Cheers to 50 years! Celebrating the Impact and Legacy of the STFM Foundation

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the STFM Foundation, three Foundation Past Presidents, Judy C. Washington, MD, Scott A. Fields, MD, MHA, and Julie Schirmer, LCSW, reflect on the Foundation’s lasting impact on innovation, diversity, and future leadership in academic family medicine. From scholarships that ignite a passion for teaching to seed grants that spark groundbreaking ideas, the programs and initiatives of the Foundation foster a strong, supportive community rooted in STFM’s values. And after five exciting decades, the STFM Foundation continues to build its legacy by shaping the next generation of family medicine educators. Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:STFM Foundation 50th Anniversary CelebrationSTFM Foundation Home PageBehavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship (BFEF)Leadership Through Scholarship FellowshipURM JAM PodcastGuest Bios:Judy C. Washington, MD, FAAFPDr Judy C. Washington is a respected leader in family medicine and women’s health, currently serving as Associate Chief Medical Officer at Atlantic Medical Group and Clinical Associate Professor at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. She earned her BS from the University of Montevallo and her MD from Meharry Medical College, completing her residency at Mountainside Family Practice. With a career spanning private practice, academia, and leadership, Dr Washington is a passionate advocate for health equity. Her research addresses workforce diversity, the “minority tax,” and institutional support for underrepresented faculty in medicine; these topics are of ongoing concern. She has established mentorship programs to support URiM professionals and enhance inclusive leadership.At Atlantic Medical Group, she plays a pivotal role in initiatives such as the Women’s Health Work Group and the SDOH Steering Committees, concentrating on mitigating disparities and enhancing care outcomes. Her research also investigates equitable recruitment practices in medical education and the effects of systemic inequities on physicians of color. Dr Washington’s contributions are supported by grant-funded research, service on various boards, and numerous accolades, including the Union County Humanitarian Award. Her professional career exemplifies a profound dedication to promoting equity, mentoring emerging leaders, and cultivating inclusive healthcare environments.Scott A. Fields, MD, MHADr Scott Fields is former Vice Chair in the Department of Family Medicine at OHSU.  Scott currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where he has been faculty since 1986.  Prior to retiring, Scott served the same community of patients across multiple generations for over 30 years as a full-scope family physician, including inpatient and maternity care with C-section privileges.  Scott oversaw the clinical enterprise of the Department and was an active force in medical student education.Scott has served in multiple roles in STFM, including STFM President and President of the STFM Foundation.  Scott facilitated a detailed update of the core clerkship curriculum and helped guide the expansion of many of the programs still in place at STFM and the Foundation.   Scott also served as the Chief Medical O

Today’s residents will still be practicing in 2060. Given that medical knowledge increases at lightning speed, educators must prepare learners for a future that demands constant innovation when faced with practice challenges. In this episode, Lou Edje, MD, introduces the Master Adaptive Learner Framework and demonstrates how to use it with medical students, residents, and chief residents. Dr. Edje shares strategies to help learners overcome barriers to learning, to “fail forward” productively, and to acquire habits supportive of a lifetime of Master Adaptive Learning.Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:Fostering the Development of Master Adaptive Learners - STFM Competence-Based Medical Education Toolkit for Residency ProgramsTraining Future Family Physicians to Become Master Adaptive Learners - Fam Med.Master Adaptive LearnerMaster Adaptive Learning in Faculty Development with Drew M. Keister, MD - The STFM Podcast September 2024STFM Competency-Based Medical Education Toolkit for Residency ProgramsGuest Bio:Dr. Edje is a board-certified family physician, chair of the family medicine review committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and chair of the nominating committee of the American Medical Association’s Council on Medical Education. She was on the writing group for the new requirements for family medicine training in the United States. She is an Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine alumna who was the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians 2012 Family Physician of The Year. She was a recipient of the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award from the University of Cincinnati and the Distinguished Humanitarian Alumni Award from Michigan Medicine. She started at Michigan State University at age 16 where she received a bachelor of science degree in physiology. She was president of her medical school student body at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) then completed her family medicine training, with honors, followed by 13 years in private practice and health system leadership. She subsequently returned to her residency program to serve as program director for seven years. She has since founded two family medicine residency programs. Dr Edje has a masters in health professions education from the University of Michigan. As senior associate dean for medical education at UMMS, she supports the medical education of 680 medical students, 1300 house officers, and 3,000 faculty as well as medical education at the Ann Arbor VA. Her interests include mitigating bias in assessment, master adaptive learners, and medical education policy.Link: https://stfm.org/stfmpodcast102025

Presented by Sebastian Tong, MD, MPH, University of WashingtonSTFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement 2025 Closing Session | Wednesday, September 10, 2025Our previous US surgeon general declared a loneliness epidemic, recognizing the increasing prevalence of loneliness and the associated risks of poorer physical and mental health and premature mortality. As specialists in whole person, comprehensive care, family physicians are uniquely equipped to inquire about and address loneliness in their patients.In this talk, we will review the health risks and comorbidities associated with loneliness and discuss a framework to think about how to address loneliness in our practices and communities. We will then identify some concrete steps we can each take to reduce loneliness and social isolation not only in our patients but also in ourselves, our colleagues and our communities.Learning ObjectivesUpon completion of this session, participants should be able to:To describe the health risks and comorbidities associated with loneliness.To identify tools to screen for and manage loneliness in primary care.To identify resources to implement practice changes to improve care for loneliness in primary care.Copyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Sebastian Tong, MD, MPHSebastian Tong is an associate professor of Family Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle where he also serves as the associate director of the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho region Practice and Research Network. He practices outpatient family medicine and addiction medicine at the Harborview Family Medicine Clinic.He conducts research in practice-based research, substance use, loneliness, and chronic pain, and has received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. He completed medical school at Boston University School of Medicine, received a Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health, and finished his residency training in family medicine at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center.Website: https://stfm.org/stfmpodcastCPQI25closing 

Presented by Stacy Ogbeide, PsyD, ABPP; UT Health San AntonioSTFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement 2025 Middle Session | Tuesday, September 9, 2025There has been exponential growth of behavioral health integration (BHI) in primary care within the United States over the past decade. While there has been growth and the development of recommendations for BHI in primary care, this approach to patient care is not yet the standard of care within primary care delivery models, as many practices either do not have behavioral health clinicians within their practice or have sub-optimal behavioral health clinician staffing ratios. The purpose of this presentation is to review the current research related to BHI in primary care and its impact on patient care, the primary care team, and primary care behavioral health workforce development. Additionally, participants will be presented with interventions to improve BHI in primary care within their clinics, teams, and training programs, as well as current and future interventions to address workforce shortages. Lastly, guidance will be provided for health care organizations and academic intuitions on how to provide ongoing support for community-based clinical training initiatives.Learning ObjectivesUpon completion of this session, participants should be able to:Report on current research trends related to behavioral health integration in primary care.Describe the current state of primary care and behavioral health workforce shortages in the United States impacting ongoing behavioral health integration efforts.Explain at least one (1) evidence-informed approach to improve clinical training and workforce shortages.Identify at least one (1), macrosystem approach to support clinical training in primary care within the community.Copyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Stacy Ogbeide, PsyD, ABPPBy training, Dr Ogbeide is a board-certified clinical health psychologist. Dr Ogbeide is the primary care track coordinator for the Clinical Psychology Internship, associate chair for Professional Development & Scholarship for the Department of Family & Community Medicine, and an associate professor (with tenure) of Family & Community Medicine. Dr Ogbeide also has a joint appointment with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Additionally, Dr Ogbeide serves as an assistant dean for faculty in the Office for Faculty within the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio.Dr Ogbeide is nationally known for her work in behavioral health integration in primary care, serving on committees such as the National Integration Academy Council through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Integrated Primary Care Advisory Group through the American Psychological Association, as well as an associate editor for the journals Families, Systems, & Health and Psychological Services. Dr Ogbeide has more than 60 scholarly publications, more than 160 professional presentations conducted nationally and internationally, and been continually funded through federal grants related to primary care workforce development since 2017.Dr Ogbeide’s professional areas of interest include: The Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) consultation model, behavioral medicine/health psychology, faculty development and mentorship for those who are underrepresented within academic medicine, clinical supervision in primary care, and primary care workforce development. Dr Ogbeide’s work has been featured on Texas Public Radio, in the San Antonio Express-News, and in other news media outlets. For more information about Dr Ogbeide, visit: www.stacyogbeide.com.<

Presented by Lauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, MSc, MHCDS, University of ColoradoSTFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement 2025 Opening Session | Monday, September 8, 2025As value-based care (VBC) continues to reshape the health care landscape, it is critical that family medicine residency programs prepare the next generation of physicians to not only adapt to policy changes but to lead them. This session explores how physician engagement at the state and federal levels can directly influence primary care transformation—and how those lessons can be brought back to the clinic and the classroom.Drawing on firsthand experience from launching the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, a multi-payer global budget model focused on rural and frontier hospitals, and co-chairing the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Standing Committee on Primary Care, Dr Hughes will share insights on how to drive high-impact policy change through coalition building, data-driven decision making, and visionary leadership. These experiences will be directly tied to strategies for training future family physicians to navigate and influence the evolving world of VBC.Special attention will be given to the implications of VBC in rural and underserved communities, where innovation leverages robust community partnerships, deep knowledge of local health care needs, and a strong commitment to well-being. The talk will also explore how the current federal administration’s policy directions may influence VBC and graduate medical education – and how training programs can remain agile and proactive in this shifting environment.Attendees will leave better equipped to train, support, and inspire future family physician leaders, those who can bridge the gap between policy and practice to deliver high-quality, equitable primary care.Learning ObjectivesUpon completion of this session, participants should be able to:Describe how physician leaders can influence health policy at the state and federal levels by exploring examples focused on rural health and primary care.Identify effective strategies to teach residents about the evolving value-based care landscape, especially in rural and underserved communities.Discuss the potential impact of the current federal administration’s policies on value-based care initiatives and residency training.Copyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Lauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, MSc, MHCDSLauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, MSc, MHCDS, FAAFP, is the state policy director of the Farley Health Policy Center and associate professor of family medicine, both at the University of Colorado, where she researches how to strengthen primary care infrastructure, transform rural health care delivery, and advance behavioral health integration. Dr Hughes previously served as deputy secretary for health innovation in the Pennsylvania Department of Health, where she launched the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, a new payment and delivery model co-designed with the CMS Innovation Center that transitions rural hospitals from fee-for-service to multi-payer global budgets.Dr Hughes is a former chair of the American Board of Family Medicine and an alumna of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program. She currently serves as chair of the Rural Health Redesign Center Organization Board of Directors and is a member of the Primary Care Payment Reform Collaborative convened by the Colorado Division of Insurance. In 2018, she was selected as a presidential leadership scholar by former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr., and in 2023, she was named as the co-chair of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, a

Infertility affects physicians at nearly twice the rate of the general population, but often only gets discussed behind closed doors. This episode of The STFM Podcast brings one of those private conversations into the open as Dr. Brintha Vasagar shares what she has learned from her personal journey with infertility. She reflects on how being a patient has reshaped her approach to care, unpacks the hidden costs and emotional toll of building a family in medicine, and offers heartfelt advice for residents, trainees, and junior faculty navigating similar paths.Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:American Medical Women’s Association’s (AMWA) Fertility Working GroupHigh Infertility Rates and Pregnancy Complications in Female Physicians Indicate a Need for Culture Change - Ann Surg.Physician Fertility: A Call to Action - Academic MedicineBrintha Vasagar, MD, MPH:Brintha Vasagar MD, MPH, is a board-certified family medicine physician and the Chief Medical Officer at Progressive Community Health Centers in Milwaukee, WI. A survivor of the 2004 tsunami that devastated South Asia, she has spoken before members of Congress and the United Nations about international health issues and disaster preparedness. Dr Vasagar continues to be passionate about health communication and has been featured on outlets such as NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox News, NewsNation, US News and Huffington Post. When she is not busy seeing patients or volunteering in the community, Dr Vasagar enjoys outdoor adventures with her family.Link:stfm.org/stfmpodcast092025 

The final installment in our leadership series with the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) explores how to cultivate new leaders and guide your department forward toward collective growth. In this episode of The STFM Podcast, Dean Seehusen, MD, and Beth Wilson, MD, MPH, MS-HPEd, unpack the distinctions between coaching, mentoring, and sponsoring, as well as how to use each effectively to build a diverse culture of resilience and development within your institution. They also share strategies for identifying emerging talent, fostering inclusive pipelines, and supporting growth across all career stages.Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:Emerging Leaders FellowshipADFM Leader Development Committee -  Resources from the Leader Development Committee for New & Interim ChairsADFM LEADS FellowshipMindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. DweckHarvard School of Public Health Program for Chairs of Clinical Services Guest Bio:Elisabeth "Beth" Wilson, MD, MPH, MS-HPEdElisabeth Wilson, MD, MPH, MS-HPEd is Chair of the Department of Community & Family Medicine at Dartmouth Health and Geisel School of Medicine.  As Chair, Dr. Wilson is responsible for the advancement of Dartmouth’s academic and clinical mission.  She leads a system-wide primary care leadership committee, oversees the oldest Practice-Based Research Network in the country, and recently launched a new regional primary care research and policy center.  She also has the honor of working with Dartmouth medical and public health students committed to serving under-resourced communities.  Dr. Wilson is a member of the Primary Care Centers Roundtable and recently served on the board of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine.Prior to joining Dartmouth in 2022, Dr. Wilson held the position of Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Maine Medical Center for five years.  During that time, she served as the Executive Director of the Preble Street Learning Collaborative, an academic-community partnership to address unmet needs of people experiencing homelessness in the Portland area.  Dr. Wilson spent the first two decades of her career at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where she completed her residency and research fellowship, after receiving a dual MD-MPH degree at Tufts University School of Medicine.  While at UCSF, she held the positions of Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Director of the Northern California Faculty Development Fellowship, Dean’s Diversity Leader for the Differences Matter initiative, and founding Director of the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Under

Leadership development is more than titles and advancement—it’s a continual process of growth, self-discovery, and adaptation. Part two of our Lifecycle of Leadership series with the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM) explores how leaders find their voice, navigate common pitfalls like micromanagement and impostor syndrome, and learn to delegate with purpose. Seasoned leaders, Peter Catinella, MD, and Jehni Robinson, MD, FAAFP, discuss the challenges of introverts and extroverts, the importance of mentorship, mastering the language of leadership, and balancing impact with well-being. Our guests offer real-world insights on leading with clarity and intention while embracing progress over perfection.Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:Emerging Leaders FellowshipLeadership through Scholarship FellowshipFamily Medicine Leadership Development OpportunitiesLeadership Opportunities - How to get involved at STFMADFM Leader Development Committee -  Resources from the Leader Development Committee for New & Interim ChairsADFM LEADS FellowshipPeter Catinella, MDDr Catinella has over 30 years of experience in several academic institutions, and currently serves as the as Department Chair at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center El Paso Department of Family Medicine-Transmountain. His prior leadership positions included serving as the Chief Medical Information Officer at the University of Arizona’s Health Network and the Clinical Vice Chair in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Arizona-Tucson, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs at the Department of Family & Preventive Medicine at the University of Utah and as Director of its Public Health Program, and residency program director at Indiana University. He recently chaired the Leader Development Committee of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine and was a member of its Board of Directors during that tenure.Dr Catinella received his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and his Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida. He completed his residency in Family Medicine at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.Jehni Robinson, MD, FAAFPDr Jehni Robinson is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Associate Dean for Primary Care at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. She is President of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM). Dr Robinson led development of a new Family Medicine residency, graduating its first class in 2024 and co-founded USC Street Medicine Program in 2018, which brings care to unhoused people in Los Angeles. She received the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Advocate Award for this work .  Prior to coming to USC, she served as Chief Medical Officer for The Saban Free Clinic, also known as The Los Angeles Free Clinic, and taught in the Harbor UCLA Transforming Primary Care Faculty Development Fellowship. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford and her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. She comple

Effective leadership is about more than decision-making—it’s about advocacy, collaboration, and advancing a shared mission. In partnership with the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM), STFM kicks off a three-part series on The STFM Podcast exploring the lifecycle of leadership in academic family medicine. In this first episode, Grant Greenberg, MD, and Wanda Cruz-Knight, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAFP, discuss how to lead within the complex ecosystems of academic medical centers and health systems. From advocating for departments to building coalitions and managing institutional change, they share insights on what it takes to lead with impact.Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MDCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Resources:STFM Understanding Health Systems CoursesSTFM Leading Change CourseSTFM Emerging Leaders FellowshipSTFM Quick Consult - Connecting STFM members for professional development, coaching, and mentorshipADFM Leader Development Committee -  Resources from the Leader Development Committee for New & Interim ChairsADFM LEADS FellowshipGuest Bios:Grant Greenberg, MDDr. Greenberg is the Chief Medical Executive for Primary Care with oversight of Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, and ExpressCARE operations.  Since joining Lehigh Valley Health Network in October 2016, Dr. Greenberg has also served as the Leonard Parker Pool Endowed Chair of Family Medicine and is a Professor of Medical Education and Family Medicine for the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Dr. Greenberg received his undergraduate degree in Biology and English from the University of Michigan.  Before medical school, he received a master’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.  He received his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, MI.  He completed his residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Michigan and completed a master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.  He has also completed the Health Management Academy’s GE Scholars Fellowship. Dr. Greenberg is active with the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, serving as the Chair of the Membership Committee, participating on the Leadership Development Committee, contributes to the steering committee for the “LEADS” fellowship, and is on the Board of Directors.  Dr. Greenberg is a contributor to the MP3 collaborative “Making Primary Care and Population Health Primary” sponsored by  the ABFM.  Dr. Greenberg has been a member of the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Round Table since its inception, serving on the Screening and Implementation Work Group, the Early Detection Strategies Work Group,  and the Fiscal Health Work Group.  He has 4 children (mostly adult, but still “on the payroll”).Wanda Cruz-Knight, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAFPDr. Cruz-Knight is the Owen L. Coon Endowed Chair for the Department of Family Medicine at Endeavor Health and Clinical Professor at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and completed her residency training in Family Medicine a

Building Equity into Health Care AI: From Promise to PracticePresented by Irene Dankwa-Mullan, MD, MPH, Dartmouth CollegeSTFM Annual Spring Conference 2025 Blanchard Lecture | Wednesday, May 7, 2025As the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care accelerates, the promise of improved patient outcomes and operational efficiencies is accompanied by critical concerns about the impact on health equity. Family medicine, with its commitment to holistic, patient-centered care, plays a vital role in ensuring that AI solutions contribute to more equitable health care delivery rather than perpetuating existing disparities.In this keynote presentation, the presenter will explore how health care AI can be harnessed to advance equity while also addressing the significant risks posed by biased data and flawed algorithms. Drawing on her work in AI ethics and health equity, Irene will provide a practical framework for the intentional design and deployment of AI tools that promote fairness in patient care. She will discuss key strategies for mitigating biases in clinical algorithms, ensuring diverse patient representation in AI training data, and advocating for policies and practices that uphold equity at every stage of AI development.This session will empower health care professionals and educators to actively engage in shaping AI’s future—transforming concerns into action by advocating for responsible AI use, inclusive design processes, and equitable outcomes for all patient populations.Learning ObjectivesAt the end of the session each participant should:Identify potential sources of bias in health care AI systems and understand their impact on health equityUnderstand the principles of equitable AI design and deployment in clinical settingsExplore strategies for family medicine educators to advocate for the intentional development and use of AI technologies that promote health equityDevelop actionable steps to ensure diverse representation and fairness in data used for health care AI algorithmsRecognize the role of health care professionals in shaping the future of AI to achieve more equitable patient outcomesCopyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2025Irene Dankwa-Mullan, MD, MPHIrene Dankwa-Mullan, MD, MPH, is a leading expert at the intersection of artificial intelligence, health equity, and clinical care, with over a decade of experience driving innovation in the health care industry. She has worked extensively with academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and health care systems to develop equitable AI frameworks that ensure the fair and inclusive deployment of technology in medicine. Her expertise lies in integrating AI and machine learning tools into clinical workflows while advocating for policies that prioritize diverse patient populations and mitigate systemic biases in data and algorithms.Dr Dankwa-Mullan currently advises on how to evaluate health care delivery systems' readiness to procure, evaluate, and deploy AI solutions that adhere to the highest ethical and technical standards. She also works with early-stage health technology start-up companies, where she leverages her industry experience and expertise to build fair and inclusive AI solutions. She has published widely on the ethical implications of AI in health care and frequently speaks at national and international conferences on the role of AI in advancing health equity. She is passionate about educating the next generation of health care leaders to be advocates for responsible, patient-centered AI. She is committed to ensuring that AI serves as a tool for reducing health disparities, not exacerbating them.