2025 Family Medicine Cares Resident Service Award recognizes inroads to improve community health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leawood, Kan. —The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation has awarded Drs. Katie Allan, Bridget Bunda and Amra Haroon with Family Medicine Cares Resident Service Award grants for their community improvement initiatives rooted in family medicine. The grants honor first- and second-year residents who are advancing health equity by addressing disparities in underserved communities.

“This year’s Resident Service Award recipients are doing the on-the-ground work that improves access to care across communities and keeps patients healthy,” said AAFP Foundation President, Dr. Renee Markovich. “Their projects reflect the dedication required to close gaps in care, strengthen health literacy among vulnerable populations and create practical, community-centered solutions that can be replicated in other communities.”

Recipients of the grant will use the funds to implement their project by purchasing supplies and providing financial support to the local organization the recipients partner with. In addition to receiving funding, recipients will present their project at FUTURE, formerly National Conference, in Kansas City, Missouri later this year.

Drs. Katie Allan and Bridget Bunda are second-year residents at Full Circle Health–Boise, the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho, and recipients of the grant for their project, Wound Care and Health Screenings for Unhoused People in Boise. Partnering with Interfaith Sanctuary, a homeless shelter in Boise, they will bring expanded screening services directly to shelter residents and community members. The project will broaden access to preventive care, including STI testing, and equip shelter staff with grant-funded supplies to provide more comprehensive wound care.

The second recipient, Dr. Amra Haroon is a second-year resident at the Mississippi Delta Family Medicine Residency program in Greenville, Mississippi. His project, SPARK: An Interactive Educational Intervention to Enhance Adolescent Health Literacy, will deliver clear, accessible health information to teens and adults in the region. SPARK, short for Supporting Positive Health-Related Behaviors in Adolescents through Resourcefulness and Knowledge, aims to increase awareness of healthy eating, exercise, mental health and chronic disease prevention.

To learn more about the AAFP Foundation Resident Service Award, visit the foundation webpage.