New AAFP Foundation Innovation Scholars to Research MOUD, PMOS in Primary Care Settings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 2026

LEAWOOD, Kan. — The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation selected two new scholars for the Family Medicine Discovers Rapid Cycle Discovery and Innovation (FMD RapSDI) program, which supports high-impact primary care research that can translate into better patient care. The 2025 awardees, Drs. Angela Rodgers and Peris W. Kibera, will lead projects focused on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) education and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) education, respectively.

Launched seven years ago in partnership with the DARTNet Institute, the FMD RapSDI program accelerates innovation in family medicine by empowering practicing family physicians to conduct real-world clinical research. Findings from FMD RapSDI projects help family physicians address urgent public health and practice challenges like long Covid and Diabetes. Each scholar receives a $40,000 grant to support a research project designed for rapid implementation and impact.

“The AAFP Foundation is proud to welcome Drs. Kibera and Rodgers as our newest FMD RapSDI scholars. I have seen firsthand how this research is essential to advancing primary care, and I look forward to following their progress,” said AAFP Foundation president Dr. Renee Markovich. “Opioid use disorder and PMOS are conditions that family physicians manage every day and these projects aim to deliver practical solutions that improve outcomes for patients and communities.”

Dr. Rodgers, a family physician in Martinez, California, will study how targeted education on MOUD can strengthen care transitions and expand access to treatment. Her project aims to increase referrals to support services and improve patient retention in outpatient treatment programs by initiating MOUD at discharge.

Dr. Kibera, a family physician in Cleaveland, Ohio, will examine whether short-term, evidence-based PMOS – formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – education, combined with lifestyle modification, can improve quality of life and metabolic outcomes for patients. The project is designed to generate a scalable model for patient-centered PMOS education in primary care settings.

To learn more about the FMD RapSDI program, visit the Foundation’s webpage.