In this episode, NCAFP EVP/CEO Greg Griggs and NCAFP General Counsel/Chief of Staff Shawn Parker discuss the 2023-24 North Carolina Budget including the many positives for family medicine specifically and primary care in general. The discussion includes information about the passage of Medicaid Expansion; increased funding for health professional loan repayment, including a new program specifically for primary care; scholarships/forgivable loans for medical students who plan on serving in primary care or psychiatry in rural and underserved areas of NC; funding for dedicated teaching time at five rural team-based teaching hubs; a study of the need for more community-based clinical preceptors in our state; and a Primary Care Payment Reform Task Force that will look at how to measure primary care investment and ultimately increase investment in primary care in our state. Listen now and learn more about the outcomes from our long-term advocacy efforts.
This month Dr Thomas White talks with another one of his mentors and role models - Dr. Christopher "Reb" Snyder. This is a very honest, heart-felt, introspective conversation, which will assist all physicians in their personal journey to be present for their patients, to provide comfort when needed, and to care for themselves and avoid the all-too-common tragedy of professional "burn-out." Listen, and re-listen closely, learn, and apply to your professional life. The lessons shared in this episode, and the wisdom imparted, are invaluable.
One of the greatest parts of our work at the Academy is connecting medical students with preceptors and mentors in an effort to best prepare them for life as a family physician. That process can take years and great support from our members, so we highly value and appreciate our members who are called to this role, and hope to open doors for more physicians to do so!
Preceptors are physicians who invite medical students and residents into their clinics, so that they can learn to practice directly from seeing a real workday. These preceptors give their time, talents, and mentorship for the good of these students. It's a gift you can’t understate.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear about precepting directly from three preceptors: Dr. Elizabeth Ferruzzi, Dr. Landon Allen, and Dr. Sarah Asman Peiffer. They are all new physicians, who felt led to start precepting early in their careers. Here are the lessons and rewards of precepting for Family Medicine, in these doctors’ own words!
In May of 2023, Family Medicine lost a friend, a mentor, a leader, a trailblazer, a remarkable human being. Dr. Jim Jones was a respected community family doctor who practiced full scope medical care, a revered educator instrumental in establishing the medical school at East Carolina University, and a leader in both North Carolina and American Family Medicine. In short, Dr. Jim Jones was a giant of Family Medicine. We family doctors are here because of Dr. Jones. Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Jim's boyhood hero, once said that the purpose of human life is to serve, to show compassion and the will to help others. Dr. Jones lived, practiced, and taught those ideals. It is important that Family Medicine remembers and honors the solid bedrock on which we have built our house. Dr. Jones, we will "Go Forth, and Do Well."
You want passion? You got it in this month's edition of The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared." Hear Dr White talk with Dr Conrad Flick who practices in Raleigh and serves as Co-President and Co-Medical Director of Community Care Physician Network (CCPN) in North Carolina. Dr Flick is a former President of the NCAFP and former Board Member of the AAFP. Medical students and residents just beginning their careers and contemplating their futures will be particularly motivated by Dr Flick's love for patient care and the virtues of Family Medicine. Thank you for listening and for sharing with your friends and colleagues!
Family Medicine is a versatile specialty full of different skills and procedures, and so family doctors have the chance to branch out, diversify their work, and enjoy it. For many family physicians, it’s professionally satisfying to practice the full range of their specialty.
However, some procedures require additional credentialing. And you know that credentialing can be a difficult process. In today’s episode, you’ll hear about credentialing from three family physicians who have done it well: Dr. Landon Allen, Dr. Elizabeth Baltaro, and Dr. Puja Dalal. They work in different settings across different areas of the state, but they’ve all enhanced their practice with new credentials.
In this episode of "The Family Doctor”, Dr. Thomas White talks with Dr. R.W. "Chip" Watkins, former President of the NCAFP and current Senior Regional Medical Director for Community Care of North Carolina. Dr Watkins has had a remarkably diverse Family Medicine career - laboratory medical director, integrative medicine practitioner, medical educator, and advocate for independent community-based family physicians.
He draws on his childhood and professional experiences to share invaluable lessons on caring for patients, family, and oneself. You will enjoy hearing from this multi-talented and engaging Family Physician!
“The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared” introduces a new approach to the podcast this month, a more focused and in-depth discussion between Drs. Thomas White and Lee Beatty on a specific topic which has surfaced in many of our monthly podcasts. These “Lessons” will be periodically added to the traditional physician interview format, when inspiration and interest dictate. This special edition is devoted to the power and importance of “Touch” in the physician-patient relationship. Listen as Drs. White and Beatty share memorable cases, cite academic perspectives, and offer practical pearls for the practicing clinician. Download, listen intently, and be touched!
NCAFP interviews five mothers in family medicine to hear their stories at home, in the clinic, and everywhere in between. Workforce Initiatives Manager Perry Price spent months interviewing these physicians, and their input on the convergence of family and work, the best types of maternal leave, and the work still ahead is insightful, personable, and well-rounded.
Followers of "The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared," you are in for a special treat this month as Dr Thomas White chats with Dr Mott Blair of Wallace NC. Dr Blair is a 4th generation primary care physician, former President of the NCAFP, recipient of the NCAFP Family Physician of the Year award, and previous member of the AAFP Board of Directors. As you will hear, he is a great story teller, dedicated community servant, and the consummate Family Physician. Sir Winston Churchill's quote - "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - takes on a new meaning and significance in this episode. Listen and enjoy.
In this episode, NCAFP's new President Dr. Shauna Guthrie delivers her installation speech at the Winter Family Physicians weekend, telling our members a little about herself and her vision for the Academy.
Happy New Year from the Family Doctor. This month, Drs. Thomas White and Lee Beatty offer up some of their favorite quotes from their podcast guests. It has been a challenging past three years, but maybe it's time to count our blessings and remind ourselves of the gifts and grace of our careers, our mentors, our patients, and our communities. Expressing gratitude is inspiring and calming, and it doesn't cost a thing. So, thank goodness for Family Medicine!
If you missed our 2022 NCAFP Annual Meeting, this is a must listen, and it should be even if you attended. Listen as outgoing President Dr. Dimitrios (Takie) Hondros provides the 2022 State of the Academy Address at our Annual Awards Banquet. Dr. Hondros outlines the many accomplishments of the NCAFP throughout the last year.
Selected by the medical students and the Family Medicine Department at The University of North Carolina School of Medicine as the recipient of the prestigious 2022 North Carolina Academy Of Family Physicians' Foundation Community Teaching Award, Dr Vickie Fowler was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina, returned to her hometown after residency to establish Mt Jefferson Family Medicine, and now practices and teaches in Raleigh. In this episode of The Family Doctor Podcast - Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared - Dr Thomas White speaks with Dr Fowler as she shares her admirable life story. You will hear her perspectives on the sanctity of the trusting doctor-patient relationship, the importance of work-life balance, and the art of the physical examination. Set aside some time to absorb and reflect on the wisdom of this month’s guest. You will enjoy and benefit!
Guest host Dr. Lee Beatty talks with Dr. Charles Rhodes of Mount Pleasant North Carolina. Co-founder of the innovative Cabarrus Family Medicine residency training program, past president of the NCAFP, North Carolina Family Physician of the Year in 2009, president of an international missions organization, and local country doctor still doing house calls, Dr. Rhodes has had a 40 year career of caring, teaching and service. Dr. Rhodes reminds family doctors that we are not PCP’s, we are Family Physicians, chosen because of our insatiable curiosity, our vast academic appetites, and our faith in the continuous, comprehensive, and deeply personal relationship with our patients and families. He challenges us to plant deep roots in the community we serve; for the greatest joy of being a family physician is living, working, and playing in the place where we practice. Dr. Rhodes’ story should be heard by every family medicine faculty member, every resident, and every medical student. His ten Lessons Learned are priceless and poignant.
From dipping ice cream in his father's "drug store" as a teenager, to returning to his hometown of Hope Mills N.C. to practice, and then serving as President of the NCAFP, President of the AAFP, and finally as the Executive Vice-President and CEO of the AAFP, Dr Doug Henley shares his story with Dr Thomas White in this latest episode of The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared. In this sometimes emotional interview, you will hear Dr Henley's lessons on leadership, management, effective communication, and attitude. Listen and appreciate how far Family Medicine has come over the years, and where Dr Henley sees our specialty going in the future. Thank you for your support of our podcast!
This month’s guest on the The Family Doctor podcast exemplifies a rare blend of courage, humility, and humanity. You will be moved and touched by what you hear, and what you feel, as Dr Thomas White talks with Dr Rhett Brown, a Family Physician from Charlotte NC. Dr. Brown discusses his personal journey as a gay physician starting practice in the early 90s, and shares how he became an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender patients. Dr Brown is a graduate of Davidson College, attended the Medical University of South Carolina, and completed his residency in family medicine at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte NC. He served as President of the NC Academy of Family Physicians in 2017. Certified in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, Dr Brown was awarded the Equity of Care Award by the Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives Group in 2019. Dr. Brown remains a passionate advocate for diverse patient populations and works to educate other primary care physicians on how to provide gender affirming care. The lessons to be learned and the wisdom shared in this episode are not to be missed!
In this episode of NCFM Today, you will hear from two medical students who participated in summer clinical experiences funded by the NCAFP Foundation. Evan Morgan, a second-year medical student at Wake Forest University discusses his experience in our two-week Rural Western Medical Student Program, including what he learned and how it is influencing his career path. Likewise, Joanmarie Lewandowski, a second-year medical student at the University of North Carolina discusses her four-week summer experience working with Dr. Michael Harris in Raleigh. Don't miss the opportunity to hear from two future physicians as they discuss their medical school journey and what is impacting their path toward a career in family medicine.
This month, Dr Thomas White chats with Dr Shannon Dowler, former president of the NCAFP and currently the Chief Medical Officer for North Carolina Medicaid in the Dept. of Health and Human Services. In this podcast, Dr Dowler shares how her parents’ example instilled in her an intellectual curiosity, a love for reading, and a desire to provide assistance and support for those in need. You will find her refreshingly candid and entertaining, as well as insightful and passionate. Recognized as an educator and advocate for sexual health, Dr. Dowler has just published a book on the subject which will be of interest to all Family Physicians and their “older” sexually active patients! Known as “Rap Dkta D”, Dr Dowler explains how she came to love rhymes and rhythms; and if you listen to the end, you will get to hear her recite one of her clever limericks about a sexually transmitted infection! Listen and enjoy!
On this month’s edition of NCFM Today, learn about the state’s maternal Health Innovation grant from five family medicine champions working on the program. Dr. Amy Santin, Dr. Carmen Strickland, Dr. Narges Farahi, Dr. Janalynn Beste and Dr. Mona Xiao discuss the specific role of family medicine champions in the Maternal Health Innovation Grant and how family physicians can help ensure that medical conditions that women develop during pregnancy have ongoing care. In addition, they talk about how family physicians can address issues that have an impact on both young children and their moms, and how many chronic diseases, such as hypertensive disorders, start during pregnancy. Finally, the group discusses innovative models of caring for women during and after pregnancy. Don’t miss this important discussion of how North Carolina is working to reduce maternal mortality. To learn more about the state’s Maternal Innovations Grant, go to https://mahec.net/regional-initiatives/maternal-health-innovations-grant.
One year ago, The Family Doctor: Lessons Learned, Wisdom Shared podcast was launched. This month, Greg Griggs, the CEO and Executive Vice-President of the NCAFP, speaks with Dr Thomas White, one of the creators and Moderator of the podcast. Hear Dr White share how the podcast originated (in the floor of his mother's kitchen!), what lessons he took away from each of the physicians interviewed to date, and what he and Dr. Beatty plan for the next year. This review will no doubt motivate you to re-listen to the past year's episodes, and continue to listen in the coming months.
In this episode we talk to Dr. Benjamin Gilmer, a family physician in western NC and now acclaimed author of the riveting medical mystery, the Other Dr. Gilmer. Dr. Benjamin Gilmer discusses his own journey as he works to determine why Dr. Vince Gilmer, who previously practiced in the same clinic, came to murder his own father. We learn about Dr. Benjamin Gilmer's journey of discover from fear to friend and advocate for Dr. Vince. Today, Benjamin Gilmer is advocating for mental health and prison reform nationally. Prior to becoming a book, part of this journey was documented on an episode of This American Life. Join us as your colleague, Benjamin Gilmer, calls on you to be an advocate and use your own stories to bring about change.