Blogs

At the recent American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students, I had the chance to discuss family medicine and the work of Duke Community and Family Medicine with student attendees. It became clear that the recent acceleration of population health as an approach to improve the health of communities is making its way to the lecture halls of medical schools.

These words, shared with us by a student visiting our recruiting booth, sum up what “Team Duke” did in Kansas City at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students July 30-Aug. 1.

 We are about to say farewell to an important member of our Division of Family Medicine family, Pam Terry, LPN, as she retires from the practice. Pam has established a long-lasting presence within the division through the love and kindness she continues to impart on others.

Durham, NC, is known as the “City of Medicine.” What may not be as widely known is that Japan has a “City of Medicine,” too. Durham’s “Sister City” — Toyama, Japan — also bears this designation, and it comes because the area has been known for over 300 years as a hub of sales and development for the pharmaceutical industry.

Last month, the Division of Family Medicine welcomed new residents. The 2015-2016 academic year is a milestone for us as we increase our program size from four first-year resident positions to a fifth placement.

I sat in the workroom on a busy cardiology service during the first month of my residency training, listening to the drone of distant elevator music through the phone. My fingers raced across the keyboard as I waited for a free pharmacist to answer my call.

On June 13, the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program celebrated its 2015 family medicine graduates, and also highlighted that the Duke Family Medicine Residency graduated its first class 40 years ago. And we were honored with a visit by the residency’s first program director, Lyndon Jordan, M.D.

The time has truly flown by since my fellow residents — Aaron George, DO; Jon Bonnet, M.D.; and Michele Fass, M.D. — and I entered the Duke Family Medicine Residency Program in July 2012. We now are enjoying our final month here before we go our separate ways.

On May 15, Duke Family Medicine Center received notice that we had been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) through May 13, 2018. This is the highest level recognition by the NCQA, and it is a designation that our practice has maintained continuously since 2008.

Now that spring has arrived, Duke Family Medicine Residency is preparing for a transition. Our new residency chief, Josh Lancaster, M.D., and education chief, Vanessa Solomon, DO, are learning their roles from their outgoing mentors and will bring their own talents to share.