- Join / Renew
- |
- STFM CONNECT
- |
- News
- |
- Careers
- |
- Contact
- |
- Foundation
- |
- My Account
- |
STFM Statements
- Statement on the Physician-Patient Relationship and Reproductive Health Care
- Statement on Texas Legislation That Undermines the Physician-Patient Relationship and Restricts Training
- STFM Statement Against Discrimination
- STFM Policy on Moving and/or Rescheduling STFM Conferences and Events
- STFM Statement on Affirmative Action
- Ethics & Conduct Policy
- Statement Addressing Statewide Anti-DEI Efforts
- Health and Safety Policy for Conferences and Event Attendees
- CAFM Statement on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Residency Selection Process
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Statement on the Physician-Patient Relationship and Reproductive Health Care
June 2022—Following the Supreme Court’s ruling that has overturned Roe vs. Wade, STFM continues to stand by our previous board-approved statement shared in May of 2022 regarding the physician-patient relationship and reproductive healthcare.
Interferes with Physician-Patient Relationship
STFM strongly opposes any laws or regulations that interfere in the confidential relationship between a patient and their physician. Patients must be able to depend on their physicians’ training, expertise, and use of medical evidence to help them make critical decisions about their personal health. Physicians and health care professionals must be able to practice medicine freely and without threat of punishment, harassment, or retribution.
Restricts Residency Education
We strongly oppose restrictions on educating family medicine trainees on the full scope of clinical care. This opposition is consistent with our advocacy policy that Congress and federal agencies should not legislate or mandate restrictions on the educational content of training programs. Any such restrictions limit and adversely affect our educational mission. We reaffirm the right of each trainee to choose aspects of their training consistent with their belief systems.
Restricts Access to Health Care and Compounds Inequity
We strongly oppose limits on access to health care and laws that risk the well-being and safety of the physicians and health care professionals who provide care for them. Health policy experts predict that added restrictions to the accessibility of full scope reproductive health care will most affect those in rural areas, women of color, and those who have low income.1
Rewards Vigilante Behavior
We strongly oppose any laws that reward citizens who file suit against those participating in full-spectrum health care.
The STFM Board of Directors represents more than 5,000 family medicine educators, including physicians, researchers, behavioral health professionals, pharmacists, nurses, physician assistants, residents, medical students, and others involved in family medicine education, with a mission to advance family medicine to improve health through a community of teachers and scholars.
- Hassanein N. People of color, the poor and other marginalized people to bear the brunt if Roe v. Wade is overturned. USA Today. May 3, 2022. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/05/03/people-color-most-impacted-if-roe-v-wade-overturned/9626866002/
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Opposes Texas Legislation That Undermines the Physician-Patient Relationship and Restricts Training
September 2021—The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine is deeply concerned about the consequences of the Texas state law Senate Bill 8, which took effect September 1, 2021. These consequences include the effective banning of certain medical communication between a physician and patient, restricting clinical training of the full scope of women’s health care, encouraging rewards for citizens to file claims about suspicions of legal procedures and inspiring the replication of these laws in other states.
Interferes with Physician-Patient Relationship
STFM strongly opposes any laws and regulations that interfere in the confidential relationship between a patient and their physician. Patients must be able to depend on their physicians’ training, expertise and use of medical evidence to help them make critical decisions about their personal health. Physicians and health care professionals must be able to practice medicine freely and without threat of punishment, harassment, or retribution.
Restricts Residency Education
We are opposed to restrictions on our physicians and educators to teach and provide clinical training for the full scope of family medicine to our residents. Our opposition is consistent with our advocacy policy that Congress and/or federal agencies should not legislate or mandate restrictions on the educational content of training programs. Any such restrictions limit and/or adversely affect our educational mission. We reaffirm the right of each trainee to choose certain aspects of their training consistent with their belief systems. This policy informs our Board’s position on the Texas legislation.
Restricts Access to Health Care
This Texas law goes against our policies and beliefs in the value of having appropriate numbers of health care personnel to meet the health care needs of the population and to provide access to health care for all individuals. Abortion is part of full spectrum women's health care and physicians can use their own judgement as to whether to provide it.
Rewards Vigilante Behavior
Senate Bill 8 allows for a bounty that encourages citizens to file a cause of action, whether frivolous or provable, against physicians, other health care professionals, and anyone who ‘aids or abets’ an act of providing full spectrum health care. This raises concerns about access to health care for women and the wellbeing and safety of the physicians and health care professionals who provide care for them.
Precedent Setting
If permitted to proceed, this law will be precedent-setting and could normalize vigilante interference in the patient-physician relationship in other complex, controversial medical or ethical situations. Legislating the communication between patient and physician is not something we can allow to happen.
Patients and their physicians should be the ones to make medical decisions together about what care is best for them. This law obstructs that ability. We strongly urge the courts to act swiftly to strike down this law and any similar legislation.
The STFM Board of Directors, represents more than 5,000 family medicine educators, including physicians, researchers, behavioral health professionals, pharmacists, nurses, physician assistants, residents, medical students, and others involved in family medicine education, with a mission to advance family medicine to improve health through a community of teachers and scholars.
STFM Statement Against Discrimination
STFM opposes all discrimination in any form, including but not limited to, that on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic affiliation, health, age, disability, economic status, body habitus or national origin.
STFM Policy on Moving and/or Rescheduling STFM Conferences and Events
STFM will move and/or reschedule a conference, meeting, or event:
- If any circumstances make it inadvisable, illegal, impossible, or commercially unreasonable to proceed with the official STFM event, STFM would advise moving the event to another location. If another location with comparable facilities is not available, STFM may be forced to cancel the event or move it to a virtual offering. The STFM Board will make the final decision on whether to move or cancel an STFM conference. Examples of such circumstances would include:
- Declaration of pandemic or infectious disease by the US government/CDC, or the World Health Organization where the health and safety of our members and staff are compromised due to this pandemic/disease
- US government declared war
- Actual, threatened, or suspected terrorism as declared by US government
- Civil disorder in the city of the event
- US government travel restrictions and/or curtailment of transportation facilities preventing the majority of attendees from arriving at event
- Threat of imminent natural disaster (such as the event city being in the projected path of a hurricane) interferes with event location operations, or the ability of the majority of attendees to travel safely to the event site.
- These logistical concerns, based on our hotel cancellation language, may trigger STFM to move a meeting. These include:
- Major construction that would detract from the educational focus of the conference or meeting
- Strike and/or labor disputes at the event venue
- Bankruptcy or change in ownership management such that there is concern that the owners could not meet the obligations of the contract
- The inability of the Hotel or other contracted event venue(s) to provide the agreed upon facilities required for the event
- When considering cancelling a hotel contract, serious consideration will be given to the amount of the cancellation penalty and the willingness of the hotel or event site to release STFM from these financial penalties as outlined in the event contract.
- Rather than boycotting a state, STFM should consider opportunities for community engagement to support local faculty in the area by bringing our presence to a city/state.
STFM will not move and/or reschedule a conference, meeting, or event if:
- Local city/state legislation and laws infringe on the beliefs of some STFM members.
- Local city/state stance on social issues infringes on the beliefs of some STFM members.
Background That Factored Into the Board’s Decision
- As a business practice, STFM leadership has agreed it should not use moving conference locations due to concerns raised about legislation in a particular state as an advocacy tool to promote change. STFM contracts its conference venues 3-5 years in advance. The list of political and social issues that could trigger such requests from members is long and includes gun carry legislation, voting rights laws, immigration laws, gender equity issues, women’s health rights, and more. A few years ago, a group of members were advocating for STFM to move the Conference on Medical Student Education from Georgia due to new legislation in Atlanta on open carry gun laws (bearing visible firearms in public). As of December 2021, 42 states allow for open carry for some or all firearms. The current environment of numerous states adding more restrictive language related to abortion access is another example of an issue where STFM would have a difficult time predicting and/or avoiding meeting in states where legislation is a concern for some of our members.
- STFM has learned from the experience of Association of Departments of Family Medicine. The ADFM Board has also created guidelines for when they will consider canceling a contract and moving an ADFM conference. The intent is for ADFM to be less reactionary to requests to move conferences based on local social/political concerns.
- If defaulting from signed hotel agreements to shift our conference site based on current local concerns becomes our standard approach for the Society to advocate for change, we could easily find ourselves with a short list of states to hold a conference, limited options of hotels that will work with us and/or have the space requirements to meet our needs, and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in hotel penalties to make these late shifts. Having a reputation for pulling contracts for social issues makes it difficult for the Society to build good relationships with hotel chain representatives and negotiate favorable rates, features, and contract language that benefit STFM members.
- The fees for canceling a hotel contract can be incredibly steep and although our reserves may be able to cover a cancelation if truly necessary, we do not have the funds to cancel events repeatedly. For example, if STFM would have cancelled our agreement with our 2022 Annual Spring Conference hotel, the penalty for STFM would have been $950,265.
- STFM has a core value of openness and a diverse membership, some of whom suggest STFM is too liberal and assumes all members feel the same way about issues. We've learned from membership surveys and conversations that some members want us to stay out of social issues and focus on faculty and leadership development and curricular issues that advance family medicine. We have members with conservative perspectives, and STFM must respect and hear their voices as well.
- STFM conferences also have an impact on the workers at these properties and the local businesses, many of whom represent diverse communities.
- Rather than boycotting a state, STFM will consider opportunities for community engagement to support local faculty in the area by bringing our presence to a city/state.
Approved by the STFM Board of Directors - December 2, 2021
STFM Statement on Affirmative Action
The United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the use of race-conscious college admissions reverses four decades of progress toward greater representation in educational institutions. Despite this ruling, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) remains steadfast in its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and will continue to develop antiracism initiatives, including curricula, programs, and partnerships. Diversity in the primary care workforce eliminates health disparities, drives scientific innovation, and improves health, especially for historically marginalized populations. In order for future physicians to practice cultural humility, their peers, faculty, and staff must reflect the diversity of the populations they serve.
approved by the Board of Directors May 2023
Ethics & Conduct Policy
1. Purpose and Objectives
The mission of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (“STFM”) is to advance family medicine to improve health through a community of teachers and scholars. To further this mission, the overarching purpose of this Ethics & Conduct Policy (the “Policy”) is to advance excellence of STFM and the broader discipline of family medicine (the “discipline”) and maximize the participation of all members and staff in a welcoming, safe, and intellectually engaging environment for interaction and the exchange of ideas.
2. Persons and Entities covered by the Policy
All STFM members, staff, and participants involved in an official STFM activity agree to comply with this Ethics and Conduct Policy. “All participants” includes, but is not limited to members, officers, directors, attendees, guests, presenters, speakers, contractors, exhibitors, sponsors, authors, reviewers, editors, and volunteers (collectively referred to herein as “STFM Affiliates”.
This Ethics and Conduct Policy applies to all official STFM activities, which include but are not limited to:
-
- Any meeting or call, whether in-person or online, whose purpose is to conduct or discuss matters related to STFM business, activities, publications, awards, or initiatives.
- Any element of an STFM conference or workshop, such as plenary sessions, educational sessions, tours, receptions, business meetings, networking sessions.
- Any component of the publication review process associated with an STFM-sponsored journal, such as the editorial and review tasks for handling a submission and the responses from the authors.
- Any communications that are hosted by STFM.
- Any STFM sponsored professional development activity or certification activity.
- Any STFM sponsored social activity.
- Any non-STFM activity, where the person is acting as a representative of STFM.
At STFM’s discretion, this Policy also applies to conduct of an STFM Affiliate in any professional activity or capacity, even when not engaged in an STFM-associated activity, if that conduct may adversely affect their or others’ ability to perform or participate in any STFM-associated activity. An example would be a conviction for a criminal act.
All STFM Affiliates are required to read and abide by this Policy and may be required to submit signed acknowledgement statements agreeing to the terms and conditions of this Policy. Failure to timely submit a required acknowledgement statement when requested is a violation of this Policy. However, failure to complete such a statement does not diminish application of this Policy to that STFM Affiliate.
Community Standards of Conduct
To advance the STFM mission and priorities, STFM adopts the following standards of conduct for all STFM Affiliates while representing or performing any roles or duties on behalf of STFM, and participating or engaging in any STFM-related activities or events (“Community Standards”):
-
- Respectful, professional, and inclusive conduct and treatment of all those engaged or contemplating engagement in the STFM community, as well as others in the discipline.
- Not practicing racial, sexual, and other intersecting forms of bias, harassment, and discrimination (eg, based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, identity and expression, disability, etc.).
- Not retaliating against any person(s) who raises a conduct concern or who assist in any way to investigate or resolve it.
- Support for the ability of individuals to participate in the robust and open exchange of scientific ideas and encouraging multiple perspectives, popular or not, to be voiced by a diversity of individuals.
- Honesty in the conduct and attribution of your work in the discipline.
- Public disclosure of relevant conflicts of interest in your work in the discipline.
To be an STFM leader and for the privilege of being recognized as an STFM Affiliate in good standing, all Affiliates must practice ethical, professional, and inclusive conduct and fulfill these Community Standards and other requirements of this Policy.
Failure to satisfy these Community Standards by an STFM Affiliate, or any other ethical or conduct requirements set forth herein, is a violation of this Policy.
3. Reporting Conduct Concerns
STFM provides the following ways to raise conduct concerns within the scope of this policy:
a). Informal Complaints
Informal conduct concerns may be reported by reaching out to any STFM staff member, officer, or member of STFM’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). The information needed for a formal complaint is generally helpful for STFM to act on an informal concern; however, an informal complaint may be raised verbally as well as in writing. An informal approach is more likely when the person raising the concern is not seeking a formal process to resolve the concern. Still, taking this approach does not preclude a formal resolution. An informal approach may also be pursued when an individual seeks to explore resolution options before deciding to identify those involved or whether to file a formal complaint.
b). Formal Complaints
Filing a formal complaint may be done by submitting the complaint in writing to the STFM Executive Director/CEO or the STFM President. A formal complaint is equally suitable when the person filing it seeks a formal resolution process or an informal resolution approach.
Generally, a formal complaint should include the following information:
-
- Name of the accused(s) and contact information and affiliation with STFM, if known.
- If the conduct concern(s) involves a target(s), the name of the identified target(s) and their contact information, if known.
- Name and contact information of the person raising the concern and how they became aware of the concern.
- Names of any witnesses or others with pertinent information, and contact information, if known.
- Description of the conduct concern, with the date, approximate time, location/setting/activity, and all known relevant facts and circumstances.
- Any relevant documents that are available to the person filing the complaint.
- Other information that might help STFM understand the full nature of the conduct concern.
- Any request for confidentiality per Section 5 below.
SUBMIT A FORMAL COMPLAINT HERE
4. Confidentiality
Any person who raises or reports a conduct concern, witnesses the conduct concern, is the identified target(s), or is the accused may request confidentiality of their identity or of others most directly involved. Whenever a request for confidentiality is made, STFM will take all reasonable steps to do so. In taking such steps, STFM and those individuals designated to investigate and resolve the reported conduct concern will also emphasize this Policy’s prohibition against retaliation.
All STFM Affiliates are required to respect confidentiality of the identities of each individual most directly involved in a conduct concern while it is being reviewed and resolved. Failure to do so is a violation of this Policy.
Notwithstanding the above, STFM may not maintain confidentiality if, in its sole judgment and discretion, safety or law requires otherwise. For instance, if an accused is determined to have violated this Policy, STFM may exercise its discretion to make that disclosure.
5. Investigation of Conduct Concerns or Complaints
Submission of a conduct concern by informal or formal complaint is generally required to initiate this process. However, STFM and/or its assigned Decision-makers will initiate a review or investigation on its own initiative when it has reason to believe there is a conduct concern under this Policy.
STFM will review all reported conduct concerns for further investigation within the scope of this Policy. However, STFM will not proceed with an investigation if STFM’s initial review determines there is no credible question regarding concerning conduct, or available information is inadequate to make that assessment or to pursue a resolution.
Credible conduct concerns and complaints will be subject to investigation and resolution by individuals appointed by the STFM presidential triad (president elect, president and immediate past president of STFM) and executive director/CEO as Factfinders and Decision-makers. These individuals will engage with persons reporting conduct concerns, identified targets, and the accused about the conduct at issue. They will also conduct the review and/or any investigation that may be needed for resolution.
The roles and responsibilities of Factfinders and Decision-makers are as follows:
-
- Factfinders. Factfinders are authorized by the Board to receive, initially review, and take any other necessary short-term action to respond to a conduct concern provided by formal or informal means. They are also authorized to conduct a full investigation of facts relating to a reported conduct concern when the Decision-makers determine that an informal resolution does not suffice. Factfinders will make recommendations to the Decision-makers regarding the suitability of an informal resolution and may make other recommendations. Factfinders may be STFM employees, STFM board members, STFM members, or outside legal counsel retained by STFM.
-
- Decision-makers. Decision-makers may also be the Factfinders. Decision-makers may be STFM employees, STFM board members, STFM members, or outside legal counsel retained by STFM. The Decision-makers are authorized by STFM to:
- Determine whether to rely on a third-party investigation for fact finding.
- Require additional fact-finding by the factfinder(s) to supplement the initial investigation.
- Engage any identified target and the accused and possibly engage other individuals most directly involved, to determine a resolution.
- Apply the criteria specified to determine the sufficiency of an informal resolution; and modify the terms of an informal resolution or determine that a formal resolution is needed.
- Determine whether a violation of this Policy has occurred in a formal resolution process, and decide what consequences to impose if a violation has occurred; and
- Request and accept, modify, or reject recommendations from the Factfinder.
- Decision-makers. Decision-makers may also be the Factfinders. Decision-makers may be STFM employees, STFM board members, STFM members, or outside legal counsel retained by STFM. The Decision-makers are authorized by STFM to:
Factfinders and Decision-makers assigned to address a particular conduct concern are required to be free of conflicts that would interfere with their performance of their responsibilities. When the Decision-maker or Factfinder acts under any provision of this Policy, he or she is exercising STFM’s discretion
6. Resolution of Conduct Concerns or Complaints
1. Informal Resolution
An “Informal Resolution” focuses on community building, not punishment. The primary goals of an Informal Resolution are to identify why a conduct concern arose, enhance understanding of community standards, repair relationships, and ensure that recurrence of the concern is unlikely.
An Informal Resolution is sufficient to resolve conduct concerns where the Decision-maker determines, and any identified target and the accused agree, that it is unnecessary to determine the Policy has been violated. An Informal Resolution may be appropriate under the following circumstances:
-
-
- The dominant need is to explain that certain conduct was harmful, how to avoid recurrence of such conduct, repair relationships, and, where implicated, restore safety and inclusion.
- The offensive conduct is not a recurring issue or the accused has displayed an authentic commitment to avoid repetition of the cause of the concern, and
- Safety and inclusion can be restored without the need for further action.
-
2. Formal Resolution
If the Decision-makers determine that an informal resolution is insufficient to resolve the conduct concern, a formal resolution process will be pursued. However, a formal resolution will not be initiated or continued if the Decision-makers determine there is an inadequate basis to pursue any resolution (eg, no credible question of a violation or unavailability of needed individuals or information). The Decision-makers may forego the formal resolution process if, at any time after commencing the Formal Resolution process, an informal resolution is deemed sufficient.
1) Stages
The following stages generally apply in any formal resolution process, except where the Decision-maker determines an informal resolution is appropriate:
-
- Factfinding. The Factfinder finds the relevant facts and documents them, gathering any documents and notes of any communications supporting the facts. Before finalizing the documentation of facts, the Factfinder engages with any target and the accused to inform them of the nature of the conduct concern, to confirm that it is within the scope of this Policy, and to gain their perspectives.
- Supplemental factfinding. The Factfinder provides the documented facts and supporting documents to the Decision-makers. The Decision-makers may request the Factfinder to conduct supplementary factfinding. The Factfinder will resubmit any supplementary information as requested by the Decision-makers.
- Notice and response period. Once all the facts are gathered, the Factfinder and Decision-makers will notify the accused, the target(s), and those who reported the conduct concern. Any identified target and the accused have a 14-day period to access the factual record and respond in writing, providing the Decision-makers with any additional facts or circumstances they believe should inform the final determination and any consequences.
- Final determination. The Decision-makers review any submission received. Upon expiration of that 14-day period, whether responses are submitted or not, the Decision-makers make a final determination and, if a violation is found, imposes consequences.
- Notification. The Decision-makers provide written notice to the accused, any identified target, and any other individual who reported the concern of the Decision-makers’ final determination.
ii). Timing
The goal for timing to complete the Formal Resolution process is 90 to 120 days from the submission of the conduct concern to the final determination. However, the Decision-makers may extend the period for good cause, such as limited availability of individuals most directly involved, difficulty of obtaining relevant facts, complexity of the issues, or limited resource capacity.
iii) Appeal Process
Should a participant accused of breaking the policy wish to appeal a decision within 30 days after it is made, they may make an appeal to the STFM Executive Committee who is required to review the appeal within an additional 60 days. Grounds for appeal include a claim of procedural error, substantive or significant new evidence, or evidence of bias in the fact-finding and decision process. The Executive Committee may uphold, reject, or adjust the findings or ask for further investigation.
7. Short-Term Actions
When required under the circumstances, the Factfinders or Decision-makers may take short-term actions, and may periodically adjust or end any short-term actions, when the Decision-makers determine such actions are in the best interests of STFM, pending a final decision resolving the conduct concern. Short-term actions are generally taken around the same time as, or within a few days or weeks of, a conduct concern being raised, depending on the facts and circumstances. These may include, but are not limited to:
a). Inappropriate Language:
Participants who demonstrate inappropriate behavior as defined by the Ethics and Conduct Policy will be asked to stop and are expected to comply immediately. An example might be an individual who submits inappropriate comments on the STFM All Member Forum.
b). Safety Measures
-
- Initial safety measures. The Factfinder may require temporary separation of any individuals, temporarily exclude an accused or other individual from participating in some or all STFM-associated activities or take other temporary action to address concerns about safety of individuals or safety or protection of property.
- Decision-makers oversight. The Factfinder will follow up with the Decision-makers promptly to determine the ultimate safety measure in writing.
- Notice of ultimate safety measures. Before implementing ultimate safety measures, the Decision-maker will notify the accused, any identified target, and any other then-known person who would be uniquely subject to a restriction under (or need protection of) the ultimate safety measures.
8. Enforcement and Consequences
a). Potential Consequences
A violation of this Policy may result in one or more of the following consequences following an Informal or Formal Resolution:
-
- Restorative or community-building practice (which may be pursued to address conduct concerns even without a determination of a violation of the policy)
- Private or public reprimand or statement
- Revocation or denial of membership privileges; suspension of membership and associated privileges*
- Permanent expulsion from STFM (for egregious misconduct in severity or frequency)
- Removal or suspension from a volunteer position*
- Removal or suspension from engagement with specific staff or members*
- Removal or suspension from a leadership position whether employed or volunteer*
- Suspension or permanent prohibition from attending or making presentations at STFM meetings or specific events at STFM meetings*
- Disciplinary action, up to and including suspension or termination of employment for STFM employees*
*Suspension may be imposed by a Factfinder or Decision-makers on an interim basis as a short-term safety measure applying the criteria and process in this document.
b). Considerations and Proportionality
The consequences imposed will be proportional to the severity of the violation, and the corresponding harm caused or threatened to individuals, STFM, the discipline, or society-at-large. Considerations to determine severity of the harm include, but are not limited to:
-
- The nature of the violation
- Whether the violation is repetitive or the frequency of the violation, and
- Whether the violations implicate safety interests
SUBMIT A FORMAL COMPLAINT HERE
Statement Addressing Statewide Anti-DEI Efforts
The organizations of the Academic Family Medicine Advocacy Committee are resolute in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our organizations develop and advance strategic antiracism initiatives, including curricula, programs, and partnerships. Diversity in the primary care workforce helps eliminate health disparities, drives scientific innovation, and improves health, especially for historically marginalized populations. To ensure future physicians practice cultural humility, their peers, faculty, and staff must reflect the diversity of their populations, and their training must embrace diversity and inclusion.
Effective: September 2024
The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) continues to support vaccination for all to reduce the severity of COVID-19. While vaccinations and observance of safety protocols may reduce risk, an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 does remain in connection with any public gathering.
Attendees should consider and determine for themselves whether they are comfortable with the risks associated with public events. Attendees assume all risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury (including, but not limited to, personal injury, illness, disability, and death) that may be experienced in connection with attendance, and hereby waive, release, and hold harmless STFM, and its employees, agents, contractors, and representatives from any claims, liabilities, actions, damages, losses, costs, or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating to our attendance.
Traveling to and aLending a large gathering or event includes the possibility of being exposed to COVID-19, RSV, influenza and other respiratory illnesses. If you are experiencing any symptoms of a respiratory virus infection, please refrain from attending the meeting until 24 hours after symptoms are overall improving, and you are fever free, without the use of a fever-reducing medication. If you return to the meeting while your symptoms continue to improve, please wear a well-fitting mask around other attendees.
Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) Statement on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Residency Selection Process
The Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) reaffirms its commitment to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and equity in the residency selection process. As Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven tools play an evolving role in medical education, residency programs can consider how to best mitigate potential harm and optimize potential benefit of these tools in the areas of equity, transparency, privacy, and the continuous pursuit of excellence.
Equity: The use of technological tools should not supersede the holistic review of each applicant as a unique individual with diverse experiences and strengths.
Transparency: Programs should communicate their application processes, including whether and how AI tools may be used.
Security and Privacy: Programs should use tools with robust data security measures and adhere to the principles of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Continuous Improvement: AI tools, including AI detection and other digital platforms used in residency selection, should be rigorously tested and validated to optimize effectiveness and reduce bias or unintended harm.
The Council of Academic Family Medicine Organizations include:
- Association of Departments of Family Medicine
- Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
- North American Primary Care Research Group
- Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Approved September 23, 2024
Events
October 9, 2024, 12 PM CT: CBME Webinar: The Role of Resident Portfolios in Competency-Based Assessment
November 13, 2024, 12 PM CT: CBME Webinar: Managing Assessment Burden in CBME
January 30-February 2, 2025: STFM Conference on Medical Student Education
May 3-7 2025: STFM Annual Spring Conference
Due Dates
October 4, 2024: STFM Advocate Award Nominations
October 21, 2024: STFM Foundation Board of Trustees Applications
October 28, 2024: Faculty for Tomorrow Resident Scholarship Applications
November 1, 2024: STFM Project Fund Applications
November 1, 2024: Emerging Leaders Fellowship Applications
November 1, 2024: Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship Applications
November 4, 2024: AI in Medical Education Task Force Applications
November 15, 2024: Submissions for Global Family Medicine Education Theme Issue in Family Medicine
November 29, 2024: Family Medicine Advocacy Summit Scholarship Applications
March 4, 2025: Medical Student Educators Development Institute (MSEDI) Applications
March 15, 2025: POCUS Educator's Certificate Program Applications