www.fmec.net

November | 2024

Hello Family Medicine Education Consortium Members and Friends,

I am so excited to serve as the President of the Board of Trustees of the FMEC over the next two years. I am still energized from the FMEC Annual Meeting in Philadelphia in September. As a Program Director, I especially enjoy the Residency Fair. I love talking with students, from the preclinical students who are just exploring the idea of residency and a potential future career in Family Medicine, to the MS4 students who are finalizing their personal statements and ERAS list of programs to apply. I now have the privilege of interviewing some those students I met in Philadelphia. I am energized and inspired by their dedication to service, compassion for underserved and marginalized populations and their hope and vision for the future.

As I write this, we have recently learned the results of the Presidential election as well as many of the results of national and state races. Some elections are still too close to call. These results are generating many strong emotions. Many folks are celebrating, but almost half of the country are hurting and frightened. For those of us in healthcare, there is much uncertainty. The mission of the FMEC is to “improve the health of the nation by strengthening family medicine and primary care to meet its full potential.” I believe today more than ever, Family Medicine is integral to the health of our nation. The FMEC and its passion for engaging in innovation and collaboration will play a vital role in caring for marginalized populations, advocating for reproductive rights, and advancing evidence-based public health successes including vaccines. I look forward to partnering with you meet the challenges we face head on and developing inclusive, respectful, science-based models of care.

Sincerely,

Pam Vnenchak, MD

FMEC Board Member Hannah Clarke, MPH is a Philadelphia native who attended Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH and recently transferred to Sidney Kimmel Medical College. She is a creative writer and health educator who uses storytelling as a tool to advance health education objectives. Recently, Hannah was interviewed on Good Day Philadelphia, sharing her experiences caring for a loved one with dementia. Please take a moment to watch Taking care of a loved one with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and hear her share her powerful story and give hope and direction to families in similar situations. Great job, Hannah, and thank you for all you’re doing for the FMEC and family medicine!

The FMEC expresses its condolences to family and friends of Dr. John Randall, who passed away on November 3, 2024. Dr. John Randall was chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and on the FMEC Board of Trustees at the time of FMEC’s incorporation in 1994. He served on the founding Board from 1994 to 1998. After completing his medical training at McGill University in Montreal, he became certified in three medical specialties (pediatrics, family medicine, and infectious disease), and joined the faculty of the family medicine program at Lancaster General Hospital in Pennsylvania in 1973. In 1981, he became the residency director and chief of family medicine at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. From 1991 to 2002, he was the chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of TJU in Philadelphia. In his “retirement,” he taught and became the Dean of Clinical Sciences and Chief Academic Officer of St. Matthew’s University on Grand Cayman Island. At St. Matthew’s, he was a driving force for students to learn about family medicine, personally helping over 100 students attend the FMEC Annual Meeting. After the Providence meeting in 2023, a medical student attending FMEC wrote to us: “Lastly, I would like to end by thanking Dr. Randall for his countless contributions to St. Matthew’s University during and long after his tenure, making it possible for family medicine students to get closer to achieving their goals.” Dr. Randall’s contributions to family medicine were generous and will be missed. Please read more at Dr. John L. Randall Obituary.

Over 1,200 students, residents and faculty joined the FMEC for the 2024 Annual Meeting in September in Philadelphia, PA. Read more and see photos from the meeting in the 2024 Annual Meeting Wrap Up Report. You can access the Wrap Up Report on the FMEC website, along with the printed program, Residency Fair list, poster presentation winners, and more.

Join the FMEC in 2025 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio from September 18-20, 2025. The call for submissions for educational programs for the 2025 Annual Meeting will open in mid-December 2024, with a deadline in early February 2025. Share your best practices and innovations with 1,000 of your colleagues throughout the region. Formats range from 5 minutes to an hour. Submissions are vetted through a peer-review process. We encourage first-time presenters to submit, and Planning Committee members are available to help craft and improve proposals so they can be accepted. Start planning your presentations now! For more information on the types of presentations, review the FMEC 2025 Annual Meeting Session Overview.

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Global Health Educators Collaborative (GHEC) is encouraging students and faculty to share information about upcoming global health efforts. Their goal is to create a collection of shareable events and resources about global health that are accessible to all and can specifically support peer learning and collaboration. They plan to share these opportunities via their newsletter and by intentionally sharing them with medical students, residents, and clinicians interested in global health.

How can FMEC members help? Please contribute to the STFM GHEC Resource Gathering Questionnaire. This form collects information on: training or skill building workshops, webinars, or sessions; seminars or talks about a global health topic; volunteer opportunities; research opportunities; credible websites on global health news/research; and NGO collaboration opportunities. Use the link above or the QR code below to input your information.

New Project will Address Medical-Dental Collaboration

With the support of the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, the FMEC is launching a new education and quality improvement (QI) project to affect change in how primary care approaches the oral health of patients, with a focus on access to appropriate and comprehensive care for veterans. The medical-dental integration curriculum Smiles for Life has low penetration in the FMEC region, with only about 15% of the approximately 3,800 residents participating in 2023. Veterans have high rates of periodontitis, tooth decay, bone loss, and use of sweetened beverages and nicotine, and often need access to more comprehensive care including dental care but also mental and behavioral healthcare, trauma services, and substance use counseling and assessment. If you are an oral health advocate and would like to participate, either on the project’s leadership group or in the QI project to improve your residency program, please contact Scott Allen at 

scott.allen@fmec.net.

Job opportunities!

The FMEC circulates job and fellowship opportunities from its Partners at the Silver level and above. For the most recent email of opportunities, which included opportunities from more than a dozen health systems in the northeast US, visit FMEC Special Edition Newsletters. Watch for the final 2024 edition in December!

Call for 2025 STFM Annual Spring Conference Fellow, Resident, Student Posters

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) invites family medicine fellows, residents, and students to showcase their completed or ongoing research projects at the upcoming 2025 STFM Annual Spring Conference. The deadline is January 6, 2025. This is a competitive and peer-reviewed process that provides a unique opportunity to present at a national conference. You will receive constructive feedback on your research from seasoned researchers and peers, enriching your understanding of your area of study. For more information, visit STFM Annual Spring Conference Call for Presentations.

Brady Ware for Your Accounting Needs

Brady Ware supports the FMEC’s mission of advocating for family medicine. When local organizations thrive, the community does too. Just like the FMEC, Brady Ware provides resources to enhance your business – but from an accounting lens. Our advisors are determined to educate and uplift our clients through all waves of their business’s life cycle. “Brady Ware has provided excellent service to the FMEC, through our annual audit process and ongoing advice to help the FMEC stay financially strong,” says FMEC CEO Scott Allen. “If you are looking for tax or finance help, this is a sign! We enthusiastically recommend Brady Ware to FMEC members.” Visit bradyware.com for more on how we can help you reach your goals.

Give Thanks for Enhanced Learning with Rosh Review

This month, give thanks for enhanced learning opportunities! Partner with FMEC and Rosh Review to elevate your family medicine residency program. Provide your residents with 2,000 ABFM-formatted questions, custom illustrations, and performance tracking. Connect with CJ at Christopher.Gerdowsky@roshreview to schedule a demo and secure the exclusive FMEC discount.

At the 2024 Annual Meeting, incoming President Dr. Pam Vnenchak announced that the FMEC’s student scholarship program – which has brought nearly 8,000 medical students to FMEC meetings over the last 20 years – would be named the Nik Zervanos Student Scholarship Program, in honor of FMEC founder, Dr. Nikitas Zervanos. Dr. Zervanos, founder and long-time director of the Family Practice Residency Program at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, has been instrumental in introducing students to family medicine. In 1992, Dr. Zervanos singlehandedly found a funding source to pay for the expense of bringing dozens of students to the FMEC Annual Meeting. That meeting, known as “The Happening in Lancaster,” started FMEC on the path it follows today. Thousands of medical students have chosen the specialty due to their exposure at the FMEC meetings.

Please help continue the great work started by Dr. Zervanos and contribute to the Nik Zervanos, MD, Student Scholarship program.

Help the FMEC bring 300+ students to the Annual Meeting every Year!

Donate to support student scholarships today.

Get your discounts as an FMEC Partner or Member

Joining the FMEC as an individual or institution not only helps support the FMEC mission and promote family medicine, but it gives you tangible benefits and discounts. Programs who are FMEC Partners receive $300 discounts on their Residency Fair booths, and individuals who join, or receive complimentary memberships through an FMEC Partner organization, receive $50-75 discounts on registration. Read more about FMEC Memberships and Partnerships now and join or renew. And don’t forget to watch the FMEC Special Edition email newsletter for job and fellowship openings from FMEC Silver Partners and above.

A hearty THANK YOU to the residency programs, medical schools, and health systems who have joined or renewed their FMEC partnerships. See the full list at FMEC Partners. The support of these FMEC partners is critical to the FMEC’s success.

A selection of upcoming family medicine and primary care meetings, nationally and in the FMEC region. If you have a meeting to be listed, please email jennifer.stamper@fmec.net.

• Jan. 30 - Feb. 2 - Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Conference on Medical Student Education, San Antonio, TX
• Feb. 18-21 - Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) Annual Conference, Nashville, TN
• Feb. 20-22 - Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Annual Educational Conference, Nashville, TN
• Mar. 25-27 - Residency Leadership Summit/Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD), Kansas City, MO
• Apr. 2-7 - American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, CA
• Apr. 16-20 - Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Annual Medical Education Conference, St. Louis, MO
• Apr. 23-26 – AAFP Leadership Conference (ACLF/NCCL), Kansas City, MO
• May 3-7 – STFM Annual Spring Conference, Salt Lake City, UT
• Jul. 24-27 – Direct Primary Care Summit (DPC), New Orleans, LA
• Jul. 31 – Aug. 2 - AAFP FUTURE Conference (formerly National Conference for Family Medicine), Kansas City, MO
• Sep. 8-10 – STFM Conference on Practice and Quality Improvement, Pittsburgh, PA
• Sep. 18-20 – FMEC Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH
• Oct. 5-9 – AAFP FMX, Anaheim, CA 
• Nov. 21-25 – North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA 
• Sep. 24-26, 2026 – FMEC Annual Meeting, Atlantic City, NJ