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Melika Behrooz

Melika Behrooz is a medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (New Jersey). She is a 2025 recipient of a STFM Foundation Medical Student Scholarship.

Melika's Family Medicine Story

I was originally born in Tehran, Iran, but moved to Jersey City, NJ, just before kindergarten and have lived there ever since (minus 4 years of undergraduate college). Even now, I commute to Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine from my own apartment in Jersey City!

I lived a few blocks from a community hospital and first volunteered there in high school. I was pre-med curious so I stuck with the pre-med track throughout college, and pursued things I enjoyed in research, public health, and urban studies. I graduated in 2017 from Barnard College and worked in clinical research at Mount Sinai and Columbia while I took (and retook) the MCAT and applied to medical school. I did not have any family members in medicine, so the years I spent in hospitals and with patients exploring my interests meant that once I was finally accepted to Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in 2021, I was sure of my decision, and even on the most difficult days I was grateful to be there, because I knew I did not want to pursue anything else.

I would love to practice in my hometown of Jersey City, NJ. I will of course have to see where my career takes me, but I generally would like to end up in a community similar to the one that raised me, with diverse immigrant populations and working class families I can help take care of.

As I mentioned above, I did not have physicians in my own family. I was lucky to have a mentor at my school teach me about the conference, and recommend that I apply after learning about my interests. I'm so grateful to have gotten the STFM Foundation Medical Student Scholarship. I think having the chance to attend the 2025 STFM Conference on Medical Student Education will open the possibilities of what I imagine doing with my career even further.

I am 110% sold on going into family medicine. I have a strong interest in academic medicine as well, I think my decision will largely be impacted by the job market and whether I have the opportunities to do both in the near future, or at different stages of my career.

I am looking forward to connecting with the other student scholarship recipients at the 2025 STFM Conference on Medical Student Education. I know they will be an impressive group of future doctors and it will be incredible to look back on this conference when we are all in the future stages of our careers. My goal is to also learn directly from family physicians who have chosen Academic Family Medicine to be a part of their careers, and understand how they ended up on that path, and what opportunities there are for me to do the same.

Contribute to the Creation of the Next STFM Story

Transforming the future of family medicine would not be possible without the generosity of countless STFM members and supporters. Through both member and departmental donations, the STFM Foundation is able to support the pipeline for academic family medicine. 

Help transform the future of academic family medicine by donating to the STFM Foundation. If you have questions about the STFM Foundation, contact Mindy Householder at (800) 274-7928 or mhouseholder@stfm.org.

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How You Can Help: Transforming the future of family medicine would not be possible without the generosity of countless STFM members and supporters. Through both member and departmental donations, the STFM Foundation is able to support STFM's priority to develop the pipeline for academic family medicine. To transform the future of academic family medicine, donate to the STFM Foundation or contact Mindy Householder at 800.274.7928 or mhouseholder@stfm.org.

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Tips for Using STFM's AI Assistant

STFM's AI Assistant is designed to help you find information and answers about Family Medicine education. While it's a powerful tool, getting the best results depends on how you phrase your questions. Here's how to make the most of your interactions:

1. Avoid Ambiguous Language

Be Clear and Specific: Use precise terms and avoid vague words like "it" or "that" without clear references.

Example:
Instead of: "Can you help me with that?"
Try: "Can you help me update our Family Medicine clerkship curriculum?"
Why this is important: Ambiguous language can confuse the AI, leading to irrelevant or unclear responses. Clear references help the chatbot understand exactly what you're asking.

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Try: "I'm a new program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship. What STFM resources are available to help me design or update clerkship curricula?"
Why this is better: Providing details about your role ("program coordinator") and your goal ("design or update clerkship curricula") gives the chatbot enough context to offer more targeted information.

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Provide Necessary Details:The STFM AI Assistant has been trained on STFM's business and resources. The AI can only use the information you provide or that it has been trained on.

Example:
Instead of: "How can I improve my program?"
Try: "As a program coordinator for a Family Medicine clerkship, what resources does STFM provide to help me improve student engagement and learning outcomes?"
Why this is important: Including relevant details helps the AI understand your specific situation, leading to more accurate and useful responses.

4. Reset if You Change Topics

Clear Chat History When Switching Topics:

If you move to a completely new topic and the chatbot doesn't recognize the change, click the Clear Chat History button and restate your question.
Note: Clearing your chat history removes all previous context from the chatbot's memory.
Why this is important: Resetting ensures the AI does not carry over irrelevant information, which could lead to confusion or inaccurate answers.

5. Provide Enough Context

Include Background Information: The more context you provide, the better the chatbot can understand and respond to your question.

Example:
Instead of: "What are the best practices?"
Try: "In the context of Family Medicine education, what are the best practices for integrating clinical simulations into the curriculum?"
Why this is important: Specific goals, constraints, or preferences allow the AI to tailor its responses to your unique needs.

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Break Down Complex Queries: If you have multiple questions, ask them separately.

Example:
Instead of: "What are the requirements for faculty development, how do I register for conferences, and what grants are available?"
Try: Start with "What are the faculty development requirements for Family Medicine educators?" Then follow up with your other questions after receiving the response.
Why this is important: This approach ensures each question gets full attention and a complete answer.

Examples of Good vs. Bad Prompts

Bad Prompt

"What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's bad: The AI Chat Assistant has no information about your background or needs.

Good Prompt

"I'm the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at a major university, and I plan to retire next year. I'd like to stay involved with Family Medicine education. What type of membership is best for me?"

Why it's good: The AI Chat Assistant knows your role, your future plans, and your interest in staying involved, enabling it to provide more relevant advice.

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