August 6, 2026
From July 30 - Aug. 1, North Carolina Family Medicine was well represented at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) FUTURE Conference in Kansas City, MO. Roughly 150 NCAFP members — including medical students, residents, faculty, and representatives from 14 North Carolina Family Medicine residency programs — joined thousands of colleagues from across the country for the AAFP's premier conference for future family physicians.
Designed to connect medical students and residents with educational opportunities, leadership development, and networking, FUTURE gives attendees a chance to explore the many paths available within Family Medicine. North Carolina participants embraced those opportunities throughout the conference, and the impact was evident in the national recognition they received.
One of the conference highlights was the outstanding showing by North Carolina's Family Medicine Interest Groups (FMIGs). All five of the state's current medical school FMIGs earned AAFP Program of Excellence honors this year:
In recognizing this year’s recipients, the AAFP praised their dedication by stating, “We applaud your efforts to promote the values and philosophy of family medicine.”
North Carolina had more nationally recognized FMIGs than any other state this year — a remarkable testament to the strength of Family Medicine education and mentorship across our state. Congratulations to these outstanding FMIGs and to the many NCAFP members who make their success possible as student leaders, faculty advisors, mentors, and champions of Family Medicine.
The conference also brought exciting news for North Carolina resident leadership: Dr. Claire Namboodri was elected Resident Chair for the 2027 AAFP FUTURE Conference! In this role, she will help plan educational programming for Family Medicine residents while representing resident perspectives on the AAFP Education Committee and in discussions at the National Congress of Family Medicine Residents.
Dr. Namboodri also serves as a Resident Delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates and as Resident Director-Elect on the NCAFP Board, continuing North Carolina’s strong tradition of leadership within the AAFP.
Congratulations to Dr. Namboodri and to all the North Carolina students, residents, faculty, and members whose accomplishments made this year's FUTURE Conference one to celebrate.
NCAFP Workforce Initiatives Manager Perry Price shares, “FUTURE continues to demonstrate that North Carolina is developing exceptional Family Medicine leaders. Seeing our students, residents, and faculty recognized on the national stage is something our entire Academy can be proud of! Investing in students today is how we build tomorrow’s family physicians.”
The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. (NCAFP) is a nonprofit professional association headquartered in Raleigh which represents over 4,300 family physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students across the state. It is the largest medical specialty association in North Carolina and is a constituent chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, based in Leadwood, KS.
