More than 3,000 family medicine residents and medical students gathered in Kansas City, Missouri, July 30–Aug. 1 for AAFP FUTURE, the nation’s largest conference for future family physicians. MAFP members joined peers from across the country to explore residency programs, build relationships and expand their knowledge. Michigan physicians also shared their expertise during educational sessions.

Ashley Erwin, MD and Emilyn Anderi, MD presented “Unlocking Your Future in Family Medicine,” and Suzanne Clarke, MD and Meredith Buck, MD presented “Rural Medicine Cases: Active Learning for Complex Care in Resource-Limited Settings.”

Delegates Engage in Advocacy and Policymaking
Michigan delegates represented their peers and gained first-hand experience in AAFP policymaking, parliamentary procedure, and leadership at the resident and student congresses. Through business sessions, committee work, and discussions with delegates nationwide, they learned how members can raise emerging issues, influence Academy policy, and pursue national leadership roles.

MAFP Resident delegate Dayaan Ghani, MD and Alternate Resident Delegate Disha Bhargav, MD co-authored a resolution, that was adopted, that called on AAFP to explore reimbursement options for physician inbox management. The adopted resolution highlighted the significant amount of uncompensated time physicians spend responding to patient messages, reviewing test results, and completing other essential work outside scheduled clinical care. 

“Advocating for an issue that directly impacts both physician well-being and patient care made the experience especially meaningful,” Dr. Bhargav said.

Motivated by the experience, Dr. Bhargav ran for alternate resident delegate to the National AAFP Congress of Delegates. Following her address, she was elected and will represent residents at the national level.

Michigan Student Delegate Madison Miller served on the Student Reference Committee where she reviewed testimony on 14 proposed resolutions and helped develop recommendations for consideration by the Student Congress. Miller and Michigan alternate student delegate Colleen Martin joined two residents from other states in co-authoring a resolution calling for expanded educational resources on hormone replacement therapy for menopause. The resolution was adopted during the joint student and resident congress session and will be forwarded to the AAFP Board of Directors.

“I am grateful to the MAFP for providing this opportunity to represent Michigan medical students, and I look forward to applying what I have learned to my future involvement with the AAFP and health care policy,” Miller said.