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Student Leadership & Scholarship Opportunities

Are you interested in being more involved with your Academy or receiving a scholarship to harness your leadership potential? Would you like to participate in a summer program to learn more about family medicine? If so, you are in the right spot!

Today’s medical students are the future of the specialty. The Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians highly values the contributions made by medical students and recognizes the importance of training future leaders of medicine.
 
There are many ways to begin or continue your leadership journey in family medicine, specifically with the LAFP and the LAFP Foundation. If you’re interested in starting with committee work, there’s a spot for you. If you want to take your leadership skills to the next level and apply for a director position on the LAFP Board of Directors or a member on a LAFP Committee, there’s an opportunity for that too. The LAFP and the Foundation are here to help build you into the best leader you can be.
 
For a list of committees, workgroups, taskforces, and resource teams you can participate on, visit the Get Involved page.

Opportunities for leadership positions and scholarships include:

Mentorship Program

The LAFP offers a Mentorship Program for medical students as a means to offer networking with practicing family physicians.

Medical students interested in pursuing a career in family medicine and wanting to explore family medicine as an option for residency can enroll in the program by completing the online application form. Students will be matched with a practicing family physician. Our program is flexible and designed to give the student and the physician mentor the ability to customize the schedule based on school and clinic commitments. Our program gives the student the opportunity to connect with the mentor by phone, electronic networking, or a shadowing experience.

Residents, new-to-practice physicians or new-to-area physicians can enroll as well. Family physicians in the local community are available to discuss practice management issues, patient care topics and offer suggestions for balancing family life and practice.

Active members are encouraged to sign up to be a mentor. Mentoring requires a very small time commitment as well as providing a rewarding of promoting family medicine and inspiring the next generation of physician.

Follow the link and complete the form online to be a part of our Mentorship Program.

Student Director on the LAFP Board of Directors

The student director and alternate works with other members of the board to ensure that LAFP activities are focused appropriately to achieve the Academy’s mission and strategic plan. He or she serves as a member of the LAFP board representing Louisiana’s medical students through attendance at board meetings by contributing to the discussion and representing the student voice. The student director should also serve as a resource to fellow students and encourage involvement in the LAFP among peers. A student alternate director will also be elected in the event of unavoidable absence of the student director, to serve with full voting privileges.

Two student positions are elected where one will serve as the delegate and the other as the alternate representing the student membership constituency to the Board of Directors. LAFP Board of Director meetings are held via conference all during the year with one face to face meeting at Annual Assembly. General Assembly is also held during LAFP's Annual Assembly. The 73rd Annual Assembly and Exhibition is scheduled for July 30 - August 2, 2020 at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, FL.

The student director and alternate director serve a one-year term from August to August each year.

The deadline to apply is each year at the end of March.  Click here to learn more about the roles and responsibilities.

Student Delegate and Alternate Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians National Congress of Medical Students

The student delegate and alternate delegate attend the American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students Thursday-Saturday, July 30-August 1, 2020, in Kansas City, MO, to represent Louisiana’s students during discussions, debates, and elections at the congress sessions. Student delegates and alternate delegates receive scholarships up to $1,500 in eligible expenses to attend the conference from the LAFP Foundation.

Delegates get to:

  • Represent LAFP’s student members at national policy making forums
  • Run or apply for elected positions and other leadership opportunities in the AAFP
  • Receive instruction in parliamentary procedure and informed decision making
  • Participate in special discussion groups, and develop and debate resolutions
  • Learn about the AAFP’s strategic priorities and how the Academy and other key organizations are addressing issues of importance to students.

The deadline to apply is each year at the end of March.  Click here to learn more about the roles and responsibilities.

Student Scholarships to the American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students

The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation’s (AAFP Foundation) offers the Family Medicine Leads Scholarships to attend the AAFP’s National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students (National Conference).National Conference will be held Thursday-Saturday, July 30-August 1, 2020, in Kansas City, MO.
 
Selected students will receive $600 to help offset the registration, travel, lodging, and meal expenses of attending the National Conference.
 
To be considered for the scholarship, students must apply for the AAFP Foundation’s Family Medicine Leads Scholarships for National Conference.

Student Delegate to the LAFP General Assembly

Each year, the LAFP hosts an annual meeting, the General Assembly Meeting, to discuss policy and functions of the organization as well as offer continuing medical education programming on a variety of topics. Two student positions are elected where one will serve as the delegate and the other as the alternate representing the student membership constituency at the LAFP General Assembly meeting. The General Assembly Meeting is scheduled for July 31, 2020 during the 73rd Annual Assembly and Exhibition at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, FL. The delegate will have full-floor privileges, including voting at the LAFP General Assembly.

The deadline to apply is each year at the end of March.  Click here to learn more about the roles and responsibilities.

Questions about Serving?

We understand you might have some questions, so below are some answers to get you started! Please contact the LAFP by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 225.923.3313 with any additional questions.

How Will I Benefit from this Involvement?

Among other things, you have the opportunity to:

  • Network with family physicians from across the state during LAFP events and meetings
  • Participate in the discussion of issues key to health care delivery and to family medicine
  • Learn more about topics of special interest
  • Cultivate organizational and communication skills
  • Spend time with other student leaders who share common interests and concerns.

Are there Special Requirements for Positions?

  • You must be a current LAFP member to be elected or selected for any position
  • For some positions, preference will be given to applicants who are currently serving or have served on an LAFP committee, workgroup, taskforce, or resource team
  • Should be in good standing at your medical school and with the Academy.

How Much Time is Involved?

You will be expected to attend all portions of assigned meetings. Whenever possible, meetings are in the evenings to minimize the number of days away from medical school obligations. Please check specific position descriptions for estimated meeting days.

Work is also done through electronic communications. You will receive information specific to your position after being elected or selected.

Will My University Give Me the Time Off to Attend Meetings?

If you plan to run for an elected position or apply for an appointment, you must be confident that you will be granted the time off to attend required meetings.
 
There are also several steps that you can take to ensure support:
  • Know your medical school’s attendance policies
  • Find out if any of your classmates have served in AAFP positions
  • Share information about the position you are seeking and the general meeting schedule with the appropriate individuals
  • Explain what you hope to gain from the experience (eg, leadership development, advocacy, policy development)
  • Volunteer to present relevant information from AAFP meetings during a brown bag lunch, FMIG meeting, class, etc.
 

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