Tag Archives: education

Get to Know Incoming STFM President Joseph Gravel, MD

Posted on March 28, 2024 by | 1 comment

As the 2023-2024 term comes to a close, we sat down with incoming STFM president Joseph Gravel, MD, to learn about his journey to family medicine education, his plans for the presidency, what he’d tell his younger self, and his message to students and residents.

1. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox and would have done that if it weren’t for just a few things in the way— my hitting, fielding, throwing, and speed.  In high school I was thinking it might be fun to be a sports columnist for a newspaper. I was always really interested in history, current events, and government as a kid, and remember staying up late to watch all the political conventions and inspired by RFK and MLK, could see getting somehow involved with government which at the time was still widely considered a noble profession to serve the public good. 

2. As you grew, what drew you to medicine and family medicine education in particular?

I think looking back it was always subconsciously there, but I wasn’t sure I could ever actually do that. As a kid, my own primary care physician would not just send me to the ER but instead would meet me and my mother at her private office at 2 am to give me shots of epinephrine for asthma attacks (this was 1970’s asthma treatment and 1970’s relationship-based medicine…). When I got to college — I was thinking maybe public defender law, not pre-med and found the social sciences more interesting than the biological sciences (and still do, although I like both). The family medicine side— I’m a generalist at heart with lots of interests in lots of things, and the big picture and relationship focus appealed to me. The education side— my 4 siblings all teach in various capacities, so maybe nature, maybe nurture, although I didn’t think about academic FM at all until the latter part of residency.  I also had a fantastic Program Director (Sam Jones) who has been one of my most important mentors and still is to this day, almost 40 years later. Now that’s continuity! 

3. When you’re not revolutionizing family medicine education, how do you like to spend your time?

Of course, revolutions occur only when a group of people believe in something important and then do something about it together concordant with those shared beliefs. Anyway, I love sports — the Boston sports teams, the Milwaukee-area sports teams; baseball and college basketball are my favorites. I’ve been to 45 major league baseball parks (every city including those parks now closed/replaced).  I love documentaries on pretty much any subject, the History Channel, and try to read (online) newspapers every day including political or social commentaries, more because I simply find it interesting rather than for fact-gathering. I find myself watching the Milwaukee local government channel for its entertainment value- the human pageantry is better than “reality” tv. Oh yeah, also Conan O’Brien’s podcast and Seinfeld reruns despite often knowing the next line at this point….

4. What do you wish all members and non-members alike knew about STFM?

I think many members understand this— but if you think of STFM as it’s mostly about a big meeting once a year, you’re missing out. The annual meeting is a highlight of the year, but there is so much more to be gained through actively participating in a collaborative that interests you, or getting involved in some of the many ongoing initiatives where great experiences and relationships outside your own institution are to be had. The other thing I think many suspect but I’m here to confirm— the executive leadership and the STFM staff are second to none— so talented, hard-working, and passionate about bringing our ideas to life.

5. If you could impart your past self with any wisdom from the future, what would it be and why?

This new company called Apple may be worth investing in. Why this? So, I would have more to donate to the STFM Foundation of course. ;0

I’d emphasize Ferris Bueller’s advice— “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” And patience is a virtue. Really.

6. In life, what accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?

Three kids now in their 20s who are good people, grounded, and with good values. Givers, not takers. (more so due to my spouse Barbara’s efforts, but I helped…)

7. What drives you to show up every day?

The work is so meaningful. If you do it right it can have an impact right now, but even better it can have a multi-generational effect on those you come in contact with and indirectly many more —whom you’ll never meet or know. This is the beauty of teaching and the beauty of family medicine.  Combining the two is even better and even more awesome, in both the traditional meaning and the modern slang of that word.

8. What is your most used STFM resource?

STFM Connect— delivered to my Email box so I don’t need to even think about it.  Keeps me connected to what is going on and who is doing things. Hey, I think “Connect” delivers on that branding!

9. What would you tell medical students and residents about their journey ahead?

You are entering the best profession in the entire world, bar none, working with the best people. You get to be a lifelong learner while doing good, which is a special opportunity. Don’t let all the background noise- which is at times deafening— drown out why you chose this remarkable profession and all the good you will do in the world.   Be adaptive, have a growth mentality, and be an advocate for self, your team, and patients. There will be many opportunities disguised as irksome challenges that you didn’t ask for and that you believe you didn’t deserve.  A “blessing in disguise” is a real thing, often realized only in retrospect, and you will succeed if you keep this in mind. Lastly, think of your career path as an interesting adventure to be savored rather than a journey to be endured. It’ll go better and feel better that way.

10. Is there a lesson you’ve learned that’s stuck with you your whole life?

Said to be Abraham Lincoln’s favorite saying and my parents’ frequent lesson— “this too shall pass”. It’s applicable to every situation— when things are going well, it is useful to remember to appreciate it as it is fleeting; when things are not going as well as we would like, it provides perspective— and is always true.

11. What do you look forward to most in your term as STFM president?

Working with our fantastic Executive Director and CEO, our wonderful staff, members of our Executive Committee, and our Board of Directors to advance STFM’s missions through our strategic plan, as well as collaborating with our sister family medicine organizations to benefit the entire specialty, our learners, and our patients.  And the unanticipated things are what will make the experience even more interesting. I appreciate the opportunity!

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Posted in Education, Family Medicine Stories, interview, Leadership, STFM News, story telling

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The STFM Medical Editing Fellowship: A Gateway to Scholarly Growth For Community Physicians

Posted on February 23, 2024 by | 1 comment
Priyanka Tulshian, MD, MPH
STFM Medical Editing Fellow (2023-2024)

The path of a community physician is replete with personal patient interactions, localized health solutions, and the day-to-day fulfillment that comes from serving the immediate needs of a community.  Yet, the pursuit of scholarship can sometimes seem like a distant reality, reserved for those in academia or large research-focused institutions. The Society of Teachers Family Medicine (STFM) Medical Editing fellowship presented me with a bridge between these two worlds, offering a community physician and educator a pathway to enhance my scholarly pursuits. My experience as a fellow has augmented my career in ways I had scarcely imagined.

For community physicians, scholarship often takes a back seat to the pressing demands of patient care. The STFM fellowship has opened the doors to the world of medical literature, providing tools and opportunities to contribute to the broader academic conversation without sacrificing the essence of community practice. I have come to embrace and recognize the similar skill set required in managing a patient… and managing a manuscript.

For me, the fellowship has been instrumental in the cultivation of a critical eye. As a physician, critical appraisal of literature underpins out practice, but the editorial lens is discerning of not just the content but the clarity, coherence, and contribution of a piece to the existing body of knowledge. This deepened sense of discernment is a skill that has enhanced both my practice and my teaching.

Moreover, engaging in the editing process has expanded my network, connecting me with authors, researchers, and educators from diverse backgrounds. These interactions have not only enriched my understanding of various healthcare issues but have also positioned me as a liaison who brings community based concerns to a national platform. I have the opportunity to become increasingly involved in dialogues that shape family medicine education and policy, thereby influencing patient care on a much broader scale.

The art of editing also cultivates the skill of writing, an invaluable asset for any physician-scholar. With each manuscript I review and edit, I hope that my own writing has become more precise and impactful.  The enhanced visibility of my work fosters further scholarly opportunities, contributing to a virtuous cycle of academic growth and reputation- building in the medical community. 

Furthermore, the mentorship inherent in the fellowship has been a rich source of professional development. Learning from seasoned editors and educators has provided me with a unique perspective on leadership in medicine. The mentorship provided has paved the way for long term relationships that support my ongoing professional journey.

The STFM fellowship has catalyzed my evolution from a community physician to a physician-scholar.  It has afforded me the platform to contribute to important conversations in family medicine and to apply those insights directly to my learners, patients, and community.  It has also taught me the value of scholarly activity as a means of professional satisfaction and career advancement. Community physicians have much to contribute to the landscape of family medicine and we should amplify our voices, share our unique insights, and ultimately enhance the health of our communities through scholarship.

Learn more about the STFM Medical Editing Fellowship and how to apply at https://www.stfm.org/medicaleditingfellow

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Looking Back to Look Forward: In Support of the STFM Foundation

Posted on November 28, 2023 by | Leave a comment

by Peter Coggan, MD

Peter Coggan, MD, pictured in fall 2023 at STFM headquarters in Leawood, KS.

Editors Note: The Winter 2023 STFM Blog features guest author and long-time STFM member Peter Coggan, MD, on the importance of preserving the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship through financial support of the STFM Foundation.

At the beginning of my career, looking back on it, like many faculty in the 1970s I was recruited out of private practice where I had enjoyed teaching medical students and residents rotating through my office. I approached my new role as full-time faculty with enthusiasm and rapidly realized that I was ill-prepared for it.

My first STFM meeting in 1979 was a revelation that was both exhilarating and intimidating. The plethora of workshops, presentations, and other activities were exactly what I needed, and, equally important, were the casual hallway conversations with other attendees – all of us struggling with many of the same questions. These were conversations in which shared problems were openly discussed, mistakes freely disclosed, and solutions offered but, perhaps most important of all, these were conversations that grew into mentorships and friendships over the years. I had found my academic home and in it a place that, at the heart of it all, would help me to realize my desire to teach the physicians of the future to provide better care and in doing so, become a better physician myself.

The middle of my career, as I look back on it, was marked by an increasing involvement with STFM – an almost unbroken attendance for 35 years at the national meeting – the privilege of running the Pre-Doc meeting (now retitled as the Conference on Medical Student Education), participating in multiple presentations, serving on STFM committees and the STFM Board of Directors (twice, in fact) and, with each experience, learning skills that were invaluable to my career.

In the autumn of my career, as I look back on it, the urging of Roger Sherwood (our then Executive Director), led me to the Foundation Board and the discovery of a wonderful opportunity to pay back for all that I had received through my membership in STFM through the Foundation’s many programs and initiatives.

Today in my dotage, as I look back on it, there is the grateful recognition that I could not have had the career opportunities that came my way without STFM. It is also gratifying to reflect on the many members I have met along the way who have become leaders in our field, with successful careers of their own as they carry the STFM mission forward.  Their innovations in presentations and projects first aired in the early and middle years of my STFM membership have, in many instances, joined the mainstream in teaching and patient care. And our specialty is much the better for it.

As for tomorrow, as I look forward to it, I close this brief homily. I hope you will forgive me for a reflection born of, as William Wordsworth expresses it “the inward eye that is the bliss of solitude”. Excellence in the care of patients and their families is the goal we all share in our teaching and our personal practice. Within that, and central to it, is the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, which is a core value for STFM, its Foundation, and the specialty of family medicine. As the practice of medicine continues to evolve as it must, new ways to identify and treat medical problems and ways to communicate with our patients will become everyday tools and, in this context, I look with confidence to STFM to ensure the doctor-patient relationship is preserved. After all, that relationship is central to the practice of medicine, the most intimate and personal of the professions, and, should it not survive, our profession will fade into obscurity.

That, as I look forward to, is the context in which I hope you will join me in supporting the STFM Foundation. My motivation, at the heart of it all, is my wish for you to teach the physicians of the future to provide better care and in doing so, become a better physician yourself, enhancing and preserving that essential quality of our profession – the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship.

We invite you to join Dr Coggan in ensuring future generations of family medicine educators continue to have access to the invaluable STFM resources. Just as the personal and professional contributions you’ve made to family medicine education have undoubtedly had a profound impact on those you’ve met, mentored, led, and collaborated with throughout your journey, a bequest to the STFM Foundation Endowment ensures that impact for generations to come. Your contribution directly supports STFM initiatives and programming like scholarship opportunities for underrepresented in medicine (URM) learners and educators, research grants, conferences, curricula, and more. The STFM Foundation Trustees created the Foundation Endowment to provide a mechanism for passionate family medicine educators to contribute to the long-term success of the STFM Foundation and STFM as a whole.

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