• Eligibility Requirements

    The contest is open to medical students and residents. 

    1. Medical Students
      • Must be a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Join now.
    2. Residents
      • Must be a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Join now.
      • Must be enrolled in an ACGME accredited family medicine residency training program.

    Selected winners must agree to the use of their essay in both the CHFM archive and in promotional materials such as the AAFP Foundation website.  

    Non-winning applicants may apply more than once, provided they still meet all eligibility criteria listed above.

    Essay Requirements

    1. Only one entry may be submitted per applicant.
    2. The essay may be on any historical subject related to Family Medicine in the United States. The subject of the historical essay may have national, state, or local relevance. Examples of topic areas include, but are not limited to:
      • development of the specialty of Family Medicine
      • the contributions of a particular individual to the specialty
      • a medical or medical-political controversy within family medicine
      • the impact of social or political change on the specialty
      • documentation of the day-to-day work of a family physician (such as a narrative, written reminiscence, or interpretation of a diary)
      • family physicians’ response to a disease, medical condition, or public health problem.
    3. The essay should be written in American Medical Association (AMA) style of format. It should not exceed 3,750 words and must be double-spaced with a 12-point font with minimum 1-inch margins, exclusive of reference listing.
    4. The paper must not be submitted to, or published by, any journal or entered in any other contest prior to submission to the CHFM Essay Contest or during the selection process. Essays that are not selected as winning essays in this competition may be submitted to other contests/publications after the winners are announced.
    5.  All entries must be written in English, by the applicant. Essays written with AI assistance are not eligible.
    6. Essays not meeting all requirements will not be accepted.

    Application Process

    We encourage all to apply and are committed to developing scholarly essays relevant to the history of Family Medicine in the United States by medical students and residents who reflect the rich diversity of the specialty and the patients served.

    The application period opens on August 15 and closes on November 1. Apply through the online portal by clicking on the Apply Today button below. For questions, please contact Veronica Roberts (vroberts@aafp.org) or 913-906-6239.

    To complete the online application process, please include with submission the following items: 

    • A PDF copy of your completed essay
    • A PDF copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé.

    Review Process

    All completed applications and supporting materials will be reviewed by the Student and Resident Essay Selection Subcommittee of the Board of Curators of the Center for the History of Family Medicine, consisting of distinguished family physicians, educators and leaders in the specialty. The Subcommittee will make the final selection of the Fellow, subject to the approval of the Board of Curators and the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation.

    Recent Contest Winners

    2023

    First Place Winner: Joshua A. Smith, MD, MPH, PGY-4
    Essay: Family Physicians and Unintended Consequences

    Second Place Winner: Muhammad Junaid Anwar, MD, PGY-2 
    Essay: A History of the Increasing Role of Telehealth in Family Medicine

    2022

    First Place Winner: Audriana Mooth, D.O., PGY-2
    Essay: Family Physicians and the Humanizing of Opioid Use Disorder Management

    Second Place Winner: Jonothon Segars, D.O.
    Essay: Over Yonder

    2021

    First Place Winner: Morgan Weiler, MS4
    Essay: First Person Accounts of the Impact COVID-19 had on Kansas Family Physicians and the Communities They Serve

    Second Place Winner: Auguste Niyibizi, D.O.
    Essay: Hard to Stay: Looking to FQHCs as Models for Better Primary Care

     

    Questions?

    For additional information, including full contest rules and past winners, visit the CHFM webpage. Any questions please contact:

    Kelly Heide
    Manager
    Center for the History of Family Medicine
    11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway
    Leawood, KS 66211
    Telephone: (913) 906-6031
    Email: kheide@aafp.org

    Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. All Rights Reserved.