Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) Faculty Advisors
FMIG faculty advisors support students interested in family medicine and help enhance awareness, education, and promotion of family medicine at their institutions. A faculty advisor's duties might include:
- Helping students frame the primary mission of the FMIG
- Suggesting new and topical ideas based on individual exposure to clinical practice and trends in family medicine
- Serving as the liaison between the department of family medicine and the students
- Encouraging leaders to contact partners in organizing FMIG activities
- Helping students develop leadership skills
- Remaining accessible to students
Faculty advisors can be family physicians who are full-time or volunteer faculty members of departments of family medicine, non-physician members of departments of family medicine, or family medicine residency program faculty members.
Join an AAFP online community just for FMIG Faculty Advisors.
Advisor Best Practices
Working with Schools and Departments
- Establish an initial agreement with the department chair on the expectations and resources available for this position – e.g., funding to attend state Academy and AAFP national FMIG advisor meetings
- Arrange protected time to attend student FMIG meetings
- Establish open communication with the executive director of the state Academy about FMIG needs and activities
- Establish open communication with the Dean’s office so that family medicine students will be chosen to participate on panels concerning specialty/residency choice
- Maintain an awareness of school calendar and exam schedule to maximize attendance at FMIG events
Working with Student Leaders
- Listen and give constructive feedback
- Offer creative solutions to implement student ideas
- Encourage peer mentoring among the students to assure and develop future leadership
News & Notes
- Use our communication tools, including our slide decks, to help plan or give a talk about family medicine.
- Designate an FMIG student leader to serve as AAFP Student Membership Ambassador to receive materials and incentives to drive membership.