Letter from the Board President

Reflecting On Our Achievements and Looking Ahead to the Future  

As my term as president of the AAFP Foundation comes to a close and I reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, I find myself overcome with gratitude.

Our staff, board members and all of you have supported the Foundation’s mission with selfless dedication and a spirit of collegiality. Together, we’ve accomplished much to be proud of, including work within our robust programs.

In partnership with DARTNet Institute, we continued the great work of our Family Medicine Discovers Rapid Cycle Scientific Discovery and Innovation (FMD RapSDI) program. By awarding grants and mentorships to family physicians, the program fosters meaningful research to advance the field of family medicine. In this issue, Ayo Adesanya, MD, PhD, shares his experience as a RapSDI scholar.

The Family Medicine Cares International program sent a delegation to the Dominican Republic this year and is planning for another in 2025. Through Family Medicine Cares USA, we provided grants to free clinics across the nation, including MeSCO Community Health, featured here.

The AAFP Foundation is strengthened by our donors and corporate partners. I’m heartened by the growth of named endowments and the success of our Family Medicine Legacy Society. Corporate partners like Boehringer Ingelheim are improving family medicine through education and patient care initiatives, while benefactors like Rachelle Brilliant, DO, FAAFP, help ensure the continuation of our important work. Both are profiled in this issue.

Family medicine is the lifeblood of health care in this country and the involvement of family physicians in the AAFP Foundation is vital to the future of our specialty.

As we wrap up 2024 and our president-elect, Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, prepares to lead, I want to remind you that there’s still time to make a difference with a year-end donation. Your support is both needed and greatly appreciated.

Though my board tenure is ending, I look forward to working together as colleagues, friends and donors to the AAFP Foundation. I thank you for your steadfast commitment to family medicine that delivers on its promise.

Warm regards,

Tomás Owens, MD, FAAFP
President, AAFP Foundation