Residents and Students Act on Training, Payment, Patient Care

Delegates took on these issues and many others, and elected new leaders, at the 2024 National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students Aug. 1-3 in Kansas City, Mo.

How the Congresses Work

Delegates — one resident and one student sent by each chapter — meet at National Conference and develop resolutions that ask the AAFP to take specific action on an issue. Reference committees for each congress hear testimony about each of these resolutions and decide whether to recommend that the congress adopt the original measure or a substitute, not adopt it or, or reaffirm it as current AAFP policy.

Any student or resident at National Conference can testify in their respective reference committees and then vote on the measures in the business sessions that follow.

Resolutions that are adopted are forwarded to the Board of Directors and assigned to appropriate AAFP commissions.

Final reports from the reference committees showing how delegates acted on all of the measures are available online. 

Equipping Residents for Practice

Several measures focused on ensuring that residents are well prepared to handle the wide range of health issues that patients bring to their family physicians — both mental and physical.

One substitute resolution that was adopted asked the AAFP to create a video of simulated patient encounters on the topic of intimate partner violence for the clinical setting. Supporters of the resolution noted that the AAFP supports the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recommendation on screening for IPV and they called for more education to demonstrate how to implement it.

Another resolution asked for a “behavioral health” search category in the AAFP fellowship directory, which enables members to narrow fellowship programs by type, location, community setting and duration. Family physicians play a significant role in managing mental health care, members testified, and the reference committee said the resolution aligns with the AAFP’s ongoing efforts to improve access to care.

Residents also discussed the problem of resident fatigue, including the risk of impaired driving due to sleep deprivation from long hours of clinical and patient safety duties. Although residency programs must follow requirements that address fatigue, some testimony noted, not all offer accommodations or inform residents about their rights related to working longer hours. Members adopted a substitute resolution asking the Academy to educate resident members about their rights and encourage them to utilize applicable accommodations.

Ensuring Fair Compensation

Recognizing that compensation should reflect the immense value family physicians provide to their patients and communities, members adopted resolutions addressing payment for services, as well as greater financial support for students.

Patients benefit from having physicians who speak their primary language, members said in testimony on a resolution aimed at encouraging multilingualism in family medicine, so compensation should reflect that fact. A substitute resolution was adopted requesting, among other things, advocacy for payment that recognizes multilingual proficiency in residency, fellowship and physician contracts.

Similarly, because screening for adverse childhood events that are linked to physical and behavioral health benefits patients, members adopted a resolution asking the Academy to advocate that all insurers provide reimbursement for this screening.

Finally, a reference committee heard testimony in favor of working to expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility for medical students, whom supporters said often do not meet current student criteria. A substitute resolution was adopted requesting advocacy for eligibility criteria that includes medical students.

Improving Patient Care

Residents and students also acted on measures that would improve patient health through training, screening and patient education.

The author of a resolution to address health risks associated with loneliness and social isolation noted that a 2023 advisory from the U.S. surgeon general called the issue a public health crisis. The author requested more resources. A substitute resolution was adopted asking the AAFP for additional training options, especially training to address isolation among vulnerable older adults, immigrants, LGBTQ+ patients, minorities and victims of elder abuse.

Another substitute resolution that members adopted aims to decrease obesity by creating a collaborative educational program for school-aged children and their families. Such a program could draw on current AAFP resources related to obesity that the reference committee reviewed, including CME and patient education.

Finally, after members testified about difficulties patients experience accessing cancer screening in rural areas and the beneficial outcomes associated with mobile cancer screening in these areas, a substitute resolution was adopted advocating for the use of mobile cancer screening in rural areas in accordance with USPSTF guidance.