One of the greatest parts of our work at the Academy is connecting medical students with preceptors and mentors in an effort to best prepare them for life as a family physician. That process can take years and great support from our members, so we highly value and appreciate our members who are called to this role, and hope to open doors for more physicians to do so!

Preceptors are physicians who invite medical students and residents into their clinics, so that they can learn to practice directly from seeing a real workday. These preceptors give their time, talents, and mentorship for the good of these students. It's a gift you can’t understate. 

In today’s episode, you’ll hear about precepting directly from three preceptors: Dr. Elizabeth Ferruzzi, Dr. Landon Allen, and Dr. Sarah Asman Peiffer. They are all new physicians, who felt led to start precepting early in their careers.  Here are the lessons and rewards of precepting for Family Medicine, in these doctors’ own words!

Family Medicine is a versatile specialty full of different skills and procedures, and so family doctors have the chance to branch out, diversify their work, and enjoy it. For many family physicians, it’s professionally satisfying to practice the full range of their specialty. 

However, some procedures require additional credentialing. And you know that credentialing can be a difficult process. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about credentialing from three family physicians who have done it well: Dr. Landon Allen, Dr. Elizabeth Baltaro, and Dr. Puja Dalal. They work in different settings across different areas of the state, but they’ve all enhanced their practice with new credentials.

NCAFP interviews five mothers in family medicine to hear their stories at home, in the clinic, and everywhere in between. Workforce Initiatives Manager Perry Price spent months interviewing these physicians, and their input on the convergence of family and work, the best types of maternal leave, and the work still ahead is insightful, personable, and well-rounded.

In this episode, NCAFP's new President Dr. Shauna Guthrie delivers her installation speech at the Winter Family Physicians weekend, telling our members a little about herself and her vision for the Academy.

If you missed our 2022 NCAFP Annual Meeting, this is a must listen, and it should be even if you attended. Listen as outgoing President Dr. Dimitrios (Takie) Hondros provides the 2022 State of the Academy Address at our Annual Awards Banquet.  Dr. Hondros outlines the many accomplishments of the NCAFP throughout the last year.

In this episode of NCFM Today, you will hear from two medical students who participated in summer clinical experiences funded by the NCAFP Foundation. Evan Morgan, a second-year medical student at Wake Forest University discusses his experience in our two-week Rural Western Medical Student Program, including what he learned and how it is influencing his career path. Likewise, Joanmarie Lewandowski, a second-year medical student at the University of North Carolina discusses her four-week summer experience working with Dr. Michael Harris in Raleigh. Don't miss the opportunity to hear from two future physicians as they discuss their medical school journey and what is impacting their path toward a career in family medicine.

On this month’s edition of NCFM Today, learn about the state’s Maternal Health Innovations grant from five family medicine champions working on the program. Dr. Amy Santin, Dr. Carmen Strickland, Dr. Narges Farahi, Dr. Janalynn Beste and Dr. Mona Xiao discuss the specific role of family medicine champions in the Maternal Health Innovation Grant and how family physicians can help ensure that medical conditions that women develop during pregnancy have ongoing care. In addition, they talk about how family physicians can address issues that have an impact on both young children and their moms, and how many chronic diseases, such as hypertensive disorders, start during pregnancy. Finally, the group discusses innovative models of caring for women during and after pregnancy. Don’t miss this important discussion of how North Carolina is working to reduce maternal mortality. To learn more about the state’s Maternal Innovations Grant, go to https://mahec.net/regional-initiatives/maternal-health-innovations-grant.  

In this episode we talk to Dr. Benjamin Gilmer, a family physician in western NC and now acclaimed author of the riveting medical mystery, the Other Dr. Gilmer. Dr. Benjamin Gilmer discusses his own journey as he works to determine why Dr. Vince Gilmer, who previously practiced in the same clinic, came to murder his own father. We learn about Dr. Benjamin Gilmer's journey of discover from fear to friend and advocate for Dr. Vince. Today, Benjamin Gilmer is advocating for mental health and prison reform nationally. Prior to becoming a book, part of this journey was documented on an episode of This American Life. Join us as your colleague, Benjamin Gilmer, calls on you to be an advocate and use your own stories to bring about change.

In this episode, we focus on the family medicine workforce pipeline in North Carolina, specifically two efforts co-sponsored by the NCAFP and the NC AHEC Program:   the first-ever Family Medicine Academic Summit for academic family medicine faculty around the state, and the 2022 Family Medicine Day, where we brought more than 70 medical students together to learn about the specialty and our state's Family Medicine Residency Program.  The episode includes excerpts from the Academic Summit's keynote address by NC DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley, remarks from AAFP Board member Dr. Karen Smith, and numerous comments from both residency program faculty and medical students on what the day meant to them.  Don't miss it.

In this month's episode, soon to be Dr. Morgan Carnes discusses her journey into family medicine from her days in dance to college to working in population health before entering the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.  Morgan also outlines the importance of serving as a physician advocate and what she has learned in her elective rotation on Policy, Advocacy and Leadership with the NCAFP.  Don't miss this exciting episode on the importance of family medicine and physician advocacy.  Follow along with Morgan's journey on Instagram at @morgansiebs