KEY INITIATIVES

Positioning Academic Family Medicine in Health Systems

From May 2020 through June 2022, an STFM task force implemented a series of tactics in an effort to position academic family medicine in health systems. Below are some of the goals and results of this initiative, including a series of COVID-related case studies.

UNDERSTANDING HEALTH SYSTEMS CURRICULUM SUMMARY OF INITIATIVE TACTICS AND ACTION ITEMS

From May 2020 through June 2022, an STFM implemented a series of tactics in an effort to:

  • Ensure that family medicine faculty—including community preceptors in non-academic settings—have sufficient time and institutional resources to teach and meet academic and accreditation requirements
  • Preserve comprehensive practice for family physicians and family medicine faculty who wish to practice broad scope
  • Improve faculty and learner well-being
  • Transform family medicine training sites into clinical and teaching models of excellence

The initiative built on STFM’s Preceptor Expansion Initiative and Protected Faculty Time Guidelines.The initiative led to the following results in support of family medicine:

  • Aggregation on online courses and resources for faculty
  • Online module for faculty on health systems data: quality measures, types of data analytics, and data analysis (in production with STFM staff)
  • Online module on advocating within a healthcare system (in production with STFM staff)
  • Two in-person faculty development events at the 2022 STFM Annual Spring Conference
  • A panel discussion with health systems leaders for the August 2020 meeting of the Family Medicine Leadership Consortium
  • Talking points to use when advocating for health systems
  • A series of case studies about family medicine leaders during COVID
  • Several publications, panel discussions, conference sessions, and more

Resources Created From the Initiative

The initiative strengthens the collaborative efforts of the family medicine organizations to engage with health systems leaders to preserve comprehensive training and practice for family physicians, improve health outcomes, and identify and spread best practices for optimizing the role of family medicine. Use these resources developed and aggregated by the initiative's leaders:

Understanding Health Systems Curriculum and Online Courses

STFM's two free Understanding Health Systems online courses and curriculum resources help family medicine educators and residents analyze health systems data, understand how decisions are made in health systems, and advocate for business-based solutions.

Talking Points to Position Academic Family Medicine in Health Systems

Here are some key talking points to position academic family medicine in health systems.

Initiative Publications and Presentations

Initiative Publications
Initiative Presentations

Initiative Publications

Initiative Presentations

  • Sustaining Support for the Academic Mission with Increasing Clinical Demands. 2022 ADFM Conference.
  • Health Systems Finances: How the Money Flows and How to Make Business-Based Appeals That Resonate with Health System Leaders. 2022 STFM Annual Spring Conference. 
  • Moving to Action: How to Use the STFM Health Systems Curriculum, STFM Annual Spring Conference. 2022 STFM Annual Spring Conference.
  • How Academic Family Medicine is Leading Health Systems’ Response to the COVID Crisis. STFM 2021 Annual Spring Conference. 

STFM Health Systems Curriculum Task Force Members

  • Arch G Mainous III, PhD (Task Force Chair), University of Florida
  • Margaret Baumgarten, MD, Eastern Virginia Medical School
  • Jonathan Lichkus, MD, MPH, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
  • Sabrina Mitchell, DO, St Mary’s Family Medicine Residency
  • Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
  • Mary Theobald, MBA, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine

Case Studies: Family Medicine Leading During COVID

Family physicians are uniquely qualified to be in leadership positions in health systems. The following case studies highlight how family medicine individuals and teams provided leadership during the COVID pandemic, helping health systems meet their commitments to communities.

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Events

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

May 4, 2026: STFM Foundation Online Auction Closes

May 15, 2026: Apply to Be Faculty for STFM Leadership Through Scholarship Fellowship

May 22, 2026: Apply for the STFM Leadership through Scholarship Fellowship

June 15, 2026: Apply to Join STFM ASCEND Mentorship Program (as a mentor or mentee)

June 17, 2026: Submit to Present at 2027 STFM Conference on Medical Student Education

June 17, 2026: Apply for STFM Foundation Student Scholarship

Useful Links

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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.