Resident Award for Advocacy

Applications are closed. Resident Awards for 2024 will open in Spring 2024.

Family physicians are advocates for their patients, their communities, and their specialty. To encourage the skills and interest necessary to impact the future of health care reform and of family medicine, it is critical to engage family medicine residents in advocacy efforts at local, regional, and national levels. The AFMRD Resident Award for Advocacy allows family medicine residency directors to recognize a resident who has demonstrated skills and interest in advocacy, as defined by the following criteria.

Award Criteria:

Residency program faculty shall select their program's recipient(s). Awardees may demonstrate an interest in legislative or regulatory advocacy, for example, through the following (all are not required):

  • Completion of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) online advocacy course
  • Two or more residents may be eligible for a joint award for jointly performed advocacy activity. In this instance only, multiple certificates may be requested.
  • Attendance at an advocacy conference 
  • Evidence of participation in family medicine advocacy-related activities, such as letter writing campaigns, preparing advocacy materials, attending lobby days, or visiting, calling, or otherwise interacting with government representatives or elected officials
  • Evidence of independent efforts to build a relationship with congressional offices and/or state or local officials
  • Participation in AAFP committees or commissions on legislation or advocacy at the state or national level
  • Participation in other state or national organizations' committees or commission on legislation or advocacy
  • Presentation on advocacy given at national, state, regional, local, or residency program meetings or conferences
  • Valued as an advocacy leader by faculty and peers
  • Advocacy work must be done while resident is in residency.

Award Certificates

Upon request, the AFMRD will provide each family medicine residency program with a Resident Award for Advocacy certificate (PDF format) suitable for printing and framing. We will email your certificate to you within two weeks of your order.

Please enter the recipient's name exactly as it should appear on the award certificate.

Questions? Email afmrd@aafp.org