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Inside Family Medicine

Inside Family Medicine

American Academy of Family Physicians

A podcast produced by the American Academy of Family Physicians for family doctors and related health care professionals.

206 - IFM | For rural doctors, impactful work must be supported
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  • 206 - IFM | For rural doctors, impactful work must be supported

    In this episode of the Inside Family Medicine podcast, host Rebecca Fuller Beeler talks with Kimberly Becher, MD, a West Virginia family physician and chair of the AAFP's new Rural Health Advisory Committee, about the challenges, opportunities and future of practicing family medicine in rural communities.

    Becher shares what drew her to family medicine and why she has spent her career practicing in a community without a hospital. She discusses the broad scope and flexibility of rural practice, where physicians may care for patients across generations while navigating limited access to specialists, emergency transportation, food, reliable utilities and other resources. At the same time, she challenges assumptions that rural medicine is less innovative, describing opportunities to test new care models, use emerging technologies and even participate in clinical research.

    The conversation also explores why the AAFP created its Rural Health Advisory Committee. Becher discusses a shrinking and aging rural physician workforce, hospital closures, financial pressures on outpatient practices, and the need to ensure family physicians can practice at the full scope of their training. The committee is examining workforce development, sustainable payment, administrative burden, rural training, and other factors that can help recruit physicians to rural communities — and give them reasons to stay.

    Becher also shares how addressing patients' needs sometimes requires thinking beyond traditional clinical care. She describes a project that provided patients experiencing food insecurity with vouchers to choose their own fresh fruits and vegetables, illustrating how relatively small interventions can have a meaningful effect on patients and their relationship with their care team. Looking ahead, the Rural Health Advisory Committee plans to develop a rural health roadmap for family medicine while finding ways to incorporate perspectives from rural physicians, students and others throughout the family medicine community.

    For medical students and residents considering rural practice, Becher's advice is simple: find the people and the type of work that resonate with you. Rural family medicine can offer broad clinical experience, independence, strong community relationships and opportunities to make an impact that extends far beyond the exam room.

    References and resources

    AAFP Rural Health

    Rural Health Care in Medical Education

    Rural Health Transformation Fund

    Rural Practice Resources from FPM

    Chapter markers

    00:00 Introduction and meet Dr. Kimberly Becher 01:09 Why she chose family medicine 02:10 The unique challenges of rural health care 04:48 Why choose rural practice? 06:20 Introducing the Rural Health Advisory Committee 07:39 Building and sustaining the rural physician workforce 08:36 What would make the biggest difference in rural medicine? 10:18 Addressing food insecurity and making an impact beyond the exam room 12:19 Building a rural health roadmap for family medicine 15:20 Advice for students and residents considering rural practice

    Mon, 02 Nov 2026 - 17min
  • 205 - FFFM | A Seat at the Table: Affordability Working Group on Healthcare

    In this episode of Fighting for Family Medicine, AAFP Vice President of Government Relations David Tully recaps the Academy's October advocacy efforts before talking with Maryland family physician Amar Duggirala, MD, about his experience representing family medicine at a congressional roundtable focused on health care affordability.

    Tully begins with updates from across the AAFP's advocacy work, including the installation of Kisha Davis, MD, MPH, FAAFP, as AAFP president and her participation in a federal discussion on preventing congenital syphilis. He also highlights AAFP advocacy supporting reliable telecommunications and telehealth access in rural communities, protecting the patient-physician relationship as artificial intelligence becomes more common in health care, and improving insurance coverage, affordability and continuity of care. The episode also covers AAFP opposition to proposed H-1B-related fees and restrictions that could create additional barriers for physicians, trainees and other health care professionals entering the U.S. workforce.

    The conversation then turns to rising health care costs and what those pressures look like inside a family medicine practice. Duggirala describes seeing patients face higher premiums, growing out-of-pocket costs and reduced benefits while struggling to afford medications, specialty care, testing, and even routine primary care visits. He explains why the presence of a practicing physician at the congressional roundtable mattered and how family physicians can help policymakers understand the real-world consequences of decisions that may appear effective on paper.

    Duggirala also shares what he believes is missing from the national affordability conversation. His priorities include substantially increasing investment in primary care, reducing administrative burdens such as prior authorization and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid funding. He argues that greater access to high-quality primary care can prevent more expensive downstream care while improving outcomes for patients with chronic conditions.

    The episode closes with a call for more family physicians to become involved in advocacy. Duggirala describes advocacy as an extension of caring for patients and encourages physicians to connect with their state chapters, participate in the AAFP Advocacy Ambassador Program and attend the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit to bring firsthand experiences from their communities directly to policymakers.

    Episode hosts

    David Tully - Vice President of Government Relations and member of the AAFP advocacy team

    Amar Duggirala, MD - Family physician from Maryland and AAFP physician advocate

    Resources / Links

    AAFP Member Advocacy

    AAFP Advocacy Ambassador Program

    Speak Out tool

    Share Your Story tool

    AAFP Response to Senator Wyden RFI on Health Care Coverage Reform – September 30, 2026

    AAFP Response to CMS RFI on MES IT Standards Program - September 23, 2026

    Joint AAFP-CAFM Response to FCC on Telehealth in Rural America - September 30. 2026

    AAFP Response to CMS RFI on MES IT Standards Program - September 23, 2026

    Joint Letter to DHS on Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions NPRM - September 23, 2026

    Chapters

    00:00 October advocacy roundup

    01:01 New AAFP leadership and congenital syphilis advocacy

    02:37 Rural connectivity, telehealth and AI policy

    04:02 Improving health care coverage and affordability

    04:51 H-1B physician workforce advocacy

    06:03 Bringing the family physician voice to Congress

    08:02 How rising health care costs affect patients

    09:41 Why lawmakers need to hear from family physicians

    12:24 What's missing from the health care affordability debate

    16:37 How family physicians can get involved in advocacy

    Mon, 26 Oct 2026 - 19min
  • 204 - IFM | Whole Health: Medicine's Course Correction

    In this episode of Inside Family Medicine, Andrew Bazemore, MD, MPH, and Beth Polk, MD, FAAFP join us to discuss whole health in primary care. Dr. Bazemore distinguishes whole health (physical, behavioral, spiritual and socioeconomic well-being across individuals, families and communities) from whole health care (how care is organized), emphasizing a shift from "What's the matter with you?" to "What matters to you?" Dr. Polk connects whole health to lifestyle medicine's pillars and stresses addressing drivers of outcomes beyond the exam room, including social needs. They cite examples from the VA whole health model and community health centers, discuss team-based care, group visits and using existing evaluation and management (E/M) billing while advocating for payment reform. The episode highlights training needs in residency programs, small, actionable practice changes, clinician well-being and the risks and opportunities of AI in supporting whole health.

    Additional resources

    Family Physicians: Leaders in Whole Health

    AAFP Pilot Program Shows Value of Lifestyle Medicine

    Prevention & Wellness

    Scaling Whole Health Strategies in Primary Care: Action Brief

    Disclaimer: Copyright 2026. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker's own and do not represent those of AAFP. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use. Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of American Academy of Family Physicians.

    Mon, 19 Oct 2026 - 33min
  • 203 - CME | Brave new world AI & Family Medicine

    In this episode of CME On the Go, host Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, MD, talks with family physician Jennifer Bryan, MD, FAAFP, about the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence in medicine and what family physicians need to know to use these tools safely, effectively and responsibly.

    Jennifer begins by breaking down the different forms of AI physicians may encounter, from large language models and predictive tools to generative and agentic AI. She explains how these technologies are already embedded in electronic health records, clinical decision support, remote monitoring, and other parts of everyday practice. The conversation pays particular attention to ambient documentation tools, which can reduce time spent typing and allow physicians to spend more time interacting directly with patients.

    The discussion then turns to the risks that come with greater AI adoption. Jennifer emphasizes that fluency is not the same as accuracy, and that physicians should not assume an AI-generated recommendation is correct simply because it sounds confident. She discusses bias in training data, clinically significant omissions and inaccuracies, the limitations of proprietary "black box" models and the importance of knowing how an AI tool was validated before relying on its output. She also stresses that physician access to an AI tool is not the same as informed authorization for that tool to act on the physician's behalf.

    Jennifer outlines several principles that can help physicians and health systems approach AI more safely, including transparency, explainability, and auditability. She discusses the AAFP's EASIER framework, which evaluates AI tools according to ethics, accuracy, safety, intended use, explainability and transparency, and regulation. She also explains why AI governance should involve more than simply creating a committee or policy; organizations need ongoing systems for monitoring performance, identifying exceptions and supporting clinicians who remain accountable for patient care.

    Finally, the episode offers practical guidance for physicians using AI in day-to-day practice. Jennifer describes obtaining patient consent when using an ambient scribe, reviewing and editing every AI-generated note, scrutinizing suggested diagnoses and HCC codes, and carefully reviewing automated orders. While she is optimistic about AI's potential to reduce administrative burden, improve workflows, and ultimately improve patient care, her central message is that physicians must remain in charge. AI should augment clinical expertise, not replace critical thinking or informed physician judgment.

    Learning objectives

      Differentiate the most common types of artificial intelligence used in clinical practice and their potential applications in patient care.

      Evaluate the limitations, biases, and potential risks associated with AI tools used in clinical practice.

      Apply clinician-centered strategies for addressing the limitations of AI models and supporting their responsible use in clinical decision-making.

    The AAFP has reviewed CME On the Go, Season 3 and deemed it acceptable for AAFP credit(s). Term of Approval is from 10/12/2026 to 10/12/202. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    This session, "CME | Brave new world AI & Family Medicine" is approved for 0.50 credits Enduring Materials, Self-Study, AAFP Prescribed credit(s).

    The AAFP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    The American Academy of Family Physicians designates this Enduring Materials activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    After listening to the podcast episode, claim 0.5 AAFP credit by following the provided link: https://www.aafp.org/assessment/take/21379/e

    References and resources

    Artificial Intelligence in Family Medicine

    An "EASIER" Framework for Evaluating AI Tools

    Choosing the Best AI Health Care Tools

    Ethical Application of Artificial Intelligence in Family Medicine

    Artificial Intelligence — FPM Topic Collection

    Disclosure: It is the policy of the AAFP that all individuals in a position to control content disclose any relationships with commercial interests upon nomination/invitation of participation. Disclosure documents are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest and, if identified, conflicts are resolved prior to confirmation of participation. Only those participants who had no conflict of interest or who agreed to an identified resolution process prior to their participation were involved in this CME activity. All individuals in a position to control content for this session have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

    Disclaimer: Copyright 2026. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker's own and do not represent those of AAFP. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use. Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of American Academy of Family Physicians.

    Mon, 12 Oct 2026 - 41min
  • 202 - IFM | Plot twist: Embracing the unexpected in family medicine careers

    In this episode of the Inside Family Medicine podcast, host Adam Bradley talks with Victoria Boggiano, MD, MPH, and Connie Leeper, MD, MPH, about the unexpected turns that can shape a career in family medicine.

    Boggiano and Leeper share the experiences that led them to the specialty and the career "plot twists" that followed. Boggiano reflects on an early interest in health policy, anthropology and global health before finding her way to clinical medicine, public health and academic family medicine. Leeper discusses entering medicine with an interest in sports medicine and global health before discovering a passion for teaching during an obstetrics fellowship and ultimately building a career in academics.

    Their stories highlight one of family medicine's defining strengths: flexibility. Because family physicians receive broad training, they can build careers that include outpatient care, hospital medicine, obstetrics, procedures, academics, advocacy, public health and other areas — and change that mix as their interests, communities and lives evolve. Boggiano and Leeper discuss why "full scope" does not have to mean the same thing for every physician and how family medicine allows physicians to continually redefine what their own practice looks like.

    The conversation also offers practical advice for students, residents and early-career physicians facing an unexpected opportunity or difficult career decision. Boggiano and Leeper encourage physicians to identify what brings them joy, understand their value, ask for what they need and lean on mentors and the broader family medicine community. Whether a career change begins with a new opportunity or an unexpected "no," they emphasize that family medicine training provides room to pivot, experiment and continue building a career aligned with personal values.

    AAFP Family Medicine Career Options

    AAFP Find a Job in Family Medicine

    AAFP CareerLink

    AAFP Career Resources for Members

    00:00 Family Medicine Career Plot Twists 01:23 Why they chose family medicine 03:21 When a career "no" creates a new path 05:00 Discovering an unexpected passion for academics 07:10 Why family medicine offers career flexibility 10:54 Advice for navigating a career plot twist 11:35 Knowing your value and finding the right job fit 13:11 Mentorship, networking and leaning on your community 15:13 If your family medicine career were a novel 17:54 Closing thoughts and career resources

    Mon, 05 Oct 2026 - 18min
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