FELLOWSHIPS

Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship

The Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship is for family medicine faculty who have responsibility for coordinating or teaching the behavioral science/family systems curriculum. Applications are currently closed.

Related Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship Pages

Current and Past Fellows

Leadership and Faculty

The competitive, yearlong Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship is for family medicine faculty who are responsible for teaching or coordinating the behavioral science/family systems curriculum at their institution. Preference is given to applicants with 1–5 years of experience as a faculty member.The Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship uses a structured learning curriculum of core content and formalized mentoring. The fellowship helps you:

Better understand the medical culture
Build a personalized professional development plan
Integrate behavioral science and family systems core principles into the practice of family medicine
Plan, create, and present a scholarly project at a national conference
Grow professionally through strong mentoring relationships with seasoned behavioral science/family systems educators and physicians

How to Apply

The application window is closed.The program fee is $2605. Applicants for STFM fellowships must be current STFM members.For questions about the application or fellowship contact Sydney LeClair at sleclair@stfm.org (email linked below).

Benefits of the Fellowship

Professional Development

Build a personalized professional development plan.

Integration of Behavioral Science

Integrate behavioral science and family systems core principles into the practice of family medicine, and better understand medical culture.

Present at National Conference

Plan, create, and present a scholarly project at a national conference.

Mentorship From Behavioral Science Experts

Grow professionally through strong mentoring relationships with seasoned behavioral science/family systems educators and physicians.

Schedule, Cost, and Current Fellows

Fellowship Schedule

Cost of the Fellowship

Current Fellows

Fellowship Schedule

Fellows attend three events:

STFM Annual Conference (to begin the fellowship)
STFM Conference on Practice and Quality Improvement
STFM Annual Conference (to end the fellowship)

In addition to attending these great conferences, the fellowship experience includes:

A mentoring relationship with two seasoned behavioral science educators
Participation in a mentored group of four fellows, who will meet at designated times during the conferences and by phone monthly through the remainder of the fellowship year
A Professional Learning Contract that will include a mentored scholarly project to be completed and presented at the second STFM Annual Spring Conference
An opportunity to have your work highlighted in STFM publications and/or website
Being honored at a formal fellowship graduation ceremony at the second STFM Annual Spring Conference

Cost of the Fellowship

The program fee is $2605 and covers program materials and expenses, fellowship reception, and registration fees for two STFM Annual Spring Conferences and the STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement (CPQI). Participants pay travel expenses.

Current Fellows

2025–2026 Fellows

Melissa Castello, MSCP, Forbes Family Medicine, Monroeville, PA
Amanda Cyr, PsyD, FMR at Batavia Primary Care, Batavia, NY
Ryan Grieb-Boggess, MS, NCC, LMHC, Community Health of Central Washington—Ellensburg Rural Track, Ellensburg, WA
Ellis Jaruzel, PsyD, LP, Corewell Health Wayne FMR, Wayne, MI
Amanda Jones, PsyD, MBA, Jefferson Einstein Montgomery FMR, Norristown, PA
Elizabeth Martinez, PHD, LP, University of Minnesota, North Memorial FMR, Saint Anthony, MN
Kit Meyer, IBCLC, LMFT, Providence St. Joseph Eureka FMR, Eureka, CA
Jonathan Mitchell, PHD, Orlando Health Bayfront FMR, St. Petersburg, FL
Sam Rennebohm, PHD, M.Div., Swedish Family Medicine—First Hill & Swedish Family Medicine—Cherry Hill, Seattle, WA
Sarah Robertson, MD, Conway Regional Health System FMR, Conway, AR
Ruth Schueffer, LPCC-S, LICDC, Aultman Health System, Orrville, OH
Maggie Smith, PHD, LMFT-A, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX
Lindsay Sorbo, MA, LPC, Cox Health FMR, Springfield, MO
Holly Ait Taouit, PsyD, Bethesda Family Practice, Cincinnati, OH
Ruben Tinajero, PHD, West Virginia University, Department of Family Medicine, Morgantown, WV

2026–2027 Fellows

Christine Baron, LCSW, MSW, North Colorado Family Medicine, Greely, Colorado
Byron D. Brooks, PhD, University of Chicago Northshore Hospitals Family Medicine Residency
Calvin Brown, LCSW, United Health Services Hospitals Family Medicine Residency Program, Johnson City, NY
Ismael Concepion Poo, LMFT, MA, St. Peter Family Medicine Residency, Olympia, WA
Matt Davis, PsyD, St. Joseph Family Medicine Residency, Denver, CO
Nicole Formhals, MD, University of Missouri Family and Community Medicine, Columbia, MO
Wendy Hahn, PsyD, University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, Tampa, FL
Alecia Hassler, LCSW, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Family Medicine Residency Program, Tallahassee, FL
Natalie Hellman, PhD, Prisma Health/University of South Carolina School of Medicine–Greenville (Greer) Family Medicine Residency, Greer, SC
Lindsey Hunt, PhD, Henry Ford St. John Family Medicine, St. Claire Shores, MI
Adrian Knauss, PhD, Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program, Oak Ridge, TN
Kristin Koberstein, PhD, LMFT-D, PMH-C, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Lauren Mascari, PhD, LP, HSP, South Side Family Medicine Residency Program, Milwaukee, WI
Alexander Scott Nelson, LCSW, Trios Health Family Medicine Residency, Kennewick, WA
Wendi M. Schirvar, PhD, LP, NCSP, Beebe Primary Care Longneck/Family Medicine Residency Practice, Millsboro, DE
Celia Trujillo, LCSW, PMH-C, Natividad Family Medicine Residency Program, Salinas, CA
Sarah Willoughby, LCSW, Freeman Health Systems, Joplin, MO
Nelly Yuen, PhD, John Peter Smith Family Medicine Residency, Fort Worth, TX
Shiyu Zhang, PsyD, LifeLong Medical Care Family Medicine Residency, Richmond, CA

STFM Foundation Support for Fellowship

Thanks to support from the STFM Foundation, a limited number of scholarships are available for the Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship for applicants facing challenges, barriers, limitations, or obstacles in their journey to a career in family medicine.Thank you to STFM Foundation donors for their support.

Questions?

If you have questions about this conference, contact Sydney LeClair the email link below.

CONTACT STAFF WITH QUESTIONS

11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway

Leawood, KS 66211

(800) 274-7928

stfmoffice@stfm.org

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

STFM's AI Assistant is designed to help you find information and answers about Family Medicine education. While it's a powerful tool, getting the best results depends on how you phrase your questions. Here's how to make the most of your interactions:

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Be Clear and Specific: Use precise terms and avoid vague words like "it" or "that" without clear references.

Example:

Instead of: "Can you help me with that?"

Try: "Can you help me update our Family Medicine clerkship curriculum?"

Why this is important: Ambiguous language can confuse the AI, leading to irrelevant or unclear responses. Clear references help the chatbot understand exactly what you're asking.

2. Use Specific Terms

Identify the Subject Clearly: Clearly state the subject or area you need information about.

Example:

Instead of: "What resources does STFM provide?"

Try: "I'm a new program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship. What STFM resources are available to help me design or update clerkship curricula?"

Why this is better: Providing details about your role ("program coordinator") and your goal ("design or update clerkship curricula") gives the chatbot enough context to offer more targeted information.

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Provide Necessary Details:The STFM AI Assistant has been trained on STFM's business and resources. The AI can only use the information you provide or that it has been trained on.

Example:

Instead of: "How can I improve my program?"

Try: "As a program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship, what resources does STFM provide to help me improve student engagement and learning outcomes?"

Why this is important: Including relevant details helps the AI understand your specific situation, leading to more accurate and useful responses.

4. Reset if You Change Topics

Clear Chat History When Switching Topics:

If you move to a completely new topic and the chatbot doesn't recognize the change, click the Clear Chat History button and restate your question.

Note: Clearing your chat history removes all previous context from the chatbot's memory.

Why this is important: Resetting ensures the AI does not carry over irrelevant information, which could lead to confusion or inaccurate answers.

5. Provide Enough Context

Include Background Information: The more context you provide, the better the chatbot can understand and respond to your question.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the best practices?"

Try: "In the context of Family Medicine education, what are the best practices for integrating clinical simulations into the curriculum?"

Why this is important: Specific goals, constraints, or preferences allow the AI to tailor its responses to your unique needs.

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Break Down Complex Queries: If you have multiple questions, ask them separately.

Example:

Instead of: "What are the requirements for faculty development, how do I register for conferences, and what grants are available?"

Try: Start with "What are the faculty development requirements for Family Medicine educators?" Then follow up with your other questions after receiving the response.

Why this is important: This approach ensures each question gets full attention and a complete answer.

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

"What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's bad: The AI Chat Assistant has no information about your background or needs.

Good Prompt

"I'm the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at a major university, and I plan to retire next year. I'd like to stay involved with Family Medicine education. What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's good: The AI Chat Assistant knows your role, your future plans, and your interest in staying involved, enabling it to provide more relevant advice.

Double Check Important Information

While the AI Chat Assistant is a helpful tool, it can still produce inaccurate or incomplete responses. Always verify critical information with reliable sources or colleagues before taking action.

Technical Limitations

The Chat Assistant:

Cannot access external websites or open links
Cannot process or view images
Cannot make changes to STFM systems or process transactions
Cannot access real-time information (like your STFM Member Profile information)

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Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship

Related Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship Pages

How to Apply

Benefits of the Fellowship

Professional Development

Integration of Behavioral Science

Present at National Conference

Mentorship From Behavioral Science Experts

Schedule, Cost, and Current Fellows

Fellowship Schedule

Cost of the Fellowship

Current Fellows

2025–2026 Fellows

2026–2027 Fellows

STFM Foundation Support for Fellowship

Questions?

Contact Us

Events

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Useful Links

AI Chatbot Tips

Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Example:

2. Use Specific Terms

Example:

3. Don't Assume the AI Knows Everything

Example:

4. Reset if You Change Topics

5. Provide Enough Context

Example:

6. Ask One Question at a Time

Example:

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

Good Prompt

Double Check Important Information

Technical Limitations

STFM AI Assistant