Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping health care, but its value will depend on how thoughtfully, equitably, and responsibly it is implemented in real-world care settings.The Family Medicine AI Centers of Excellence Recognition Program is designed to support and recognize family medicine organizations that are building meaningful capacity in AI. The goal is not simply to identify leading institutions. It is to raise all boats by creating a developmental pathway, shared expectations, and a national learning network for family medicine organizations at different stages of AI readiness.The program is currently hosted on the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) website while a new independent nonprofit organization is established to serve as the program's long-term organizational home and governing body.
Related AI/ML in Medical Education Pages
Advancing AI in Family Medicine—Together
What the Program Includes
Recognition as a Center of Excellence
Organizations may apply for recognition as a Family Medicine AI Center of Excellence. Recognition will be awarded at developmental tier levels to reflect an organization’s current stage of AI maturity.The tiered recognition model is intended to support growth over time. Organizations do not need to be “fully mature” AI centers to apply. Instead, the framework is designed to acknowledge progress, identify opportunities for development, and create a pathway for continued advancement.
1-Star: Foundational AI Readiness
Essential structures and safeguards are in place to support safe, credible, and responsible AI use in family medicine.Threshold: Demonstrate 10 of 16 criteria
2-Star: Integrated AI Capability
AI work is coordinated, resourced, and embedded across family medicine functions.Threshold: 10 of 16 criteria 1-star + 12 of 19 2-star criteria
3-Star: Field-Shaping AI Leadership
AI capability is mature, influential, and contributing to advancing responsible AI practices across the field.Threshold: Demonstrate 10 of 16 1-star + 12 of 19 2-star + 6 of 9 3-star criteria
National Collaborative Network
Recognized organizations will also become part of a national collaborative network working to advance AI in primary care.The network will provide opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, mentorship, shared problem-solving, and dissemination of emerging practices. Over time, this community will help accelerate responsible AI implementation across family medicine and strengthen the field’s collective voice in shaping the future of AI in health care.
Advance Multisite Research and Innovation
Support cross-site research, stronger grant competitiveness, broader dissemination, and shared evaluation of family medicine-relevant AI work.
Strengthen Family Medicine's and Innovation
Prepare the next generation of clinicians and leaders, increasing family medicine's collective influence in shaping responsible AI priorities, partnerships, and policy.
Create Implementation Pathways
Help organizations move from interest to action by making it easier to adopt, adapt, and operationalize responsible AI in family medicine settings.
Enable Mentorship and Peer Exchange
Shorten learning curves and expand equitable access to practical expertise across organizations at different stages of AI maturity.
How to Apply for the Family Medicine AI Centers of Excellence Recognition Program
Applications are expected to open in September 2026.At that time, interested organizations will be invited to submit an application describing their current AI-related activities, infrastructure, partnerships, and more across the recognition framework domains.
Why Apply?
Recognition gives family medicine leaders a practical way to assess, strengthen, and communicate their organization’s AI capabilities. By applying your organization can:
- Benchmark its current capabilities against a national framework developed specifically for family medicine
- Identify priority gaps and next steps to guide strategy, investment, and organizational development
- Gain credible external recognition for responsible leadership and progress in AI
- Strengthen the case for institutional support by providing a clear framework for communicating needs, accomplishments, and future priorities
- Join a national network of peers for shared learning, collaboration, mentorship, and multisite opportunities
- Shape the future of AI in family medicine and ensure that the field’s values are represented as AI continues to evolve
The program is designed to create value regardless of an organization’s current level of maturity. Applicants do not need to have every capability in place; the recognition process provides a structured pathway for understanding where you are now and what to build next.
Recognition Criteria and Tiers
Recognition will be based on a developmental framework organized around core domains of AI excellence in family medicine. The core domains were defined through a national environmental scan led by STFM’s AI Task Force and summarized in an AI Playbook.The framework is designed to assess the degree to which an organization is building the structures, partnerships, safeguards, and learning systems needed to use AI responsibly and effectively.Applicants will be reviewed against tiered criteria and thresholds. These tiers reflect different stages of development and maturity.Download a .pdf of the criteria and tiers or view images below.
Eligibility, Schedule, and Cost
Eligibility
The program is intended for organizations with a meaningful connection to family medicine and an interest in advancing AI in primary care.
Eligible applicants may include:
- Family medicine divisions or departments in academic medical centers or non-academic health systems
- Primary care divisions or departments with family medicine leadership in academic medical centers or non-academic health systems
- Family medicine residency programs or sponsoring institutions
- Community health centers or primary care networks with family medicine leadership
- Research, education, or innovation centers connected to family medicine in any setting
Applicants should be able to describe current or emerging work related to AI strategy, governance, implementation, education, research, evaluation, workforce development, or clinical transformation.
Schedule
Cost to Apply
To support a high-quality review process, the Recognition Program Application fee is $1500. This is a one-time, non-refundable fee submitted with the application.
More information about recognition and renewal fees will be posted before applications open.
Informational Webinars
A series of informational webinars will be offered during the application period to help prospective applicants understand the recognition framework, eligibility expectations, application requirements, review process, and timeline.Webinar dates and registration links will be posted soon.
Grants for STFM AI Centers of Excellence Initiative
Development of the Family Medicine AI Centers of Excellence Recognition Program was supported by a grant from the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation.The May 2027 AI Centers of Excellence Summit is supported by grants from the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation.
Questions?
If you have questions, contact the applications team at the email link below.
CONTACT STAFF WITH QUESTIONS