Professional Development

Let's fill Sandestin with Mississippi Family Physicians! Don't miss this year's Annual Scientific Assembly July 18-22 at the Baytowne Conference Center.

The MAFP room blocks in Sandestin close on June 16th. We have also added rooms at Hotel Effie next to the Baytowne Conference Center to give you more options!

 If you have any issues with making your reservations, please contact Beth Embry at beth@msafp.org.

Speaker Spotlight: Dr. Diana Espinoza Barrera

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Diana Espinoza Barrera to the Annual Scientific Assembly in Sandestin for a session on lung cancer screening and nodule management.

Dr. Diana Espinoza Barrera is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Tulane University and a board-certified specialist in Interventional Pulmonology, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care, and Internal Medicine. She earned her medical degree in Ecuador and completed advanced training in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Interventional Pulmonology at leading institutions, including Harvard-affiliated hospitals. Her clinical practice and research focus on lung cancer, pleural diseases, peripheral lung nodules, and airway disorders. Dr. Espinoza Barrera is an active member of several national pulmonary organizations and has been recognized for her commitment to diversity, inclusion, and advancing lung health.

Donate to the MAFP Foundation Raffle

at Annual Scientific Assembly!

SILENT AUCTION & RAFFLE DONATIONS: We've been busy collecting some great items to give away during Annual Assembly. If you have door prizes, bingo prizes, or a raffle item to be given away during the meeting, please contact Beth Wilson at foundation@msafp.org. The raffle item drawings will take place in the exhibit hall, and we ask that your donation value be a $75 minimum.

Academy

Nominating Committee Report

The MAFP Nominating Committee has met to consider nominees for officer and board positions for 2026-27. Members of this year's committee include:

• Dr.James Griffin
• Dr. Steven Hammack
• Dr. Carlos Latorre
• Dr. Paul Pavlov
• Dr. John Vanderloo

The Nominating Report will be considered at the MAFP Annual Business Session on Monday, July 20th at 12:00 pm during the Annual Meeting in Sandestin.

Advocacy

Is there a family medicine issue that concerns you? Do you have a colleague who needs recognition? Consider writing a resolution!

All Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians members are invited to write and submit resolutions for consideration at the MAFP Business Meeting held on the Tuesday during the MAFP Annual Scientific Assembly. Submissions are due Monday, June 15th.

Writing and presenting resolutions is a great opportunity to direct MAFP policy and address issues of interest or concern to family physicians and family medicine. In addition, resolutions can honor outstanding achievement or memorialize deceased family physician leaders.

Workforce

MAFP On The Move

MAFP participated in the Rural Medical & Science Scholars Program, a summer initiative designed to introduce Mississippi high school students to careers in healthcare, science, and other STEM-related fields on the campus of Mississippi State University.

The two week program provides rising high school seniors with an immersive experience that explores medicine, public health, and health professions through lectures, workshops, and hands-on learning opportunities. Participants also earn three college credit hours through the Introduction to Health Professions course.

During the program, Foundation and Workforce Director, Beth Wilson and MAFP Member, Dr. Daulton Newman, spoke with students about opportunities with MAFP, careers in family medicine, and the growing need for physicians in rural communities across Mississippi. Students had the opportunity to learn more about the role of family physicians in Mississippi.

Dr. Newman is a family medicine physician at Eupora Primary Care Clinic in Eupora, Mississippi.

MAFP Public Awareness Director, Blake Butler, had the pleasure of meeting with UMMC M3 students as they kick off their Family Medicine rotation. He shared more about MAFP, the Academy's opportunities for medical students, and the vital role Family Medicine plays in Mississippi.

Public Awareness

The MS RHTP is excited to announce that the first Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) and application materials have now been posted on the MS RHTP website.

The online application portals will open on June 15, 2026, at which time eligible organizations may begin submitting applications.

The first funding opportunities include:

• Rural Capital Project Care Gap Closure Grant Program

• Rural Provider Technology Grant Program

• Telehealth Hub Connectivity, Equipment, and Education Grant Program

The Mississippi Apex Accelerator program helps businesses identify, compete, and win federal, state, and local government contracts.

The no-charge program includes training and technical assistance, and provides clients with a complete set of tools to research and identify government contracting opportunities.

• No-Cost Guidance

• Suitability Assessment

• Registration Assistance

• Market Research

• Bid Opportunity Identification

• Networking Opportunities

• Proposal Assistance

• Contract Support

Whether you’re evaluating an offer or reassessing your current role, having the right data matters. As an AAFP member, you can use the fresh compensation insights in the Family Medicine Career Benchmark Dashboard to see how you stack up across practice settings and clinical focus.

Averages only tell part of the story. Knowledge is power. AAFP members, explore more detailed compensation data in the Family Medicine Career Benchmark Dashboard.

Thank you to all of our MAFP members who took the Know Your Worth Survey back in the fall. The results and data from the survey are available and now include 35+ filters by practice setting and clinical focus.