Texas represents well at AAFP’s National Conference

AAFP’s annual National Conference of Family Medicine Students and Residents was held last month in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Texas representation did not disappoint. More than 4,800 medical students and family medicine residents traveled from across the country to network and learn, including more than 100 from Texas. A huge shoutout to the TAFP Foundation, which funded nearly 70 medical students and residents to travel to Kansas City and experience all that the conference had to offer. Additionally, 24 family medicine residency programs from Texas were in the expo hall, getting to know students from all over, hopefully enticing them to come to Texas for residency.

VIEW A SLIDESHOW FROM AAFP NC 2023

Attendees were treated to a heartfelt and funny opening keynote from family physician Jen Caudle, DO, FACOFP, otherwise known to her approximately one million social media followers as “Dr. Jen.” Students and residents had multiple opportunities to hear from other family physicians through discussions, workshops, procedural training, and more. TAFP President Emily Briggs, MD, MPH, FAAFP was in attendance, readily available to Texas attendees to chat about the specialty and speaking with Aledade on a value-based care panel.

Thursday night TAFP hosted a Texas-themed reception for all Texas attendees and had quite the turnout! Around 150 people attended – medical students, residents, and residency faculty, as well as other students who were interested in Texas residency programs. This allowed for even more time outside the expo hall for networking and fellowship.

Friday morning, the family medicine interest group from the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine was honored as one of AAFP’s Program of Excellence Award winners. The UTMB FMIG has won the award for five consecutive years, this year being named one of the overall winners. FMIGs give medical students the opportunity to learn more about the specialty of family medicine and teach them leadership skills. AAFP’s annual awards are given to groups for the work they do to promote family medicine at their medical schools and within their communities.

TAFP delegates attended their respective congresses, taking time to work on their resolution writing skills and gain experience serving in leadership roles. The resident delegates from Texas worked on a resolution pertaining to international medical graduates, which was accepted by the congress. Thank you to these delegates for volunteering and attending!

Christina Harkey, TAFP Student Delegate to AAFP National Conference
Sam Houston State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine

Brittany Uebbing, TAFP Student Alternate Delegate to AAFP National Conference
UNT HSC Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

Bruno Bittencourt, MD, TAFP Resident Delegate to AAFP National Conference
TIGMER Family Medicine Residency Program – Laredo

Lubna Nasr, MD, TAFP Resident Alternate Delegate to AAFP National Conference
UTRGV Family Medicine Residency Program at Knapp

Texas residents and students also had five posters accepted to the National Conference Poster Competition. Their posters were on display throughout the entirety of the conference, giving their research quite a bit of exposure.

As a first-time National Conference attendee, I’m here to tell you the energy in the building throughout the week was palpable, and y’all, the future of family medicine is bright!

Texas medical students gather after the opening keynote address.

The TAFP Foundation funded nearly 70 Texas medical students and residents to attend National Conference.

The TAFP Foundation funded nearly 70 Texas medical students and residents to attend National Conference.

Texas residents show off their TAFP swag - friendship bracelets!

Texas residents show off their TAFP swag - friendship bracelets!

From left: TAFP communications staff Samantha White, AAFP President Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, and TAFP membership staff Juleah Williams.

TAFP President Emily Briggs, MD, MPH, and AAFP Board of Directors member Jay Lee, MD, MPH.

TAFP President Emily Briggs, MD, MPH, talks with attendees about Aledade and value-based care.

Around 150 people attended TAFP's Texas-themed reception Thursday night for networking and fellowship.

The family medicine interest group from the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine was honored as one of AAFP’s overall Program of Excellence Award winners for the work they do to promote the specialty.

From left: TAFP Resident Delegate Bruno Bittencourt, MD; TAFP Resident Chair-Elect Madeline Hazle, MD;  AAFP Student Liaison to the National Medical Association Breanna Chachere, MPH; TAFP Student Delegate Christina Harkey; and TAFP Resident Alternate Delegate Lubna Nasr, MD.

TAFP Student Delegate Christina Harkey and AAFP Student Liaison to the National Medical Association Breanna Chachere, MPH.

From left: TAFP Resident Delegate Bruno Bittencourt, MD; TAFP Resident Alternate Delegate Lubna Nasr, MD; and TAFP Resident Chair-Elect Madeline Hazle, MD.

Texas medical student Tetsuyuki Kawai presents his research poster on the importance of palliative care.

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