FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 11, 2026
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Leawood, Kan.—The Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation has named Saverio (Sam) Feudo and Mishaal Gardezi as the 2025 Richard D. Feldman, M.D. Student and Resident Essay Contest Winners. The contest invites medical students and family medicine residents to write scholarly essays about the history of family medicine in the U.S. Winning essays are added to the CHFM archive and authors are given a cash prize.
Feudo, the first-place winner, is a second-year medical student at Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University. His essay, “Activist Roots: How the Care of Political Refugees Forged the Identity of Family Medicine,” looks at how family physicians have supported refugees as they arrived in the U.S. and highlights the importance of the ongoing, whole-person care that family medicine provides.
Gardezi, the second-place winner, is a third-year medical student at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Her essay, “Healing Communities Beyond the Bedside: Family Medicine’s Foundations in Advocacy,” looks at the challenges of building trust in the health care system and explains how family physicians can help earn and maintain that trust, especially among minority communities. She encourages physicians to advocate for patients both in the exam room and in the community, noting that stronger engagement can lead to greater trust and better health outcomes.
“I am pleased to recognize the two winners of this year’s essay contest. Both essays highlight the deep responsibility family physicians have to care for their patients and support the communities they serve, especially those who have been historically underserved,” said AAFP Foundation President Dr. Renee Markovich. “They show that family medicine is not only about providing clinical care, but also about listening, building trust and standing alongside patients over time. The ways family physicians advocate for individuals and communities are an important and lasting part of our specialty’s history and impact.”
To learn more about the student and resident essay contest and read the winning essays, visit the Richard D. Feldman, MD, Student and Resident Contest webpage. The application period for the 2026 essay contest opens on August 15 and closes on November 1.
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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.