Charlotte Banayan, MS4
Medical School for International Health
Ben-Gurion University
This was my first year attending the AAFP National Conference as a medical student, and I hope to return again as a resident. I am grateful that I was able to participate in this virtual conference with the scholarship provided by the Los Angeles County Chapter of the CAFP.
Beyond the excellent networking opportunities, I learned more about the AAFP’s role in health policy and the steps and strategies needed to establish policy-level change. Also, the workshops geared toward this year’s residency application cycle and virtual interviewing helped me plan my schedule for the next several months and reassured me that, while the process can be stressful, I am sure to find a program that will be a great “match.”
But what I found to be most meaningful throughout the entire weekend was the chance to learn about the various career paths available after finishing residency training. Despite the broad scope of practice of a family physician, over the past year, I began to wonder if I was limiting myself by applying to family medicine programs. However, during the conference, I learned about the many diverse career paths and fellowship programs available from physicians that had followed the paths themselves. The conference helped me find new and old inspirations, and it helped me reignite my passion for this profession. During a year that has greatly limited in-person exposure to this field, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to reaffirm and build on my goals for my future in family medicine.
Nicole Barcega, MS4
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences
I really appreciated the opportunity to learn about so many programs within one portal. There are so many amazing family medicine programs that I often felt overwhelmed when researching programs prior to the conference. However, the ability to speak with people from the programs on a one-on-one basis was so valuable for getting a personalized look and feel for the programs, especially given the potential transition to virtual interviews.
I am also grateful that they were flexible about reaching out to these exhibits outside of the exhibit hours because there were scheduled events every hour that I was excited to attend. The workshops and storytelling talks were insightful and motivational. I loved seeing just how many students around the country were looking to engage in advocacy for underserved populations, health policy, and environmental sustainability in their future practice.
Serina Gee, MS4
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
Although it was my first time attending a virtual conference, I found the 2021 AAFP National Conference easy to navigate and highly productive. I didn’t have any issues accessing the platform and it was easy to browse through presentations. Highlights included a seminar on managing student loans and finances, where I saw a few hundred other medical students and residents in attendance, as well as a very popular seminar for medical students on anti-racism advocacy. There was even a lecture on negotiating your first employment agreement! I was not able to attend all the seminars I was interested in due to clinical rotations; but luckily, recordings will remain available online for the month of August. During the Expo hours, programs were available for meet and greets via zoom. This allowed me to speak with residents in small groups, or 1-on-1, and get a feel for the culture of a program. A few important tidbits I managed to learn was how various programs planned to update their curriculum in the next few years, and how much procedural training is available for residents. I highly recommend this experience for anyone interested in Family Medicine.
Russyan Mark Mabeza, MS4
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
Certainly, a big highlight for me was hearing about the fantastic work done by my Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute cohort-mates. It was so gratifying to hear about how they overcame the challenges in their own projects and became better leaders because of the experience. I also got to meet the new class ELI scholars and share some insight and advice for how they can move forward throughout the year.
I was also thrilled to see a couple of sessions within the realm of antiracism as well. The mainstage session on 6 strategies to pursue antiracism efforts for medical students was affirming of the work that I do with my colleagues and co-conspirators at UCLA. There is certainly a through-line for all the work we do, and it is inspiring to see folks across the country occupy our own respective spaces to advance antiracism. Dr. Christen Johnson’s talk on fighting the effects of social injustice on health disparities was also spot on. She did such a great job of leading attendees through cases and addressing them from a specific antiracist lens.
I am grateful for a fantastic experience at the AAFP National Conference this year!
Kelvin Jens M. Moncera, MS4
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences
Thank you for the opportunity to attend the Virtual AAFP Conference. As a fourth-year medical student applying to residency, attending this year’s conference allowed me to interact with residency programs I am interested in, many of which are located here in Southern California. The residency application process has dramatically changed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused applicants much stress and anxiety. Attending the conference helped decrease some of the pressure that comes with this part of medical education.
My favorite moment of the conference happened on the first day when I received a personalized message from a resident of the residency program I’m most interested in joining. His message motivated me to “visit” the program’s booth via a Zoom call. I mentioned that I am scheduled to complete a sub-internship rotation with their program in January. Because of this opportunity, I now know some of the program’s faculty and residents even before the rotation has started. This experience would not have been possible without your generous assistance.
Once again, thank you the opportunity to attend this year’s virtual AAFP conference.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Annual Members meeting this September.
Miriam Ramos, MS4
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
Thank you for the opportunity to attend the AAFP National Conference! After attending the sessions, I left very inspired and my interest of pursuing a leadership position in family medicine was reinforced. The stories from family medicine physicians and their path to leadership positions showed me that I am applying to the right residency – family medicine. Additionally, many of the sessions highlighted the flexibility and versatility of family medicine physicians in different settings such as in advocacy and in the community, which is something I love about family medicine. Also, before the conference, I was unsure about what it entailed to be an academic family medicine physician. It was very enlightening to hear from faculty who are underrepresented in medicine about their experiences and paths to academic medicine. Their talk opened my interest in academic medicine, and I appreciate their words of advice. Overall, the conference solidified my passion for family medicine, and I am very excited to be joining this specialty!
Justine Tran, MS4
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences
I enjoyed my time at the AAFP conference attending the various lectures, workshops, and networking events. The best part of the conference was being able to network with peers, residents, and attendings from various medical schools and residency programs. I was able to connect with residency programs that shared my values and interests, such as hospice and palliative care. I immersed myself in the stories physicians shared about their adventures in family medicine, and further discovered how I’d like to practice in the future. Additionally, the workshops on CV writing, personal statements and interviewing tips were all extremely helpful in aiding me in this upcoming application season. I am thankful I was able to attend the AAFP Conference this year and would recommend it to all medical students who have an interest in primary care. Thank you!
Jessica Wang, MD, MPH, PGY-1
UCLA Family Medicine
Thank you so much, Los Angeles Chapter of the CAFP, for funding my attendance to AMAM 2021! I’ll be honest – I was feeling burnt out as an intern coming towards the end of the academic year when I attended AMAM. I had been in the thick of night shifts and doing long calls on adult inpatient medicine for very ill patients (product of deferred treatment from the pandemic, no doubt) and had forgotten part of why I chose to be a family medicine resident. Though I was attending AMAM from the comfort of my apartment, I felt very drawn into what the speakers were saying and the policies that were being discussed. I was in awe at the breadth of topics that had to be rapid-fire addressed, though also amazed and dare I say proud at the same time of the specialty I so recently become part of. To say the least, I was reinvigorated and remembered my overall mission in becoming a family physician when intern year had otherwise siloed my point of view. Looking forward, I hope for there to be more time and space for myself as a resident to be engaged, to be uncomfortable, and to be a voice for my patients. I have felt powerless like a cog in a machine when it comes to navigating our inherently fragmented health care system, but found an outlet and inspiration through policy that I hope to be part of going forward. Thank you, and thank you once again for igniting a spark in me!
Johanna Wu, MS4
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences
I am truly thankful I got to attend this year’s AAFP National Conference with the generosity of the Los Angeles County Chapter of the CAFP. As a now 4th year osteopathic medical student preparing to apply for family medicine this fall, the AAFP National Conference connected me with several amazing residency programs that I had not previously known about. I got to speak with program faculty members and current residents during Expo Hall hours who were open and informative about their programs, and now they also have my contact information for invitations to future social events. In addition to networking, I also attended sessions on residency application preparation and interviewing. With everything I learned from these talks and the enthusiastic folks I met from my networking events, I feel more equipped and confident going into the residency application cycle this fall. I hope that in a few years, I can be on the other side as a resident recruiting and talking to interested applicants.
Thank you again for the scholarship. I’m really glad I attended!
Olivia Wu, MS4
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles
I was grateful to have the opportunity to attend the AAFP National Conference with the generous support of Los Angeles Academy of Family Physicians. Along with the many engaging workshops on topics ranging from career mentorship to political advocacy, my favorite part of the conference was connecting with fellow applicants and residency programs. Given our care for public health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, I anticipated that one of the most challenging parts of the upcoming residency application cycle would be missing out on face-to-face interactions. However, as I visited various residency booths on the AAFP’s virtual platform, I found that I was still able to have many meaningful conversations. It was so motivating to hear program directors speak about their visions, residents share their first-hand experiences with the highs and lows of residency, and like-minded applicants share their passions and stories. This conference also impressed on me how a virtual cycle can help foster more equity in the application process, removing some financial barriers for applicants. I am excited to continue on my path to becoming a family medicine physician and am grateful to have attended this conference to get a sneak peak of what the future has in store.
