Family Medicine: Look Back, Move Forward
In 2024 you influenced health policy, took advantage of new evidence-based resources, and found patients and the public looking to family physicians as trusted messengers, allies and partners in care. Take another look at these highlights of 2024 as you look forward to 2025.
What mattered most to you as family physicians in 2024 was getting paid fairly, giving your patients the best evidence-based care and celebrating the important work you do in your community. Here are the top five stories and blogs that supported what you had top of mind:
Thousands of you discovered AAFP’s podcast, Inside Family Medicine, which launched in 2024. Hear member stories, find out how tools and resources are being leveraged by your colleagues, learn from experts, see how AAFP is advocating for you and earn CME on the Go. Here are the top five podcast episodes that shared information in new and different ways, drove connections with other members and helped you earn CME:
CME | Focus Forward: Navigating ADHD Across the Lifespan
The "CME on the Go" series of the Inside Family Medicine podcast lets you earn up to 0.5 CME credits per episode. Join the hosts as they dive into ADHD across different life stages, from childhood to adulthood, highlighting key symptoms and treatment strategies.
IFM | Educating Primary Care Clinicians about 2024 Immunization Schedules
Dr. Anne Schneider, a family physician and AAFP Vaccine Science Fellow, talks about the latest immunization schedules approved by the CDC. She discusses the importance of vaccines, especially for respiratory diseases like RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, and shares strategies to boost vaccine confidence and integrate CDC recommendations into family medicine practices.
FFFM | Federal Trade Commission Noncompete Ban
In a historic win for the AAFP’s workforce advocacy, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule banning noncompete agreements. In this episode, AAFP Vice President of Government Relations David Tully talks with Shawn Martin, the Academy’s EVP and CEO, about the impact of this rule, including the court challenges it now faces.
IFM | Propelling Your Career
The AAFP's CEO & Executive Vice President, Shawn Martin, moderates a discussion with the co-hosts of "CME on the Go," to unpack the value of being a member of a professional association, and how it can serve as a catalyst for career growth.
IFM | A Journey into Family and Sports Medicine
Marcia Faustin, MD, FAAFP, co-head team physician for the USA Gymnastics Women's National Team and a family physician specializing in sports medicine, shares her journey into family and sports medicine, inspired by her own experiences as an athlete.
When your practice environment fits your needs and style, both you and your patients can flourish. Whether you’re focused on improving coding skills or are looking to find a better model altogether, this year’s offerings get you where you need to go.
Value-based Care Basics
Get started in the movement toward adequately supporting, rewarding and growing success in primary care.
G2211 Add-on Code: What It Is and When to Use It
G2211 will help you get paid more accurately for the complex care you provide.
Direct Primary Care Summit On-Demand
Learn the latest strategies and details you need to start, grow, manage and sustain an effective DPC practice.
Medical Practice Management
Are you a practice owner or thinking of becoming one? Learn important business skills that aren't covered in medical school.
Administrative Simplification Library
Ease your practice burdens with tips, technologies and transformations targeting common pain points like EHR inbox or documentation.
The Academy sent more than 100 formal letters, comments and congressional hearing testimonies on more than a dozen health care policies this year, and family medicine advocates like you took nearly 5,000 actions to advance the specialty at the local, state and federal levels.
Wrap up 2024 by celebrating some of the major moments that you helped make.
Medicare Payment Testimony
AAFP Board Chair Steven Furr, M.D., FAAFP, told U.S. senators that billing for primary care under fee-for-service “is like trying to cut a roll of paper with a hole punch rather than a pair of scissors.”
Prior Authorization Changes
The widely supported, bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act was reintroduced this year, thanks in part to the Academy’s advocacy and member advocacy campaigns.
Graduate Medical Education Reform
The Academy was one of three associations that were invited to the first roundtable discussion with Senate staff to discuss feedback and recommendations for a forthcoming GME reform legislative package.
Members’ Tales From the Hill
Hear from three fellow Academy members who testified before Congress this year. Each brought expertise and influence during a highly visible year on Capitol Hill.
Noncompete Agreement Reform
The FTC released a final rule this year banning most noncompete clauses in employment contracts and cited physicians many times to illustrate their harmful effects. The rule has been blocked by a court injunction, but the AAFP continues to support efforts to eliminate noncompete agreements.
Protect Your Well-being
Nothing is more important than a person’s health, mental and physical. That includes family physicians. While you focus on your day-to-day — whether that’s caring for patients, leading a national medical organization or a local health system, or training the next generation of family physicians— you can’t deprioritize your own well-being.
Physician Well-being Toolkit
Get tools to help you advocate for policies that protect your well-being and your right to confidential mental health care.
Physician Health and Well-being Conference On Demand
Focus on your well-being and professional satisfaction, and develop action plans to promote your personal well-being and well-being in your practice or organization.
How to Reach Out to a Colleague in Distress
Learn various methods for reaching out to a colleague whose well-being you’re concerned about and prepare for common responses to your concern.
Banish Burnout: How Team-based Care Can Help
Explore the fine points of equipping and empowering your staff to provide efficient and effective patient care.
Tools to Thrive Early in Your Career and Cultivate Joy in Practice
Discover what drives meaning in medicine for you, devise strategies for leading effectively and set yourself up to thrive.
Integrate Public Health Into Your Practice
Your practice cultivates knowledge of public health to better understand and address patient needs, improve the quality of care, respond to community health issues and advocate for community health improvements. These evidence-based resources empower you to further address whole-person health by identifying the individual needs of each patient in the clinical setting and collaborating with public health organizations in the community.
Inside Family Medicine Podcast: Educating Primary Care Clinicians about 2024 Immunization Schedules
Family physician and AAFP Vaccine Science Fellow Anne Schneider, D.O., FAAFP, discusses the importance of vaccines, provides updates from the June 2024 ACIP meeting and shares strategies to boost vaccine confidence. The episode emphasizes the role you play in educating your patients about vaccines and using credible resources to stay informed.
Family Physician Public Health Partnership Guide
Discover ways to advance community health efforts through person-centered, team-based and community-aligned care that achieves better health, better care and lower costs. This guide builds on the AAFP's Teaming Up with Public Health series.
Community Collaboration Guide
Identify a starting point for collaborating with communities using practical information in the Family Physician Community Collaboration Guide.
Public Health Integration
Find education and motivation on this centralized hub as you discover ways your impact can extend well beyond the clinic walls, improving places where patients live, learn, work and play.
Immunization Resources
Get facts and tips to give you confidence when you talk to your patients about this season's vaccines for flu, COVID-19 and RSV.
Improve Health Equity and Your Cultural Competency
You’re uniquely qualified to care for people of all ethnicities, ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, treating a more diverse population of patients than any other medical specialty. Whether you are new to discussions around health equity or want to continue learning by filling education gaps that arise from rapidly changing cultural awareness and medical advancements, these evidence-based resources walk you through the process of learning about the drivers of health for each of your patients.
National Conference Renamed FUTURE to Attract Next Generation
On its 50th birthday in 2024, National Conference became FUTURE, The National Conference for the Future of Family Medicine — a space for medical students to explore the dynamic field of family medicine and see themselves as future family physicians.
A Groundbreaking Match Day
Family medicine’s programs filled 4,595 positions in the 2024 Match — the largest class in history. Each student who matches moves the family medicine specialty one step closer to meeting this country’s primary care workforce needs.
Family Medicine Champions Program Grows
In 2024, 438 educators, advisors, family physicians and medical student leaders pursued the Family Medicine Champions certificate, designed to educate aspiring health care workers about the bright future of family medicine. Ninety-two participants graduated from the first class, with the second class wrapping up their training.
Strolling Through the Match Guidebook
The Strolling Through the Match guidebook continues to demystify the rigorous residency match process, offering essential step-by-step guidance on applications, interviews and ranking programs that align with your career goals and values.
Chief Resident Leadership Development Program
For more than 25 years, chief residents have relied on the AAFP’s Chief Resident Leadership Development program for an interactive, engaging experience that offers the most up-to-date resources, tools and instruction for becoming strong leaders.
You kept coming back to these most-read profiles of family physicians who are nurturing their passions for the specialty:
Hani Chaabo, M.D., FAAFP, ABOIM
Well-being Leader Addresses Mental Health in Primary Care
Shawn Vainio, M.D., FAAFP
Alaska Doc Has Passion for Global Health
Breanna Chachere, M.P.H.
Student Driven to Improve Care for Underserved Communities
Daniel Vigil, M.D.
Olympics a Golden Opportunity for Sports Medicine Doc
Jenny Wang, M.D., FAAFP
RLS Speaker Focused on Dismantling Racism in Medical Education
Connect With Your Peers
You shared knowledge and networked with your fellow family physicians in 23 Member Interest Groups, including two new ones in 2024 that focus on obesity medicine and wilderness medicine. Catch up on the four most active MIGs: