Join Us For Capitol Day 2026

MAFP and the American Academy of Pediatrics Mississippi Chapter will host Primary Care Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 8am - 2pm. We are excited to combine our efforts to bring awareness to our specialties. Please wear your white coat and MAFP Membership pin. We will have pins at registration if you need one.

Tentative Schedule for the Day:

8:00 am Registration Opens

8:30 am State Capitol Tour

9:45 am Visit Senate and House Galleries

11:45 am Lunch @ Galloway Memorial

United Methodist Church

Visit with a MS Legislature

Advocacy Update by Hope Ladner, MAFP Advocacy Director

8:00 am – 11:30 am Exhibits open

There is no cost, but you must RSVP in advance to let us know you'll attend. Please register today at the link below.

After convening for the 2026 Legislative Session, lawmakers got straight to work. Read what bills hit the floor fast and what else you can expect this legislative session from the January 9th Clay Firm Newsletter.

Sign Up To Be Doctor Of The Day

Every day during the legislative session, the Capitol Medical Unit is staffed by a full-time nurse and a volunteer physician who provide basic medical services to legislators and capitol staff. As a Doctor of the Day, you’ll see firsthand the everyday operations of the Mississippi Legislature and be recognized on both the Senate and House floors at the opening of each day’s session. Volunteers can choose from a half day on Monday or Friday or a full day on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Session begins in January. 

MSMA sponsors the Doctor of the Day program so you must be a MSMA member to volunteer.

Hattiesburg Clinic Names 2025 Physician Award Winners

Hattiesburg Clinic recently announced the recipients of the second annual 2025 Physician Awards. These awards honor physicians recognized for their contributions and dedication within their specialties. The winners were recently recognized at an awards ceremony, highlighting their achievements among their peers and across the clinic. They also reflect the clinic’s ongoing commitment to providing high quality, patient-centered health care.

MAFP had 3 members receive awards. Dr. Shomari Thompson won the Rising Star Award. Dr. Katherine Royals won the Department of Primary Care Physician of the Year Award. Dr. Jeremy Wells won the Department of Surgery Physician of the Year Award.

Congratulations to these members of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians!

2nd Membership Renewal Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Dr. Garrett Fratesi of Pass Christian on scoring a FREE 2026 Spring Conference registration for renewing his MAFP membership by December 31st.

Thank you to all who’ve renewed and continue to strengthen family medicine in Mississippi. By renewing your membership, you can keep receiving exclusive MAFP benefits, educational resources, and meaningful connections with family physicians across Mississippi. 

There is still time to renew! Don't let your membership drop for 2026. If you have any questions or need assistance with renewing, please don't hesitate to reach out to Blake Butler at publicawareness@msafp.org

Advocacy Webinar Recap To Prepare For Capitol Day

We want to say thank you to MAFP Advocacy Director, Hope Ladner, for leading our Academy Advocacy Webinar. This webinar is held to help you prepare for Capitol Day and reaching out to our Mississippi Legislators. In this webinar, Hope covered the following topics:

• The legislative process and what it means to be an advocate.

• “Points-of-Entry” throughout the legislative process for advocacy.

• How state-level policies and legislative actions impact scope of practice.

• Regulatory landscape that impacts you.

• How the policy loop informs us and directs our future goals.

We hope to see many of you at our 2026 Capitol Day on Tuesday, February 3rd. If you were unable to attend the webinar, the recording is linked below.

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.

If you have any questions regarding the poster contest, please reach out to Beth Wilson at foundation@msafp.org.

February Social Media Spotlight

In an effort to raise more awareness of our wonderful MAFP Family Physicians and to celebrate the month of love, we want to hear from you! Please consider filling out the survey below and be featured on our social media platforms during the month of February. Let's fill our feeds with how much with love MAFP!

Clean The Air On Flu Vaccine Safety

In this episode of CME on the Go, Dr. Jason Marker, Dr. Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, and Dr. Lauren Brown-Berchtold discuss the importance of influenza vaccination. They share personal experiences, outline vaccine recommendations for various age groups, and address common safety concerns and myths about the flu vaccine. They emphasize the role family physicians play in preventing hospitalizations and deaths through effective vaccination campaigns. Listeners are encouraged to incorporate practical strategies for discussing vaccines with patients and to stay informed on the latest vaccine guidelines. 

This CME podcast is supported by an educational grant to the AAFP from Seqirus. 

Earn up to 0.5 credits as you learn practical strategies for addressing common patient concerns about vaccines as part of the shared decision-making process.