Family Medicine Innovation and Student Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

Gathering medical professionals, educators, researchers and students, the medical community recently came together to discuss pressing issues in primary care. These efforts highlight how medical students and faculty are working to advance family medicine through research, collaboration and innovation.

STFM Foundation Awards Scholarship to Third-Year Medical Student Lauren Schutz

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) named Lauren Schutz, a rising third-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, as the recipient of its 2024 STFM Foundation Student Scholarship. This scholarship recognizes medical students across the country who are committed to academic family medicine and have strong potential for a career in the field. Schutz is one of 23 students across the country to be given this award in 2024.

Lauren Schutz, along with Steven Brown, MD, attended the 2024 STFM Conference on Medical Student Education in Atlanta, Georgia. Schutz presented her research on understanding patients who experience food insecurity at the conference. “It’s super rewarding to receive a scholarship, but just to be able to go to the conference and present on our research project is very exciting,” Schutz said. “I wanted to share the great results that we got from our research project.”

Qualitative Research on Food Insecurity and Community Impact

Schutz’s project is about understanding the lives of patients who experience food insecurity and have access to food at their primary care clinic. She shared how pivotal it was for patients at the Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix’s family medicine clinic. The Banner Family Food Pantry, a collaboration with St. Mary’s Food Bank and Sun Produce, has served over 1,500 households. Schutz and Steven R. Brown, MD, program director of the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix’s Family Medicine Residency, interviewed 21 patients who attended the pantry and analyzed the interviews for common themes of the barriers they face.

Arizona Academic Family Medicine Innovation Conference Highlights

The third annual Arizona Academic Family Medicine Innovation Conference (AAFMIC) — hosted at Creighton University — sought to address the state of Arizona’s health care workforce. Ed Paul, MD, chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, and Sharry Veres, MD, chair of Family Community and Preventive Medicine at the college, gave context for the conference’s purpose.

Dr. Paul presented the stark primary care data in AZ. “According to the data, Arizona is ranked 31st in the United States in total active physicians based on per 100,000 people,” Dr. Paul said. “The rural side of our state, as with many states, is much worse in terms of numbers.” Both physicians discussed methods of addressing the physician shortage in Arizona — including big investments like developing family medicine programs in rural areas.

Key Data and Regional Statistics

The following table summarizes key metrics and findings presented at the events regarding family medicine and community health:

Advancing Primary Care and Patient Relationships

Nancy Pandhi, MD, MPH, PhD, a physician-scientist, served as the keynote speaker for the event. Much of Dr. Pandhi’s presentation revolved around the interpersonal relationship of physicians and patients and developing trust between the two, which could lead to the improved health of patients. “One of the principles of primary care is the idea of first contact access where you have somebody that you can go to when you need access to care,” Dr. Pandhi said.

In addition to the keynote, medical students and residents from various Phoenix-area medical schools gave oral presentations on diverse topics. These included:

• Food insecurity and patient barriers.
• Movement disorders and clinical observations.
• Endometriosis research and treatment.

The event concluded with a panel discussion about how to make scholarship a part of a family medicine career, emphasizing that stories are fundamental to how clinicians operate and develop a sense of identity.