Executive Director's Report
by Stacy H. Brungardt, CAE
Unsettled
I’ve been asked numerous times over the past year if I’m settling into the job of STFM executive director. While the question is likely meant as a conversation starter, my response is generally the same. I’m uncomfortable with the word “settling,” which implies a level of comfort or a sense of being at ease. Feeling too comfortable suggests that you aren’t stretching yourself as an individual or as an organization. It means you aren’t taking the calculated risks necessary to try new untested waters for your members. Once you get comfortable in a position, it’s time to find a new job.
I continue to believe the main challenge that STFM faces is remaining relevant, proactively and continually identifying the needs of our members and the discipline and delivering quality programs and services to meet those expectations. You can’t do that by offering the same things year after year and just fine tuning your services.
What I see as I travel to various conferences and meetings is a mix of perceptions. Some folks are extremely concerned about the economy, travel freezes, and other health care reform challenges. Others view the current climate with a sense of optimism and hope. While it’s important to acknowledge and be realistic about the challenges before us, I view family medicine through a lens of hope, opportunity, and perseverance.
My mantra to our staff has been that despite this year of uncertainty, we will be proactive in determining what will help STFM become the go-to resource for our members—improving where we can and keeping our eyes open to opportunities that may arise. Our plan is to be successful in uncertain times, not just wait them out so we can get back to normal.
How do we do this?
Our President Scott Fields, MD, has outlined in his annual report several of the initiatives that STFM has led or participated in over the past year. Much of our scholarly agenda over the past 2 years has revolved around key initiatives that are timely and meaningful to our members. For example, STFM:
• offered a workshop for implementing the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) into residencies
• is developing online cases to help students meet LCME requirements
• created a task force working to gain consensus on what the core elements of our family medicine clerkship curriculum should cover. We’ve talked for years about the need to be united as a discipline on what is core for our clerkship training, but the barriers seemed too insurmountable to address this issue. While it won’t be easy, I’m confident we’re going to be successful in this endeavor.
• redesigned our Web site to help members find the information they need quickly
• continued to develop the Family Medicine Digital Resources Library and added valuable curricular resources to this site
• developed a set of core principles to help guide the teaching and practice of behavioral science faculty in family medicine training programs
• developed an evidence-based policy agenda related to the PCMH. We need to understand what we don’t know about the PCMH and develop strategies to research these gaps in our knowledge.
• enhanced our research wiki to share tips and resources for doing family medicine research at all levels of training and expertise
• have uncovered data about our preceptors and the level to which they have become PCMHs. Before we launch into initiatives to assist our volunteer preceptors into becoming PCMHs, we need data to understand where we are and where we need to focus our efforts.
• worked with the Council of Academic Family Medicine on strategies to improve the relevance of the NBME exam for family medicine. We are making progress and will soon have a new NBME Advisory Committee to work with the NBME to write questions and provide general guidance on the exam.
The Society has new data from a member needs survey that has provided us with current information on what STFM services are important to you and what areas need our attention and resources. We are also working on leadership development initiatives to make sure we have the leaders of tomorrow well prepared to lead us into the future.
So, I’m on a quest. My goal is to remain unsettled, yet satisfied with being in this state. I’m also on the prowl for others who dislike being settled and want to work to make a difference for family medicine. I imagine these folks as future STFM leaders. I ask you to join me in this journey of learning and the discovery of excellence. If this sounds interesting to you, please let me know.
On behalf of the STFM staff, I want you to know that we think we work for the best members imaginable. It is an honor to serve you and the values you represent.