STFM Podcast Bonus Conference Episode

2026 Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement Second Plenary Session

As a special episode of the STFM Podcast, listen to an audio recording of the opening general session of the 2026 STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement: "Aims before Algorithms: A Problem-Driven Approach to AI" by Amelia Sattler, MD.

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Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming clinical care, medical education, and research. While AI has significant potential, meaningful integration remains challenging. When AI-powered tools are developed in technology silos without close collaboration with key stakeholders, real-world impact is limited. Even the most powerful AI tools lack practical value if they aren’t conceptualized, designed and integrated to address clearly defined and meaningful problems. These challenges highlight the need for a problem-driven approach to AI development and adoption.This session presents a practical framework for advancing AI initiatives grounded in quality improvement (QI) principles. Drawing on Dr. Sattler’s experience as a clinician and improvement-focused innovator, the session uses examples across clinical care, education and research to illustrate how AI can be applied to address real-world challenges. Emphasis is placed on identifying meaningful problems as the necessary starting point for exploring AI-enabled solutions and using iterative, small-scale testing to evaluate their impact.This session also highlights the importance of collaboration among key stakeholders and technology developers to ensure that AI tools are responsive to real-world needs. Participants are encouraged to view themselves not as passive users of AI, but as active contributors to its thoughtful development and implementation. The session also addresses potential benefits, limitations, and risks of AI use.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

Describe practical examples for meaningfully integrating AI into clinical practice, education and research.
Apply a quality improvement-informed, problem-driven approach to advance a personal AI goal.
Evaluate potential benefits, limitations and risks of AI use.

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Speaker Bio

Amelia Sattler, MD

Amelia Sattler, MD, is a family physician and problem-solver. Her medical training began while seated around the dinner table in rural northern California where, as a child, she was inspired by the joy that her parents experienced working as family practitioners. She ventured to Mayo Medical School in Rochester, MN, where she was “raised” in a culture of medicine that prioritizes the needs of patients. She returned to California to train at Stanford's O'Connor Family Medicine Residency Program. After residency she joined Stanford Family Medicine, where she continues to see patients.Dr Sattler holds three leadership roles. She is an associate program director of the Stanford Healthcare AI Applied Research Team ("HEART") and works with teams to study and implement AI technologies to solve specific, practical problems in healthcare. She is the primary care program director of integrated behavioral health and is partnering with psychiatry, social work and primary care teams to build a collaborative care model at Stanford Primary Care. She is also the associate section chief for program innovation in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health where she collaborates with providers and operational leadership to amplify the impact of their 30+ innovative primary care programs.

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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)

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2026 Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement Second Plenary Session

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Learning Objectives

Listen to All Episodes

Speaker Bio

Amelia Sattler, MD

Contact Us

Events

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AI Chatbot Tips

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Example:

2. Use Specific Terms

Example:

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Example:

4. Reset if You Change Topics

5. Provide Enough Context

Example:

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Example:

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

Good Prompt

Double Check Important Information

Technical Limitations

STFM AI Assistant