UMass FMCH Tuesday Talk - March 24, 2026/RESEARCH | | |
Table of Contents
Message From the Chair and Vice Chair for Education
Upcoming Events
Focus of the Week - Research
Announcements
Department Member Recognition
Presentations and Publications
Frankly Speaking Podcast
Resources
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Message From the Chair and Vice Chair for Education
M. Diane McKee, MD, MS, Professor & Chair, UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family & Community Medicine
Jeanne Cawse-Lucas, MD, Vice Chair of Education
Congratulations to all our educators and colleagues on a successful Match Day!
At UMass Chan, out of 174 students who matched, eight students matched into Family Medicine (4.6% of the class). Six of the eight are AHEC Scholars, and five will continue their training in Massachusetts consistent with our mission to train family doctors to serve the Commonwealth. Every student who matches to family medicine is a product of countless touchpoints with people in this department, so thank you all for role modeling all the wonderful ways that family physicians interact with communities. Thanks to Frank Domino who leads the advising effort.
Family Medicine bound students will train at:
- UMass WFMR-Barre
- Baystate- Greenfield
- Greater Lawrence (2)
- Lowell CHC
- Maine Medical Center
- Contra Costa - Martinez CA
- NC-Mountain AHEC - Asheville, NC
Kudos to the three residency (WFMR, FFMR, and Preventive Medicine) program directors, their faculty and administrative partners who led our recruitment process this year. We filled due to their efforts! You can see who is joining us here: [WFMR], [FFMR], [PM].
Nationally, this was another tough year for FM, so it is particularly worth celebrating that our programs filled. To provide some context, per NRMP: Family Medicine offered 5,491 positions in 2026 — an increase of 134 from 2025 — but the fill rate declined from 85.0 percent to 83.6 percent, leaving 899 positions unfilled; despite this decrease, the total number of applicants matching into the specialty increased compared with the prior year.
Meanwhile, save the date for our next Town Hall on April 7th at noon (in lieu of Grand Rounds).
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Focus of the Week - Research
Jennifer Carroll, MD, MPH, Vice Chair, Research
Suzanne Mitchell, MD, MS, Director, Research
This month, we are highlighting tools, resources, and opportunities available to support research across the department—from project development to dissemination. We encourage faculty, staff, and learners to explore these resources and consider how they can support ongoing and future work.
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Research Resources: FMCH SharePoint
Did you know the department maintains a centralized FMCH Research Repository?
This site is designed to support all stages of the research process you may need in one place including:
· Comprehensive list of current departmental projects and grant applications
· Grant preparation templates and post-award grant management tools
· Study implementation resources (cost tracking, reporting, health equity)
AI in Research: UMass Chan AI Commons
UMass Chan offers an internal platform, the AI Commons, to support the use of generative AI in research, education, and clinical work. The AI Commons was developed to help faculty, staff, and learners use AI tools safely and effectively, while aligning with institutional standards for privacy, security, and responsible use.
Available resources include:
- Access to a vetted list of approved AI tools reviewed for data security
- Guidance on best practices for using AI in research and writing
- Updates on institutional policies and evolving standards
- Support for integrating AI into academic and clinical workflows
For example, AI tools can be used to support literature reviews, drafting summaries, and organizing research ideas, when used in accordance with institutional guidance.
Recent Publication
Eliot Hu and colleagues published a study introducing the Pendleton test as a physical exam maneuver to screen for intraarticular hip pathology. The study compared the
Pendleton test to commonly used hip exams, including FADIR and Scour, in military patients with chronic hip pain. Read the full article here.
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Hu YE, Lokey BD, Fraser JJ. Validity and reliability of the "Pendleton test": An innovative special test for intraarticular hip pathology. PM R. Published online March 11, 2026. doi:10.1002/pmrj.70114
Research Study Recruitment
Paula Gardiner and team are currently recruiting participants for the IMPACT Study, which explores how physical, emotional, and relational factors influence response to mindfulness-based treatment for chronic low back pain. Participants will:
- Attend eight weekly mindfulness sessions (via Zoom)
- Complete surveys
- Wear a Fitbit for six months to track activity and sleep
Findings may help improve personalized treatment approaches for chronic pain. Interested? Complete an IMPACT Study interest form today or share the IMPACT Study Flyer.
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Announcements
Black Maternal Health Week event - Community Pregnancy Pop-Up Celebration
Saturday, April 11th, 11am-2pm at the YWCA, 1 Salem Street, Worcester. More information available here.
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Please join us on Tuesday, April 14th at 12:00pm for this year’s 3rd Annual Warren Ferguson Professorship
Grand Round’s presentation, hosted by the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. We have visiting guest speaker Etel Haxhiaj, former Worcester City Councilor, and housing advocate presenting, “From Clinical Practice to Advocacy: Your Voice Matters!” To be held in the Paul J. DiMare Center theater room N1-1500 and virtually via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09
You can donate to the Ferguson Professorship here through the Family Medicine and Community Health Fund or with this QR code.
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(Message from Anne Larkin)
Call for Learning Communities Mentor
One of the cornerstones of our medical school is our Learning Communities (LC) Program and the support for Learning Community Mentors who serve our students during all four years of medical school. The ideal candidate should be skilled at and passionate about teaching clinical skills and coaching for professional development. A minimum of 3 years of clinical experience following completion of residency and/or fellowship is a prerequisite. Applications should be submitted electronically by the faculty member using the application link by Monday, April 13th. Questions should be sent to Samantha Michaud (samantha.michaud@umassmed.edu). For more details about the full Learning Communities Mentor role and the search process, please see the attached job description and mentor application worksheet.
Please nominate a student for the Ann Nemitz Award
Do you know of a graduating medical student going into Family Medicine who stands out as deserving of the Annual Ann Nemitz Award? The spirit of this award emanates from the way Ann Nemitz practiced medicine. Her guiding principle, from which all of her behavior followed, was that it was truly "a privilege to serve" others. Please respond to Mike Ennis
Michael.Ennis@umassmemorial.org. A list of this year's students who matched in family medicine available here.
Lisa Gussak will offer a talk on “Growth Mindset and Feedback”, Thursday, April 16th from 4:30-6pm. This topic is aligned with the work that is being done across the department to improve our ability to give and receive feedback. Please register if interested. https://www.umassmed.edu/academy-of-educators/events/education-grand-rounds/
MassAFP’s next major event will be Advocacy Day at the State House in Boston,
May 13th. As there is strength in numbers, all Massachusetts Family Physicians are encouraged to join MassAFP (and AAFP). Details available here: https://www.massafp.org/membership
Please plan to attend the Annual Faculty Development Day (formerly known as the departmental retreat) the afternoon of Thursday, May 14th, at the Albert Sherman Center on the UMass-Chan campus. Topics will include addressing bias in the clinical and learning environments, ambulatory procedures, intrapartum care, and integrating learners into scholarship. Now is a great time to ensure that your clinic schedule is clear! For new faculty members (in the past 3 years), there will be a new faculty academic onboarding that morning (May 14) from 9-12pm in the Benedict Building, which will cover scholarship opportunities, library resources, and setting yourself up for a successful academic.
We have been awarded a grant to evaluate AI use in clinical practice in the primary care setting. This project entails the participant to complete an 8-9 question multiple choice pre survey. A subset will be asked to primarily use a specific AI tool for their clinical needs but may still use other tools like websites, other apps or books afterwards. After 2 weeks, all participants will again complete the survey. For their participation, all will receive a high end insulated travel mug (like a Camelback or Yeti). Please share this invite with all primary care providers in your system, including Family Physicians, Primary Care Internists, and Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who practice primary care. If interested, please sign up by registering your name and email at link below:
https://umassmed.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cO6dYGsDRaNyhwi?Q_CHL=qr
(Message from Frank Domino)
The Department is offering a “Precepting Performance Improvement Program - Part IV” as part of the ABFM recertification process. If you precept LEARNERS (preferably medical students) 180 hours per year, you are eligible. The process involves completing one of the BRIEF online Faculty Development Modules, committing to making at least ONE change in your precepting skills, and then precept students. After 180 hours, you will receive a post-test in December to revisit your commitment to change, and we will process with the ABFM. This Enrollment Form also serves as the Pre-Test. If you have any questions, please reach out karen.rayla@umassmed.edu.
Joint Commission Readiness
We have officially kicked off the Joint Commission Readiness Countdown—our very own prep rally for the big upcoming triennial survey. Each week leading up to survey, we’ll post a fun and informative activity on the Hub.
- Go to the Hub and scan the weekly QR code with your phone or click the link.
- Complete the activity for the week.
- Get entered into our weekly prize drawing
Spread the word to your teams, encourage everyone to join in, and let’s make this a fun, team-powered push toward readiness. We’re excited to launch our very first weekly Joint Commission Newsletter starting March 1st. Each edition will spotlight key JC focus areas and “easy wins” in a clear, concise, and totally actionable way—think of it as your weekly cheat sheet for survey success. Each week we’ll share tips, reminders, and little nuggets of wisdom to help you and your teams stay ahead of the game.
(Shared by Michael Burdulis)
This commentary shares new 2026 data that links access to a usual source of primary care results in 20% fewer hospitalizations and 54% lower total costs in adults with chronic disease; the benefits for children are even more striking.
https://www.patientcareonline.com/view/primary-care-tied-to-54-lower-costs-for-chronic-disease-new-data
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Presentations and Publications
Hugh Silk was an invited keynote speaker for a webinar on Integrating Oral Health Into Primary Care Systems put on by the World Federation of Public Health Association last week for World Oral Health Day. His talk was entitled "Oral Health in the Primary Care Toolbox".
Katharine Barnard will be presenting, along with panelists, on Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Health Care: Medicine, Advocacy and Research, at the Holy Cross Katherine A. Henry ’86 Memorial Lecture Series on Women’s Health Issues on March 26th at 4pm in the Hogan Suite B/C. See attached.
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Frankly Speaking Podcast
Please join us for a weekly Podcast series. With rising administrative demands, many clinicians are considering artificial intelligence (I) scribes-this episode unpacks what you need to know before incorporating this technology. We explore key benefits like reduced burnout and improved workflow, along with ethical, legal, and safety considerations to help you make informed decisions about integrating AI scribing into your practice. Guest: Jillian Joseph, MPAS, PA-C, presents, "AI Scribing in Practice: Balancing Patient Considerations and Clinician Wellbeing". Frankly Speaking Episode #477. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-speaking-about-family-medicine/id1194659367
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