ADVOCACY

Advocating: A Professional Responsibility

Advocacy is a crucial part in the role of academic family medicine professionals to support the specialty and champion the needs of patients and communities. Use the resources on the STFM advocacy pages to learn to advocate for yourself, your patients, your learners, your community, and your profession.

RESOURCES AND KEY ISSUES ADVOCACY ACTION CENTER

Why Advocate?

Advocacy is a key element of medical professionalism. It’s foundational to providing high-quality patient care. It’s part of medicine’s social contract with society.

What Is Advocacy?

Advocacy is “action by a physician (or others) to promote those social, economic, educational, and political changes that ameliorate the suffering and threats to human health and well-being that he or she identifies through his or her professional work and expertise.”Source: Earnest MA, Wong SL, Federico SG. Perspective: Physician advocacy: what is it and how do we do it? Acad Med. 2010 Jan;85(1):63–7. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181c40d40. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Types of Advocacy

  • Professional Self-Advocacy: the resources, safety, and well-being necessary to provide high-quality care.
  • Individual Advocacy: Speaking up on behalf of another person and/or navigating complex systems to ensure their needs, rights, or interests are met.
  • Systems Advocacy: Advocacy aimed at influencing policies, laws, and practices at a systemic level.
Use STFM Resources to Enhance Your Advocacy Skills

The ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Family Medicine state that family physicians must “advocate for high-quality, cost-effective, and high value care which improves health outcomes and patient satisfaction” and “advocate for all patients and work to remove barriers to care for all populations. They advocate for their patients through the development and promotion of health policy by working with local organizations and partnering to promote better health within the intricacies of the health care system.”

Questions?

If you have questions about advocacy or how to participate, contact Nina DeJonghe, CAFM director of government relations, to let us know how we can advocate for you and to find out how you can be an advocate for your profession.

CONTACT STAFF WITH QUESTIONS

Contact Us

11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway

Leawood, KS 66211

(800) 274-7928

stfmoffice@stfm.org 

 

 

Events

March 31, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Integrity, Identity, and Inclusion: Reframing Professionalism for a New Era"

April 1, 2026: Start of STFM Foundation Online Auction

May 2–6, 2026: STFM Annual Spring Conference

May 13, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "Defining Success on Your Own Terms"

June 10, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Staying at the Table: Leading for Health Equity While Protecting Your Peace"

August 31–September 2, 2026: STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

Deadlines

March 16, 2026: Family Medicine Call for Papers: Theme Issue on Scope of Practice in Family Medicine

March 19, 2026: Representative to Council of Faculty and Academic Societies (CFAS)

April 1, 2026: Early Bird Deadline to Register for 2026 STFM Annual Spring Conference

May 4, 2026: STFM Foundation Online Auction Closes

Useful Links

Ask a Question
AI Chatbot Tips

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

STFM's AI Assistant is designed to help you find information and answers about Family Medicine education. While it's a powerful tool, getting the best results depends on how you phrase your questions. Here's how to make the most of your interactions:

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Be Clear and Specific: Use precise terms and avoid vague words like "it" or "that" without clear references.

Example:

Instead of: "Can you help me with that?"
Try: "Can you help me update our Family Medicine clerkship curriculum?"
Why this is important: Ambiguous language can confuse the AI, leading to irrelevant or unclear responses. Clear references help the chatbot understand exactly what you're asking.

2. Use Specific Terms

Identify the Subject Clearly: Clearly state the subject or area you need information about.

Example:

Instead of: "What resources does STFM provide?"
Try: "I'm a new program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship. What STFM resources are available to help me design or update clerkship curricula?"
Why this is better: Providing details about your role ("program coordinator") and your goal ("design or update clerkship curricula") gives the chatbot enough context to offer more targeted information.

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Provide Necessary Details:The STFM AI Assistant has been trained on STFM's business and resources. The AI can only use the information you provide or that it has been trained on.

Example:

Instead of: "How can I improve my program?"
Try: "As a program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship, what resources does STFM provide to help me improve student engagement and learning outcomes?"
Why this is important: Including relevant details helps the AI understand your specific situation, leading to more accurate and useful responses.

4. Reset if You Change Topics

Clear Chat History When Switching Topics:

If you move to a completely new topic and the chatbot doesn't recognize the change, click the Clear Chat History button and restate your question.
Note: Clearing your chat history removes all previous context from the chatbot's memory.
Why this is important: Resetting ensures the AI does not carry over irrelevant information, which could lead to confusion or inaccurate answers.

5. Provide Enough Context

Include Background Information: The more context you provide, the better the chatbot can understand and respond to your question.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the best practices?"
Try: "In the context of Family Medicine education, what are the best practices for integrating clinical simulations into the curriculum?"
Why this is important: Specific goals, constraints, or preferences allow the AI to tailor its responses to your unique needs.

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Break Down Complex Queries: If you have multiple questions, ask them separately.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the requirements for faculty development, how do I register for conferences, and what grants are available?"
Try: Start with "What are the faculty development requirements for Family Medicine educators?" Then follow up with your other questions after receiving the response.
Why this is important: This approach ensures each question gets full attention and a complete answer.

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

"What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's bad: The AI Chat Assistant has no information about your background or needs.

Good Prompt

"I'm the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at a major university, and I plan to retire next year. I'd like to stay involved with Family Medicine education. What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's good: The AI Chat Assistant knows your role, your future plans, and your interest in staying involved, enabling it to provide more relevant advice.

Double Check Important Information

While the AI Chat Assistant is a helpful tool, it can still produce inaccurate or incomplete responses. Always verify critical information with reliable sources or colleagues before taking action.

Technical Limitations

The Chat Assistant:

  • Cannot access external websites or open links
  • Cannot process or view images
  • Cannot make changes to STFM systems or process transactions
  • Cannot access real-time information (like your STFM Member Profile information)

STFM AI Assistant
Disclaimer: The STFM Assistant can make mistakes. Check important information.