Stanford University’s Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) received a 2015 Program of Excellence Award from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for excellence in exposure to family medicine and family physicians.

Stanford was one of 19 schools to earn the honor, which recognizes FMIGs for their outstanding efforts to promote interest in family medicine and family medicine programming.  

“Family medicine interest groups are essential to helping medical students understand the professional challenge and satisfaction of being a family physician,” said Clif Knight, MD, vice president of education at the AAFP, in an official press release. “All of this year’s award winners have done outstanding work giving students the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge they’ve acquired in the classroom, develop leadership skills that will serve them in their future practices and communities, and better understand the vital role that family medicine plays in our health care system,”

The Stanford University Family Medicine Interest Group is a student-run organization that seeks to educate medical students through regular meetings, hands-on workshops and lectures, clinical experiences, leadership and professional development opportunities, and social events.  “Our mission is to educate and impassion students about the importance of family medicine and primary care, and to promote the values of family medicine across the School of Medicine campus,” said Victoria Boggiano, a third-year medical student and former Stanford FMIG chair.

Medical students Emily Lines and Paula Trepman accepted the award on behalf of the Stanford FMIG at the AAFP National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students in Kansas City.