September 18, 2018 12:47 pm Chris Crawford – The AAFP Foundation has announced the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute project award recipients from its third class.
The program aims to increase the number of well-trained future family medicine leaders by offering up and coming family medicine residents and medical students a yearlong leadership development training opportunity.
Thirty scholars from the 2017 class received $1,000 scholarships to attend the program and the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students in Kansas City, Mo., last year.
These scholars participated in intensive workshops at AAFP headquarters in Leawood, Kan., that focused on three tracks: Policy & Public Health Leadership, Personal & Practice Leadership, and Philanthropic & Mission-driven Leadership.
Following the day-and-a-half of workshops, scholars were assigned a mentor to work with them on a post-conference project based on their track of study.
The AAFP Foundation Board of Trustees reviewed these projects and awarded four scholars (two students and two residents) from each track of study an additional $1,000 scholarship for their return to the 2018 National Conference on Aug. 3 to present their projects.
The overall best project award winner from each track of study received an additional $3,000 scholarship to participate in an AAFP or AAFP Foundation national event related to their track of study. The three best project award winners were:
Eli Lilly and Co. was the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute Corporate Sponsor this year.
Yerkes, a third-year family medicine resident at Christiana Care Health System Family Medicine Residency Program in Wilmington, Del., created a project focused on the identification, screening and treatment of mental health disorders in armed forces veterans outside the Veterans Affairs system.
For Veteran Identification, Screening and Treatment in the Community Health Care Setting, Yerkes conducted a needs assessment of physicians and veterans to identify barriers to care.
"I then partnered with the behavioral health specialist in my practice to formulate a screening and treatment toolbox in an attempt to improve the delivery of services by inexperienced community primary care professionals," he said.
The final portion of the project, Yerkes explained, was disseminating his work and advocacy by securing a position on the Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition's Military Subcommittee, as well as presenting his work at the American College of Medical Quality's annual conference and the Family Medicine Education Consortium.
"The Emerging Leaders Institute far exceeded my expectation," Yerkes said. "I was paired with a mentor who pushed me in ways I would have never done otherwise. Being exposed to a leader like that has given me the confidence to move beyond my comfort zone in my career."
The AAFP Foundation has announced the fourth class of its Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute for 2018.
Thirty scholars from the 2018 class received $1,000 scholarships to attend the program and the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students in Kansas City, Mo., this August.
For his project, Sparks, a first-year family medicine resident at St. Louis University School of Medicine in O'Fallon, Ill., created an educational web resource for patients and clinicians called Texas Home Birth that addresses home birth in Texas, including regulation and training, and shares evidence on safety and risks.
"I'd like the resource to be put in the hands of women and parents in Texas who are considering out-of-hospital birth, as well as family physicians who encounter patients who might be considering it," Sparks said.
Some of the feedback on Sparks' project noted that it addressed a topic that can be controversial and that it filled a need, as there currently isn't much reliable information on the subject for patients and physicians.
Sparks said before participating in the leadership program, he wasn't sure where leadership opportunities existed in the AAFP and how his skills might best be used.
"So being able to meet people who have been instrumental in moving our profession forward and who are involved in a lot of the campaigns and activities that the AAFP currently is working on has been very helpful in determining where my path will lead from here forward as a young family physician," he said.
Sparks added that he hoped his project would be help the Texas AFP and other organizations improve access and education for physicians and patients, and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes.
Lapinski, a third-year family medicine resident at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., created a project called Delivering Quality Care to the LGBTQ+ Community at Duke Family Medicine.
"Through ongoing efforts, the Duke Family Medicine Center is working to expand its clinical practice to include a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) patient-centered medical home in coordination and cooperation with key Duke University stakeholders and the local LGBTQ+ community to increase the quality of care experienced by Durham and Duke's LGBTQ+-identified patients," Lapinski said.
Lapinski explained that this model of care consists of five pillars that act as the keystone to achieving the group's vision:
"To continue to build this program of distinction, we must rely on the generosity of individuals who share our vision and passion for serving our LGBTQ+ community," Lapinski said. "Philanthropic giving will be a driving force behind our success. The current project is focused on creating a fundraising campaign to raise both money and awareness around our initiatives."
Lapinski said she enjoyed participating in the leadership program. "I feel the program provides medical students and residents with meaningful leadership skills and a community of innovators."
The full list of award recipients in each track of study includes:
Policy & Public Health Leadership
Personal & Practice Leadership
Philanthropic & Mission-driven Leadership
The Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute is supported by donations from individual family physicians. To donate, visit the AAFP Foundation website and designate your gift to the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute.
Related AAFP News Coverage
Family Medicine Leads
(8/4/2017)