Teaching Resources

Shots by AAFP/STFM

The Shots app, a collaboration between the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Society of
Teachers of Family Medicine, is no longer available. Please visit the CDC website to access current
immunization schedules.

When the Shots Immunizations app began, it served an important need by providing clinicians with
current Immunization Schedules in a handy format – literally, in the palm of their hands as well as on
their computers. Much has changed since then. Other immunization apps, like the CDC Vaccine
Schedules app, are now available. In addition, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the CDC have begun updating vaccine recommendations and schedules more frequently.

These changes have prompted the AAFP and STFM to discontinue the Shots app for two primary
reasons:

  • We want family physicians and educators to have the most current information available, and
    the frequent ACIP updates made it difficult for us to keep the Shots app current.

  • The CDC app provides current and regularly updated Immunization Schedules and serves as a
    reliable resource for our members to use as an alternative to Shots.

The AAFP and STFM celebrate the Shots immunization app and the significant impact it has had on the
lives of thousands of clinicians and patients. We are grateful to the many people and organizations who
have devoted time, talents, and financial resources to the creation and maintenance of the Shots
Immunization app.

For more vaccine information and resources for family physicians and educators, please visit
www.aafp.org/vaccines.

FAQs

I can’t access the Shots app anymore. What happened?

The AAFP/STFM Shots app has been deactivated. You can access up-to-date information and download
the CDC app here.


Why did you discontinue the Shots app?

When the Shots app began nearly 10 years ago, it served an important purpose and filled an unmet need for clinicians to have the Immunization Schedules as close as their cell phone. Much has changed since then. Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) is more frequently reviewing immunization and vaccine recommendations, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating the immunization schedules more frequently. These frequent updates mean that family physicians and their care teams have the most current resources to treat your patients, but it also makes it challenging to keep an app current. The CDC now has an app that provides the Immunization Schedules and provides an alternative to the Shots app. Additionally, we want to focus our resources on filling the unmet needs of family physicians and their care teams, so it makes sense for us to discontinue the Shots app and redirect those resources to other initiatives and programming.


Where can I go for a quick reference on immunizations and vaccines?

There are many great resources for family physicians and their care teams. Here are a few to check out:

Immunizations & Vaccines | AAFP

Immunization Schedules
Resources to Address Vaccine Concerns
Free CME Immunization Courses
Patient Vaccine Education

Immunizations - Clinical Preventive Service Recommendations | AAFP

Immunization Schedules | CDC