Features Page Archive
Got Answers? Volunteers Needed!
If you currently subscribe to the AFMRD discussion list (listserve), you know it’s a busy place! You may also observe that the traffic can be redundant, with patterns of recurrent questions. Your AFMRD Communications Committee has chosen a list of FAQs that reflect many of the threads of discussion and inquiry from the discussion list. We are now seeking volunteers among our members to share your best practices by writing concise 250-word answers to the FAQs. The questions and answers will be posted in the PD Toolbox on www.AFMRD.org as a resource for new PDs and a quick reference for established directors.
To volunteer to submit an answer to one of the questions, please contact Stoney Abercrombie, Chair of the Communications Committee or Katy Robb, AFMRD Staff. To access the list of FAQs, click here.
2009 Program Director Recognition Award Recipients
The AFMRD Program Director Recognition Awards were presented at the 2009 Program Directors Workshop in June. Four Gold, two Silver and seven Bronze Awards were presented to a total of thirteen family medicine residency directors. These individuals were recognized for their achievement in the areas of peer development, professional development and recognition, scholarly activity, and service to academic family medicine organizations.
Click here to see the list of the 2009 recipients.
2009 Family Medicine Resident Award for Scholarship
The Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD), the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) have developed the Family Medicine Resident Award for Scholarship to both recognize resident scholarly activity and, by doing so, promote increased capacity building in family medicine research and scholarly activity. One award may be made by each family medicine residency program annually. In the case where a group of residents collaborated on one scholarly activity, certificates will be provided for each resident.
Click here to see a list of the 2009 recipients.
Review Committee - Family Medicine Follow-Up Survey - Has Your Voice Been Heard?
The AFMRD Board of Directors is currently working with the AFMRD membership to gather suggested changes to the Program Requirements. One survey of the membership has been conducted, requesting changes to the future, updated document.
Results of the initial survey were presented during a discussion forum at the Workshop for Directors of Family Medicine Residencies. Feedback from the discussion forum and the original survey have been used to develop a follow-up survey of the membership. The final information will be compiled and submitted to the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Commission on Education, with final submission to the Review Committee - Family Medicine (RC - FM) outlining suggested changes to the Program Requirements.
Program directors were recently emailed a link to the follow-up survey. If you have not yet received the survey link, please contact the AFMRD office at afmrd@aafp.org to request the survey link.
To assist in completing the survey, a copy of the survey can be found by clicking here.
The PDF is provided as a tool to assist program directors in completing the online survey. The survey must be conducted online. Faxed or mailed versions of the PDF survey cannot be accepted.
The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, September 18, 2009.
Nikitas J. Zervanos Outstanding Program Director Award - June 2009
Each June program directors gather in the Kansas City area to celebrate the successes of the past year, receive updates on innovations from their peers and rejuvenate their dedication to family medicine during the Workshop for Directors of Family Medicine Residencies. During that time, program directors have the opportunity to honor one of their own with the Nikitas J. Zervanos Outstanding Program Director Award.
On Monday, June 8, the 2009 Nikitas J. Zervanos Outstanding Program Director Award was presented to Paul Callaway, MD. Dr. Callaway has been the program director at the Wesley Family Medicine Residency Program in Wichita, KS and the clinical associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita since 2001.
During his time at Wesley, Paul has become recognized by peers, residents and students as an outstanding educator, leader and physician. According to Dr. Callaway, motivation for his path came early in his career.
While teaching a foreign exchange medical student, Paul realized the joy he received from teaching the practice of medicine to others. This realization led to him moving to a position as a faculty member, additional leadership opportunities and ultimately, leading to his role as program director.
During his time as a residency director, Dr. Callaway has expressed facing the many challenges that are faced by program directors across the county. Additionally, Dr. Callaway continues to challenge himself as an educator to lead residents in a way that they “catch the fire” of family medicine.
Dr. Callaway feels it is paramount to instill the values of family medicine in today’s residents with the value of the patient interaction at the heart of those teachings. By learning how best to approach today’s residents to instill that fire, Dr. Callaway challenges himself to not only teach those values, but to model them to residents daily.
Already seeing the value of transitioning from the role of being the primary source of delivering care to empowering others with the knowledge and ability to provide that care, Dr. Callaway expressed receipt of the Zervanos award as additional validation for the career path he has chosen. “While individuals don’t do what they do for an award,” Dr. Callaway stated, “family medicine continues to be a calling, and I look forward to continue preparing residents for the interactions they will have with patients in the future.”
When not spending time at work, Dr. Callaway can be found spending time with his wife of 35 years, Anita, whom he credits with his success for her endless patience, support and encouragement, his three daughters, two grandsons and anticipating the arrival of his first granddaughter in October.
Additionally, Dr. Callaway enjoys playing the guitar, appreciating music for its ability to express emotion; making knives which gives him a sense of pride for taking an object and watching it transform; fly fishing or hunting with a rifle or the bow and arrow which was the handmade gift of a patient.