UMMC Students Hull, Pittman Complete
Summer Family Medicine Externship
Isabella Pittman, left, and Jenna Hull served as Family Medicine Externs during Summer 2021.
Jenna Hull, left, and Isabella Pittman, right, shadowed family doctors like Dr. Shannon Pittman, UMMC Family Medicine Dept.
Two students between their first and second year of medical school took part in the MAFP's Family Medicine Summer Externship in June and July, meeting family physicians and exploring the possibilities of a family medicine career.

Jenna Hull of Hamilton and Isabella Pittman of Clinton served as externs working with the UMMC Department of Family Medicine. Both are beginning their second year of medical school at UMMC. Each went through an application process and were chosen for the 8-week paid externship.

"My time shadowing in the clinic was the highlight of my summer," Hull said. "The physicians I shadowed not only poured into their patients but also into me. The doctors asked me challenging questions, taught me specifics about their patients' diseases, and encouraged me."

As part of the externship, both students attended the MAFP Annual Meeting as Academy Ambassadors, helping staff the meeting. "Working with the MAFP as the Sandestin conference allowed me to experience the sense of community found within the organization while also providing invaluable networking experience," Pittman said. "It was such an encouragement to see what my future as a physician could look like."

Those interested in applying for a 2022 externship should contact Andrea Applin in the UMMC Family Medicine Department.
You Could Win $1000 in AAFP's Essay Contest
The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation has announced an essay contest for medical students and residents sponsored by the Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) at the AAFP Foundation. Along with a $1,000 award, the first-place winner will be featured in a video at the 2022 AAFP National Conference. The second-place winner will receive a $500 award.
 
Get all the details here! The basics are:
  • You can choose any topic relevant to family medicine history in the U.S. For example, you could write an essay on a medical-political controversy within family medicine. Honor your favorite family physician with a profile. Or, explore how social change impacts our specialty.
  • You must be a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians to enter. Residents must also be enrolled in an ACGME accredited family medicine residency training program.
  • Your essay should not exceed 3,750 words and must be submitted online by Nov. 1, 2021.
 
Need help coming up with an essay topic? Talk to us! Crystal Bauer, CHFM manager, and Rollie Brock, program specialist, are happy to brainstorm with you. 
Twelve Medical Students Served as Student Ambassadors at MAFP Annual Meeting in Destin
Back Row: Dan Paglia, Aariez Khalid, Daulton Newman, Lane Williamson, Ankit Sharma. Front row: Sisi Xu, Thy Cao, Richard Easterling, Katie Cranston, Isabella Pittman, Jenna Hull. Not pictured is Maggie Dickerson.
Twelve medical students attended the MAFP Annual Meeting as Academy Ambassadors for 2021, representing both Mississippi medical schools. Six students attend the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, six attend William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and all are interested in family medicine. They assisted MAFP staff with the planning and preparations for the meeting, selling tickets and apparel, packing and unpacking boxes, and more. In exchange, their expenses for the meeting were provided by the MAFP Foundation, and they were able to network with family physicians, residency programs and hospitals.

Ambassador feedback following the event was positive. One student said, "The entire experience is a memory that I will never forget. It was an amazing time! I wish it would have been longer!"

When asked if being an Ambassador made a difference in their preference for family medicine above other specialties, almost all said yes. Three responses included:
  • "Yes! I want to be a family physician even more now."
  • "It helped solidify my interest in family medicine."
  • "It reinvigorated and reemphasized my 10/10 rating and passion for pursuing family medicine."
AAFP Panel Discussion on Applying to
FM Residencies (Video Below)
Watch the video below from AAFP of a live panel discussion about how to apply to family medicine residency programs. Students will learn:
  • How to position themselves as the strongest possible candidate
  • The implications of virtual interviews
  • How to use data to make decisions about the number of programs to apply to
  • The latest Match trends in family medicine
MAFP Welcomes More Than 100
New Student Members
MAFP has hosted two events for Mississippi medical students this month, resulting in 110 new student members for the Academy.

MAFP and the Family Medicine Interest Group were proud to sponsor a Family Medicine Day August 5 for the M1 class at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, with almost two-thirds of the first-year class joining the Academy as a result. FMIG President Richard Easterling gave a presentation to the group, and MAFP's Kristen Kern talked about the opportunities available to student members. The two groups provided a boxed lunch and lots of giveaways for the students.

OMS3 students from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine visited the MAFP office this month to take their COMAT exams. Each student will return to the MAFP monthly during the school year.
WCUCOM Student Takes Part in National Emerging Leaders Institute
Mississippi medical student Victoria Ly is in elite company as part of the American Academy of Family Physicians Emerging Leader Institute (ELI). She is one of only 30 people - residents and students - selected to take part in the program for 2021-22.

Ly is a second year student at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. As part of ELI, she took part in leadership training with three experienced family physicians and attended the AAFP National Conference for Residents and Students in July. In the coming months she will receive one-on-one mentoring and the opportunity to develop and complete a leadership project with guidance.

"This experience has given me more than I thought I would learn about leadership and what that looks like," Ly said. "I left the AAFP National Conference and Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI) weekend feeling inspired and clear in how I can serve the immediate community. I'm eager to further develop these skills throughout the year (and beyond) through application."
AAFP National Conference Report
By Richard Easterling, M3, UMMC
MAFP Student Board Member

I had a fantastic experience at the AAFP National Conference for Residents & Students this year (July 29-31), even though it was entirely virtual. There were excellent lectures available, including some about how to improve my local FMIG! I learned a lot about different payer structures for when I get out of residency, heard stories from long time practicing physicians about patients who really changed their lives, and learned a little more about what it means to be a family physician. There were so many options for lectures that I didn’t get to see everything, but all the ones I attended were phenomenal! I’m excited to take everything I learned back to my FMIG chapter at UMMC!

The Virtual Expo Hall was also a large part of my experience at the conference. Since it was all online, it was mostly zoom conference rooms that if you got lucky you could meet one on one with a resident or attending. I spent a lot of time networking with residency programs that I’m interested in, and meeting students and residents from all over the US to learn more about their path to family medicine and their experience in training. One of my favorite things about Family Medicine is the relationships that you make with people, and it was very refreshing to meet so many people from all over the nation who’re interested and excited about Family Medicine! Hopefully next year I’ll be able to attend in person, since there will be a lot more opportunities to meet people outside the structured expo hall and networking zoom conferences.

I also ran for the position of AAFP National Delegate, but unfortunately I did not win the race. However, I’m still determined to get more involved with our AAFP nationally and am applying for a seat on the AAFP National Commissions, hopefully for the Commission on Federal and State Policy! I’m hoping I’ll be given the chance to represent Mississippi on a national level and give the physicians and students in our state a larger voice.
AAFP Offers Recruitment Guide
for Students & Residents
“Take the next step in your successful family medicine career when you access the 2021 edition of the Digital Recruitment Guide from the American Academy of Family Physicians CareerLink.

Wanting to serve our student and resident member needs, including connecting with residency programs and potential employers, the AAFP provides the guide as a place to access opportunities in family medicine, view informational videos from select organizations, and directly contact potential employers and residency programs.

Members can get started on their search for opportunities by creating a profile and uploading their CV. As a bonus, members enjoy the added benefit of their CVs showing up higher in search results for employers. Learn more at AAFP CareerLink.
MAFP Meets with White House Rep
Richard Easterling (left), a third-year student at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, represented students at a meeting August 24 with Dr. Bechara Choucair (right), White House COVID Task Force vaccinations coordinator. MAFP invited Easterling to take part in the meeting in Jackson with officials from MAFP and the Mississippi Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Choucair discussed the Administration's efforts to increase vaccination numbers and assist states in administering vaccines. MAFP President Dr. Carlos Latorre of Vicksburg (center) and others took part in the discussion with Dr. Choucair.
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