MAFP PineCones E-Newsletter

Winter 2026

Fun Facts About Maine

Charles Best, one of the co-discoverers of insulin, was born in Pembroke, Maine in 1899, spending his childhood here before moving to Canada.

Don’t miss your chance to attend the 34th Annual Maine AFP Family Medicine Update, one of the most anticipated family medicine events of the year. This signature gathering brings family physicians and primary care clinicians together for a rich blend of clinical updates, hands-on skills training, and meaningful networking opportunities. Click to read more.

View Agenda

Click to register for the MAFP Annual Update!

Introducing the MAFP Board

Get to Know Your MAFP Board!

Marya Goettsche Spurling, MD, FAAFP, grew up on an offshore island in Maine and trained in the inaugural class of the Tufts Maine Track. She has practiced full-spectrum family medicine in Somerset County since 2016 and currently serves as faculty at the Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Spurling joined the MAFP Board in 2024 and serves on both the Advocacy Committee and as chair of the Maternity Care Task Force.

She enjoys spending time outdoors—hiking, canoeing, and cross-country skiing—and is known to bring her knitting almost everywhere she goes.

Advocacy Updates

2026 MAFP Family Medicine Advocacy Days Recap

More than 20 physicians, residents, and medical students gathered in Augusta on February 18–19, 2026, for this year’s MAFP Family Medicine Advocacy Days, a two‑day program focused on elevating the voice of family medicine across Maine.

Click to read more.

Maternity Care Task Force

Our task force continues to meet every other month on Zoom to address the crisis of maternity care and access in the state. We have worked on legislation, connected with the TMaH and RMOMS programs, and other stakeholders such as Maine ACOG and the Maine State Nurses Association. We have members pursuing research into the effects of L&D closures in Maine. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Dr. Marya Goettsche Spurling at marya.spurling@gmail.com, or Executive Director Adam Beamer at abeamer@lutinemanagement.com. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, March 10th at 6:30pm.

Maine Medical Association Weekly Legislative Update via Zoom - Click to register.

All physicians are welcome via Zoom from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday evenings for an opportunity to learn about ways to get involved with the MMA/MOA at the State House. Please join us for this key opportunity to shape our state legislative work.

A Letter to the Editor published in the Portland Press Herald: Listen to clinicians not politicians on vaccines

Membership Updates

Joint injection workshop: TUFTS/UNE Medical School

On the evening of January 8th, 2026, the Maine Medical Center Dept of Family Medicine and the Maine Academy of Family Physicians hosted a Sports Medicine Workshop for 1st and 2nd year medical students from the University of New England College of Medicine and the Tufts Maine Track. Click to read more.

SAGE TUFTS/UNE Event

On Jan 16, 2026, the first ever TUSM SAGE (Specialty Guidance, Advising and Exploration) Presentation Panel, featuring Family Medicine, was held in Maine. Click to read more.

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We’d love to hear from you!

Have ideas for future MAFP newsletters? Contact amuckley@lutinemanagement.com with your ideas!

We look forward to hearing your thoughts