FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2026
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Leawood, Kan.—The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation announced Benjamin Popokh as the Center for the History of Family Medicine’s 2025 Oral History Grant winner. Popokh is a fourth-year medical student at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and plans to pursue a residency in family medicine with the goal of providing full-spectrum care.
Popokh’s project examines the impact family doctors have in their own family—with their spouses, children and parents. Through this work, he will catalogue the wide range of support and involvement found in families where a family physician is present. For instance, in some practices, spouses, children or relatives may work in the same office as the physician as a nurse, front desk staff or other support role. Popokh will also examine the unique dynamic where your family physician may also be your parent, sibling or spouse.
“By gathering firsthand narratives from spouses, children and parents, I aim to document their experiences as caregivers, clinic staff and family members,” Popokh said. “By collecting oral histories from the families themselves, it expands the scope of the Center’s archival collection and provides future researchers with primary sources on work-life integration and it’s evolution in family medicine, the contrasting dynamics of rural versus urban practice and the intergenerational perspectives on medicine as both a vocation and a family reality.”
The Center for the History of Family Medicine awards one $3,000 grant per year to a family physician, resident or student for a project that documents the history of family medicine in the United States. The annual selected project uses oral history as the principal source and offers a fresh perspective on their subject within the field of family medicine. Grant money is used for expenses related to the oral history interviews including travel and technology.
“I am thrilled to recognize Benjamin Popokh as this year’s recipient of the Center for the History of Family Medicine Oral History Grant. His project highlights the importance of examining diverse perspectives within family medicine, including the experiences of families who support and shape this work,” said AAFP Foundation President Renee Markovich, M.D., “By preserving these voices, this project will enrich our understanding of family medicine and its impact across families and generations. I look forward to following his work.”
To learn more about the Center for the History of Family Medicine’s Oral History Grant and apply for the upcoming cycle, visit the webpage. Applications open each year on July 1 and close on September 15.
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The Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Its mission is to advance family medicine through philanthropy using humanitarian, educational and scientific programming to improve health. For more information visit aafpfoundation.org.