September 3, 2025—The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medical Education Task Force, in collaboration with the Association of Departments of Family Medicine and Stanford Medicine's Healthcare AI Applied Research Team, is developing a Family Medicine AI Centers of Excellence recognition program, integrating clinical care, education, and research to advance innovation, equity, and impact. This project is being funded by the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation.
STFM is now accepting feedback on a draft framework for AI Centers of Excellence. Now is the opportunity to share your thoughts and provide insights to shape future iterations and ensure it reflects the diverse needs of family medicine.
Creation of the Artificial Intelligence Centers of Excellence (CoE) Draft Framework
After a collaborative and iterative process shaped by landscape scans, feedback cycles, and work sessions, the STFM AI Task Force developed the draft CoE framework with the following five foundations:
- 5 C’s of primary care: First contact, comprehensiveness, continuity, coordination, and community
- Quintuple Aim: Patient experience, population health, cost of care, care team well-being, and health equity
- 3 pillars of academic family medicine: Clinical care, education, and research;
- Leading models from existing health care and industry CoEs
- Insights from family medicine leaders working at the intersection of AI, innovation, and care delivery
The draft framework is organized into four domains:
- Purpose: A unifying mission to advance the Quintuple Aim through responsible use of AI
- Core Functions: Clinical transformation, education and workforce development, research, and evaluation
- Enabling Conditions: Infrastructure, process, people, and culture
- Illustrative Activities: Governance, funding, talent development, IT optimization, data access, community and provider engagement, and partnerships
More About the Family Medicine Artificial Intelligence Centers of Excellence Initiative
Happening concurrently with the open comment period on the draft framework is a nationwide environmental scan, engaging 20–30 family medicine departments to gather insights on their AI infrastructure and integration. Departments were selected for this scan based on their diversity in geography and populations served. STFM welcomes additional departments and programs to be interviewed for the environmental scan.
In 2027, a national Family Medicine AI CoE Summit will introduce the first cohort of COEs and launch a Family Medicine AI Collaborative. This collaborative will support shared learning, mentorship, and sustained engagement in service to all of family medicine.
The project timeline is below:
- July 2025–January 2026: Draft Framework Publication and Environmental Scan
- February 2026–May 2027: Framework Refinement and Dissemination
- May 2027–June 2027: National Centers of Excellence Summit
- June 2027: Centers of Excellence Network Launch