Family Medicine Events and Conferences for Medical Students
Attending conferences and meetings is a great way to get involved in family medicine and network with leaders in the specialty while you are a student. Many events offer scholarships and feature residency fairs, as noted below.
AAFP Events and Conferences
FUTURE (formerly National Conference)
Each summer, thousands of medical students and family medicine residents travel to Kansas City, MO., for FUTURE (formerly National Conference). At this three-day event, clinical skills, leadership development, and career planning are covered in workshops and procedural skills courses. Students can network with and learn about nearly any family medicine residency program in the country at the nation's largest specialty residency fair. The National Congress of Student Members, which convenes during the conference, offers the ideal forum for discussing issues and concerns facing medical students. The NCSM business sessions provide the opportunity to have a voice in AAFP policies and positions and to elect AAFP student leaders. Be sure to check out the information on scholarships.
AAFP Family Medicine Experience (FMX)
FMX unites family docs to celebrate all things family medicine. Over five exciting days, medical students can participate in everything family physicians experience. FMX occurs every fall after the Congress of Delegates and takes place in a different major city each year—if your medical school is nearby, don't pass up the opportunity to hear incredible speakers and network with inspiring physicians.
AAFP Congress of Delegates
The Congress of Delegates is the Academy's policy-making body. Its membership consists of two delegates from each constituent chapter. Medical students are one of the special constituencies that is represented. Any AAFP student member can participate in COD events, including student caucus meetings. This meeting is a joint event with FMX, beginning two and a half days before the main conference.
Global Health Summit
Preparing for “GLOCAL” (addressing global health issues while considering local contexts and needs) or an overseas experience? Seeking to better understand transnational health issues and social determinants of health?
Explore global health and network with global health advocates.
Family Medicine Advocacy Summit
Take an active role in shaping family medicine’s future when you meet with peers at the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit (FMAS). Whether you’re a first-time attendee or an advanced advocate, you’ll learn tactics for being a specialty champion. Plus, you’ll flex your skills when you lobby directly with members of Congress to influence public policies that affect your patients and practice.
AAFP Leadership Conference
This conference brings family medicine leaders together in Kansas City, Mo., each spring. There are two tracks: the Annual Chapter Leader Forum and the National Conference of Constituency Leaders. NCCL is the AAFP's premier policy development event for underrepresented constituencies. ACLF is the annual convening of chapter executives from around the country.
Meetings with Other Organizations
AMSA
The American Medical Student Association hosts an annual convention where medical students from schools across the country come together to discuss policy, campus programming, professional development, and more.
STFM
The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine holds several conferences each year, in which medical students frequently participate for mentoring and networking opportunities and programming that affects medical education.
Family medicine residents at FMEC's Annual Meeting
SNMA
The Student National Medical Association's Annual Medical Education Conference is held each spring and attracts students and professionals from all levels of medical education. This conference is the largest gathering of underrepresented minority medical students in the country.
LMSA
The Latino Medical Student Association holds two major conferences each year: its National Conference happens each spring, and its Policy Summit occurs in the fall. LMSA's National Conference is open to all medical students, as well as high school and premedical students.
FMEC Annual Meeting
Each fall, the Family Medicine Education Consortium hosts a conference in the northeast region of the US. This conference offers diverse workshops and networking opportunities, including a large residency fair. Medical students will feel inspired by the family medicine community that makes up the FMEC.
Family medicine research being
presented at NAPCRG
Family Medicine Midwest
The Family Medicine Midwest conference, which occurs each fall, features a wide range of sessions on various clinical areas, procedural skills, advocacy, and career development. Students can submit workshop proposals and benefit from networking, as well as meet potential program leaders at the residency fair.
NAPCRG Annual Meeting
Attending or presenting at the North American Primary Care Research Group's annual meeting, which takes place in the fall/winter, will provide you with insight into the major advances being made in research in primary care.