Newsletter - February 13, 2026 | | Don't Forget To Renew Your Membership! | | |
We love each of our members of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians. Your commitment allows us to continue our mission of ensuring every person in Mississippi has access to a well-trained family physician to manage their care. We cannot do this without you!
As of this week, 80% of our members have renewed their membership — and we’re grateful for your continued support. Our goal is 100% renewal before the deadline.
If you haven’t renewed yet, please do so by Saturday, February 28. The American Academy of Family Physicians will begin mass membership cancellations at 12:00 a.m. on March 1.
Thank you for standing with us and supporting family medicine across Mississippi.
Please reach out to us at publicawareness@msafp.org if you have any questions regarding your membership or give us a call at 601-853-3302.
| | Capitol Day 2026 - A Success | | There’s No Place Like The ’Sip! That was the theme of our Primary Care Day where more than 70 physicians, residents, students, and health care advocates came together at the state Capitol! Attendees met with legislators, toured the Capitol, and shared why family medicine matters to Mississippi. We wrapped up the day with important legislative updates at our luncheon from Representative Lee Yancey and MAFP Advocacy Director Hope Ladner. Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to help keep Family Medicine strong in The ’Sip! | | |
Read the latest from The Clay Firm
After more than 1700 bills died in committee, approximately 300 general bills were left and faced the February 12th deadline to pass their originating chamber. Read more in this Capitol Report. The next two weeks will bring lots of movement on appropri-ations and revenue measures, with February 25 serving as the deadline for floor action on these fiscal bills.
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Spring Conference Registration Is Open!
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Registration is now open for the MAFP Spring Conference scheduled for April 17 – 19 at the Sheraton Refuge in Flowood. This conference offers a broad spectrum of topics of clinical interest to family physicians. Designed to maximize both continuing medical education and networking opportunities, attendees may earn live CME credits over the weekend.
Is your clinic recruiting? Attend the MAFP Spring Conference and meet your next partner!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
Friday, April 17, 2026
4 pm MAFP Board Meeting
6:30 pm Informal Dine Around at
Table 100
Saturday, April 18, 2026
7-8 am Breakfast with Exhibitors
8 am CME Sessions
5:30 pm Rooftop Reception &
Dinner with Battle of the White
Coats Trivia
Sunday, April 19, 2026
7 am Foundation Board Meeting
7:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am CME Sessions
| | Current CME Topics and Workshops | | |
Depression in the Exam Room: Practical Strategies for Busy Physicians
Molly S. Clark, PhD, ABPP
UMMC, Department of Family Medicine
Endocrine Update
Mark D. Shepherd, MD
MS Primary Care Update
Lee Greer, MD
Chief Medical Officer, BCBS
Mind the Gap: Improving Diagnosis and Timely Treatment of sHTG and FCS in Primary Care Setting
Review of Hormonal Replacement Therapy
Lori Fulton, MD
Medical Director, Southeast Urogyn
Real Intelligence vs. AI: How They
Co-Exist
Jennifer Gholson, MD
Director, Mississippi Center for Rural Health
MS Department of Health
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Research Poster Winner Presentations Join us Sunday morning as residents and students present their outstanding research and scholarly achievements.
One Specialty, Many Stages: A Family Medicine Roundtable
Join students,, residents, and practicing physicians for one of our most popular sessions - a lively roundtable discussion on emerging trends and changing landscape of family medicine.
Procedures: Splinting
Jeremy Wells, MD
This interactive session will provide essential training on proper techniques for stabilizing fractures, sprains, and other injuries. Gain practical skills to enhance your patient's care.
| | Participate In These Fun Events! | | | | |
Roundtable Discussions
Last year's roundtable session was such a hit that we are bringing it back this year! If you have a topic that you can lead the discussion on, you can indicate on your registration form Last year's topics include:
- AI
- Bedside Manners
- Leadership Opportunities
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Join Your Colleagues At Our Dine Around
Mix great food with great conversation at our Dine Around. Let us know on your registration if you'd like to join your fellow MAFP members Friday night at Table 100. Enjoy dinner, connect with colleagues, and share ideas.
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An Afternoon On The Green
MAFP has reserved afternoon tee times at The Refuge Golf Course on Saturday, April 18 at 3 pm for anyone interested in a quick round of golf. The 18 hole golf course is located on the Sheraton property and has undergone a complete renovation with more playable layout. The fee per person is $65. To reserve your place, please register on the form and pay at the golf course.
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Take Home A Caricature!
We're excited to have Ricky Nobile at Spring Conference! Ricky's talent in cartooning is used for drawing a quick five-minute caricature portrait that you can keep! Ricky has provided over 48 years of editorial cartoons on Mississippi politics to over 40 newspapers and is the editorial cartoonist forThe Mississippi Business Journal and we're happy he will join us!
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Battle of the White Coats Trivia
Saturday evening, after all CME sessions and procedural workshops are over, we invite you to stay for a rooftop dinner and cocktail hour complete with our Battle of the White Coats Trivia Night. Trivia will consist of teams of four, so grab your friends and lock in your team early!
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Hotel Accomodations
The Sheraton Flowood Refuge Hotel
2200 Refuge Blvd
Flowood, MS 39232
Rates are $179 plus tax per night. Room block expires Sunday, March 27.
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Dr. Haroon Receives National Grant
Congratulations to Dr. Amra Haroon, a second-year resident at the Mississippi Delta Family Medicine Residency Program in Greenville, for being awarded a Family Medicine Cares Resident Service Award grant from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation. The national grant recognizes first- and second-year family medicine residents who are advancing health equity and addressing disparities in underserved communities.
The funding will support Dr. Haroon’s community-based project, SPARK: An Interactive Educational Intervention to Enhance Adolescent Health Literacy. SPARK—short for Supporting Positive Health-Related Behaviors in Adolescents through Resourcefulness and Knowledge—is designed to provide clear, accessible health information to teens and adults in the Mississippi Delta. The initiative focuses on promoting healthy eating, physical activity, mental health awareness, and chronic disease prevention.
Grant recipients use the funds to purchase necessary supplies and provide financial support to their partnering community organizations. In addition to receiving funding, Dr. Haroon will present her project at FUTURE (formerly National Conference) in Kansas City, Missouri, later this year.
Through SPARK, Dr. Haroon is helping strengthen health education efforts and improve long-term health outcomes in the communities she serves.
| | 2nd Annual Spring Fling Research Poster Contest Applications Are Live! | | |
The Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians Foundation is excited to announce our 2nd Annual Research Poster Contest, taking place at our upcoming Spring Fling Conference. This contest provides an excellent opportunity for medical students and residents to showcase their innovative educational programs and unique community projects.
By participating, you'll have the chance to share your research and projects with a wider audience, engage in meaningful discussions and networking opportunities, and enhance your professional profile by contributing to the advancement of family medicine. We encourage you to take advantage of this platform to stimulate research and connect with peers who share your passion and interests. The deadline to apply is March 13, 2026.
Dates to Remember:
March 13, 2026 – Application Deadline
March 20, 2026 – Notification to Applicants
April 18-19, 2026 – Spring Fling
April 18, 2026 – Poster Presentations
April 19, 2026 – Awards Presentations
If you have any questions regarding the poster contest, please reach out to Beth Wilson at foundation@msafp.org.
| | MAFP Foundation and Workforce Director Beth Wilson has been on the road expanding the tobacco-free education across the state as well as ensuring our medical students know all about the opportunities and resources MAFP has to offer. Encouraging our residents and students to participate in presenting the Tar Wars initiative in their communities, MAFP is ensuring that tobacco prevention education reaches our Mississippi youth. | | |
UMMC Family Medicine Interest Group
Jackson, MS
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North Mississippi Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program
Tupelo, MS
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Baptist Memorial Hospital - DeSoto Family Medicine Residency Program
Southaven, MS
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William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Hattiesburg, MS
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UMMC Family Medicine M3 Orientation
Jackson, MS
| Apply To Be A 2026 MAFP Academy Ambassador! | |
Medical students interested in family medicine have an exciting opportunity to attend the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Annual Meeting as part of the Academy Ambassador program. This year’s event will take place July 18-22, 2026, at the Baytowne Conference Center in Sandestin, FL.
Selected Ambassadors assist with planning and organizing the meeting while enjoying perks such as free registration, hotel accommodations, and meals for the week. Hosted lunches and dinners, sponsored by Hattiesburg Clinic, Forrest General Family Medicine Residency, and North Mississippi Family Medicine Residency, offer additional networking opportunities with practicing physicians and exhibitors.
In addition to gaining valuable professional connections, students will have free time to relax and enjoy the beautiful Destin area. Applications are open now—don’t miss this chance to learn, network, and grow as a future family physician!
MAFP and the MAFP Foundation cover the registration, hotel, and meals, thanks to our physician sponsors. Students interested in applying for this year should do so by May 1, 2026.
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