate to AAFP Congress of Delegates! Read more about Olivia and her leadership role.
The Foundation also supported four students with scholarships to attend National Conference in an effort to increase Ohio’s medical student representation at the conference.
Congratulations to the following students:
- Jacqueline Diaz, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
- Drue Martinez, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Chidera Mgbudem, The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Malia Schram, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
The students had the following to say about their experience:
“Thank you so much to the donors at the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians who contributed to the AAFP National Conference scholarship fund! I am so thankful that I was able to attend the conference, and it was because of you! National Conference far exceeded my expectations. It was seriously such a valuable experience: I saw a new city; met so many students, residents, and family doctors; attended many lectures; got involved in a new AAFP member interest group; connected with my favorite residency programs; and gained a lot of inspiration and motivation from being a part of the family medicine community! It made me proud to be going into family medicine!
“Additionally, I feel so much more prepared for residency applications after the conference, and I’m not sure where I’d be without all of the connections and preparation I received in Kansas City. Thank you again for making this all a possibility for me!”
Best,
Dru Martinez
Fourth-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine
“Dear OAFP Foundation Donors,
“Thank you for your generous donation, which allowed me to attend the AAFP National Conference. The conference was so impactful for me; I was able to meet many people from around the country all interested in the same thing. I particularly liked the admissions presentations and the Expo fair from all the residency vendors. It was a treat to be able to introduce myself to all these different residency programs from around the country and take down their information. I think it will surely come in handy during the interview trail.
“I enjoyed going with a cohort of students from my medical school, all interested in family medicine. Kansas City itself was great, I had never been there before and it was a nice introduction to the city. I didn’t know that Kansas City, MO, and Kansas City, KS, were technically the same city until I got there! Thank you again, donors, for such a wonderful opportunity, in a cool and vibrant city. It is an experience I will cherish.”
Sincerely,
Chidera Mgbudem
MD Candidate, Class of 2023
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
“My name is Malia Schram (they/them) and I am a fourth year medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. This year’s conference was an invaluable opportunity that allowed me to meet fellow students passionate about primary care and speak directly with residency programs that will support my future career as a family physician. I have been committed to the specialty since I began medical school, but this conference reaffirmed that dedication. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to meet with so many incredible people thanks to the financial support from this scholarship fund.”
Capitalizing on the AAFP’s high-energy event, the Foundation hosted an Ohio Reception for all students, residents, residency program representatives, and physicians at National Conference to provide a venue for Ohio’s attendees to meet face-to-face and connect in person after two years of virtual National Conferences. Over 90 students, residents, and residency program directors were in attendance from around Ohio.
- Anderson Mercy Health, Family and Community Medicine, Residency Program
- Cleveland Clinic Akron General Family Medicine Residency Program
- East Central Ohio Academy of Family Physicians
- Grant Family Medicine Residency Program – OhioHealth
- Kettering Health/Indu and Raj Soin Family Medicine Residency
- McLaren St. Luke’s Hospital Family Medicine Residency
- Memorial Health System Family Medicine Residency Program
- Miami Valley Academy of Family Physicians
- Northwest Ohio Academy of Family Physicians
- OSU Family Medicine Residency
- The Christ Hospital/University of Cincinnati Family Medicine Residency
- UC West Chester Family Medicine Residency Program.
Congratulations also goes out to the Northeastern Ohio Medical University’s Family Medicine Interest Group for earning an overall 2022 Program of Excellence Award!
Save the date for AAFP’s National Conference of Family Medicine in 2023! The 2023 conference will be held Thursday-Saturday, July 27-29, 2023, in Kansas City, MO.