Significant Events in STFM's Development

OCTOBER 21, 2007 – Roger Sherwood, CAE retired as STFM's Executive Director after 26 years of service. Stacy Brungardt, CAE became the new Executive Director.

NOVEMBER 2006 – Name and focus of Conference on Patient Education became the Conference on Practice Improvement: Health Information and Patient Education

APRIL 2005 – Launched new Family Medicine Digital Resources Library, www.fmdrl.org. This STFM service provides peer-reviewed educational materials, works-in-progress, and conference materials for individuals at all levels of family medicine education.

SEPTEMBER 2004 – Became cosponsors of Forum for Behavioral Science in Family Medicine with Medical College of Wisconsin

APRIL 2004 – Postponed STFM Annual Springs Conference to fall 2004 with different venue because of concerns over threat of SARs in Toronto.

JANUARY 2002 – Partnered with the seven organizations of the family of family medicine to initiate the Future of Family Medicine Project to develop a strategy to transform and renew the specialty of family medicine to meet the needs of people and society in a changing environment. Project recommendations were published in a special supplement of the March-April 2004 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

JANUARY 2001 – Became one of six partners in the creation of the Annals of Family Medicine

FEBRUARY 1996 -- STFM gained presence on the Internet with the launch of its World Wide Web site, which initially contained STFM membership, conference, journal, and Foundation information

1992 – STFM celebrates its 25th anniversary

JANUARY 1992 – Barry Weiss appointed as third editor of Family Medicine

JANUARY 1992 -- Family medicine organizations collaboratively opened a legislative office in Washington, DC.

1991 – STFM conducts extensive member needs assessment project, STFM Membership Committee, Lars C. Larsen, Chair

1991 – STFM received funding to develop preceptor education workshop materials, Kent J. Sheets, Chair

NOVEMBER 1991 – The “Academic Family Medicine Steering Committee” formed

1990 – Curricular Guidelines for a Third-Year Family Medicine Clerkship developed and distributed to the deans of all US medical schools, Kent J. Sheets, Chair 

MARCH 5, 1987– Family Medicine accepted into Index Medicus, John J. Frey, Editor

1986 – Student representative added to Board of Directors; Rachel Larussa, first student representative

SEPTEMBER 1986 – North American Primary Care Research Group joined STFM as cosponsor of Family Medicine

JANUARY 1, 1985 – John J. Frey appointed as second editor of Family Medicine 

JANUARY 1983 – Joint STFM-ATPM Report: Interrelationships Between Preventive/Community Medicine and Family Medicinej, E. Harvey Estes, Jr., Chair 

JUNE 1981 -- Roger Sherwood hired as STFM's Executive Director.

MAY 1981 -- Under the leadership of President F. Marian Bishop, PhD, MSPH, the concept of task forces and working groups was introduced to STFM.

JANUARY 1981 -- STFM's journal name was changed to Family Medicine.

1980-81 – First STFM reserve fund established, John E. Arrandondo, Secretary-Treasurer

1980-81 – First printed annual report 

1980 – STFM/Pan-American Federation of Associations of Medical Schools Faculty Fellowship Program, Edward J. Shahady, Project Director

1980 – STFM accepted membership in the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies, and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (WONCA), F. Marian Bishop, fist STFM representative 

1979 – First Leland B. Blanchard Memorial Lecture presented, C.H. William Ruhe, presenter

JANUARY 1979 -- STFM's official journal, Family Medicine Teacher, was established. Lynn P. Carmichael, MD, was the founding editor. 

1977 – The “Working Party,” representing the family practice organizations, was established.

FEBRUARY 1977 – Board structure changed to include a resident representative; Joseph E. Scherger, first resident representative 

APRIL 2-4, 1976 -- The first stand-alone STFM annual meeting was held in New Orleans. This historic occasion ended the practice of holding sessions in conjunction with the AMA Congress on Medical Education.

SEPTEMBER 1975 – Residency Assistance Program implemented in conjunction with other family medicine organizations

JUNE 23, 1975 -- The STFM Foundation was incorporated as the charitable arm of STFM, with G. Gayle Stephens, MD, as the founding president.

FEBRUARY 1975 – Bylaws changed to president-elect system

FEBRUARY 1974 – Articles of incorporation and bylaws adopted

SEPTEMBER 1972 -- Office centralization to accommodate continued growth of the Society became a priority, and the STFM offices moved to Kansas City. 

FEBRUARY 5, 1972 -- STFM was admitted to membership in the AAMC Council of Academic Societies. F. Marian Bishop, PhD, MSPH, and Lynn P. Carmichael, MD, were the first CAS representatives.

APRIL 11, 1971 -- STFM received tax-exempt status.

NOVEMBER 1, 1970 -- STFM logo approved and registered as the official trademark of the Society.

FEBRUARY 1969 -- The Society's newsletter, Family Medicine Times, was established with Silas Grant, MD, as founding editor.

NOVEMBER 1, 1968 -- At the third organizational meeting in Houston, STFM's bylaws were adopted, and Lynn P. Carmichael, MD, was elected founding president. The minutes of this meeting report 105 dues-paying, charter members and a Society income of $505, with $64 in expenses.

FEBRUARY. 9, 1967 -- Second organizational meeting, Chicago

OCTOBER 27, 1967 -- The first organizational meeting was held in New York City. Forty-five educators gathered at the New York Hilton to discuss the feasibility of developing a new organization related to the teaching of family medicine.

*This history includes information provided by the Center for the History of Family Medicine