You know the impact COVID-19 has had on your life and your community. Now, thanks to Morgan Weiler, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, future doctors will be able to better understand – and learn from – the challenges family physicians have faced during the past two years.
Inspired by the Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) and its dedication to capturing the stories of family physicians working through the pandemic, Weiler interviewed several doctors in Kansas. When the CHFM’s first essay contest was announced, she decided to extend her research, expand her writing, and apply. Weiler’s resulting essay, “First Person Accounts of the Impact COVID-19 had on Kansas Family Physicians and the Communities They Serve,” won first prize in this inaugural contest.
“Morgan’s essay charts new ground within the context of the history of family medicine; it expands and contributes to the body of knowledge about our specialty,” says Renee Markovich, MD, an AAFP Foundation Board of Trustees member, convener of the CHFM Board of Curators, and an essay contest judge. “The quality of the essays we received overall was fantastic and there were a lot of different topics covered. The judges thought Morgan’s entry was an outstanding essay on an essential topic.”
Weiler’s evocative essay tells the stories of family physicians in rural and urban Kansas, and the struggles they have faced during the pandemic, including unexpected racism, uncertainty, fear, and exhaustion.
As one example, Weiler says she was deeply touched by her conversation with Jennifer Bacani McKenney, MD. The daughter of Filipino immigrants, McKenney was born and raised in Fredonia, Kan. Respected throughout the state as a leader in family medicine, McKenney encouraged residents in her rural community to wear masks and get vaccinated. The response was swift and often angry.
“Dr. McKenney received a lot of pushback because of her ethnicity,” says Weiler. “That broke my heart, knowing that she’s fighting for the health of everyone in Kansas.”
On the other hand, McKenney – and other family physicians interviewed– also shared stories of heartfelt support and lifesaving success. Together in this essay, their accounts create an historical snapshot that the CHFM and Weiler hope will be useful to family physicians in the future.
“Family physicians have the fighting heart of a warrior and an unconditional care for those they serve,” Weiler says. “Everyone I talked to, every single person, mentioned how strong family medicine will come out of the pandemic to serve in the future. They are human but ‘unbreakable’ by this situation.”
As author of the winning essay, Weiler received a $1,000 prize and her work will be featured in a video at the AAFP 2022 National Conference. The second-place winner, Auguste Niyibizi, DO, received a $500 award for his essay on using federally qualified health centers as a model for care.
Check out these quick excerpts from the winning writing, but don’t stop there. Click on the links; the CHFM has posted the complete essays online.