More Medical School Students Opting For Family Medicine Careers!

Good news! The percentage of medical school graduates choosing family medicine residencies has jumped by nearly 10 percent during the past five years, an increase that demonstrates the growing popularity of family medicine as a career choice, according to Perry Pugno, M.D., vice president for medical education at the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The AAFP conducts an annual survey of the nation’s family medicine residency programs, and according to those data, 67.4 percent of first-year family medicine residents graduated from U.S. allopathic or osteopathic medical schools this year, making 2013 the fifth straight year the percentage has increased. In 2009, 58 percent of first-year family medicine residents graduated from a U.S. allopathic or osteopathic medical school.

Click here to read the full article on the AAFP’s website!

AAFP

Congratulations!

Congrats to Dr. Lauren Simon for her recent article on pediatric obesity for the California Academy Family Physicians.

Congratulations are also due to Dr. Jeffrey Kim and our chief resident Dr. Van Nguyen for their recent article on Otitis Media and Otitis Externa!

"The United States Continues to Face an Epidemic of Childhood Obesity!", by Dr. Lauren Simon

“The United States Continues to Face an Epidemic of Childhood Obesity!”
Click the image to read!

"Ear Infections: Otitis Externa and Otitis Media", by Dr. Hobart Lee, Dr. Jeffrey Kim and Dr. Van Nguyen

“Ear Infections: Otitis Externa and Otitis Media”
Click the image to read!

Balint Conference

The residency leadership attended a Balint conference this past weekend in Pasadena. Led by Barbara Hernandez and Loma Linda University’s Office of Physician Vitality, we learned by participating in a Balint group. We are restructuring our resident support groups into a Balint-type format for better support and encouragement.

Leadership members getting coffee at Intelligentsia before the conference.

Dr. John Testerman (Department Chair), Dr. Randy Stinnett (Behavioral Medicine Coordinator) and Dr. Sara Halverson (core faculty) getting coffee at Intelligentsia before the conference.

Design on a coffee from Intelligentsia.

Design on Randy’s coffee from Intelligentsia.

Grand Rounds Today: Healthcare Reform & the Affordable Care Act

Covered CaliforniaDr. Lee gave Family Medicine Grand Rounds today on healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act. Here are a few highlights:

  • By 2025, there will be a 65,800 shortage of primary care physicians in the United States.
  • In California, the number of patients > 65 will increase by approximately 50% per primary care provider in the next 10 years.
  • Covered California is California’s healthcare marketplace insurance exchange where patients will be able to choose affordable health care.

AAFP National Conference

Chief residents Van Nguyen & Jeni Shull are packed and ready to meet fellow family medicine enthusiasts at the AAFP National Conference in Kansas City, MO. Stop by and say hello; they would love to meet the future faces of family medicine!

Van says, “We will be the ones sporting the Loma Linda gear and weighed down by too much luggage!”

Learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians by visiting their website at www.aafp.org.
AAFP

10 Ideas to Help Doctors Find Happiness

As we approach the holidays, here are 10 ideas from AAFP 2012 Scientific Assembly (and some of our interventions here at LLU Family Medicine Residency) to help us avoid burnout:

  1. Pause before reacting to something that bothers you and think about how you could best respond to the situation (Ask us about TEAMSTEPPS and other communication tools we are implementing in our clinic!)
  2. Form meaningful connections at your job with colleagues and staff.
  3. Plan personal and family time and place it on your patient care schedule to help maintain a good work-life balance (Ask about whole person care and how we take care of each other).
  4. Learn to say “no” once in a while to requests for your time.
  5. Focus on what is working in your life rather than fixating on what’s not working.
  6. Laugh with your staff and patients (You will hear laughter in the residency clinic halls all the time!).
  7. Spend time doing things you’re passionate about outside medicine, such as creative writing, photography or playing an instrument (Ask the residents about what they are doing outside of residency — such as salsa dancing!).
  8. Volunteer with an organization that care for those who are less fortunate (Ask about our Street Medicine Outreach Program).
  9. Stop feeling responsible for patients’ chronic health outcomes. Instead, view yourself as a coach who helps patients improve their health.
  10. Ask staff to pick up some of your administrative work so you can spend more time with patients (Ask us about the Kaizen process and how we are load-leveling).

Dr. Simon Elected to the ACSM Board of Trustees

Dr. Lauren SimonCongratulations to Lauren M. Simon, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Family Medicine; Director, Primary Care Sports Medicine, Loma Linda University, on her election to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Board of Trustees.

ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world with over 45,000 members and certified professionals. “ACSM promotes and integrates scientific research, education and practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and quality of life.”

Dr. Simon serves as Team Physician for University of Redlands, University of California-Riverside, and Redlands High School, and is Race Medical Director for the Redlands Bicycle Classic.