Mentees Teaching Mentors

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE to Members

By Dr. Dimitrios 'Takie' Hondros 2021–2022 NCAFP President

PERSPECTIVES

My most recent medical student told me: “You taught me to keep an open mind, truly listen to patients, and advocate for my profession. Because of you, I am certain I want to be a Family Physician. You inspire me to keep learning and searching for answers, fight for my patients, and serve my community with loyalty.”

As Family Physicians, it is important to always learn and innovate. Our profession allows us to be the most flexible and adaptable in medicine. We should do as much as possible to keep the care of our patients coordinated under one room. This model helps keep costs low, and at the same time with someone the patient has total confidence in, their personal Family Physician. Being learners also means we pass on what we have learned to others. Mentoring and precepting allows us to always make sure we are at the forefront of our profession, to ensure we educate the future professionals with up-to-date information.

As Family Physicians, we advocate and fight for our patients and our professions. Advocacy is very important to the NCAFP. It helps our patients, our communities, and ourselves. It is an essential part of being an involved physician leader on a regional, state, and national level. We must help address many issues at these levels to ensure that our voices are heard. Whether it is related to scope of practice, reproductive health, Medicaid expansion, or administrative burden, Family Physicians should continue to engage and get to know their legislators and policy leaders. This will help ensure when they need trusted medical advice before making important policy decisions, we are the ones they will turn to and ask.

As Family Physicians, community service is also paramount. We have been blessed with a great gift – to be able to ‘totally care’ for individuals. Get involved with your local community free clinic, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or volunteer for a mission trip to help

give to those less fortunate than us. When you go, take your students with you. Alongside you at these places, not only will they learn more about medicine, but the experience will also help them become more exceptional human beings.

Many times, students can teach us as well. Their words can resonate greatly with us and help to further solidify why each of us are truly here. They remind us why we chose Family Medicine as our career choice. Continue learning from those you mentor, the patients you serve, and from those who you interact with and teach. We are truly in the best medical profession, and I am continually humbled to serve as your elected leader this year. Happy Summer to all!

Executive Officers President President-Elect Dimitrios “Takie” P. Hondros, MD Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH

Secretary/Treasurer

Garett R. Franklin, MD Immediate Past President Jessica L. Triche, MD Executive Vice President Gregory K. Griggs, MPA, CAE

At-Large Directors

Joshua Carpenter, MD

Jewell P. Carr, MD

Deanna Didiano, DO

Nicole Johnson, MD, MPH

Mark McNeill, MD

Benjamin F. Simmons, MD

Ying Vang, MD

Courtland Winborne, MD

Academic Position Margaret Helton, MD (UNC)

Resident Director Ryan Paulus, DO (UNC)

Resident Director-Elect Matthew Drake, MD (ECU)

Student Director Morgan Carnes (Wake Forest)

Student Director-Elect Morgan Beamon (ECU)

AAFP Delegates & Alternates

AAFP Delegate AAFP Delegate AAFP Alternate AAFP Alternate Richard W. Lord, Jr., MD, MA Robert L. Rich, Jr., MD Tamieka Howell, MD Thomas R. White, MD

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