News

With the University of Washington officially welcoming first-year medical students to campus, the Spokesman-Review used the opportunity to explore what residency in Spokane might look like once those new students graduate. The article notes the 2024 reduction in family medicine and transitional residency slots in Spokane, as well as the elimination of the sports medicine…

The Office of Health Professions within the Washington State Department of Health announced that licenses, certificates, and renewal notices are now fully digital. Paper certificates and renewals will no longer be mailed; instead, renewal notices will be emailed so long as licensees have a registered email with DOH. A self-service portal (the Healthcare Enforcement and…

AAFP has launched its Advocacy Ambassadors program to link members with congressional leaders and elected officials who support the priorities of family medicine and champion legislation and policy that supports family medicine. As an Advocacy Ambassador, you are part of AAFP’s grassroots advocacy efforts that complement the Academy’s formal lobbying. And AAFP sets you up…

STEVENSON — Sonal Patel, MD, MPH, was installed as president of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians at its annual House of Delegates meeting at Skamania Lodge on April 25. Patel, from Mercer Island, previously served as the Academy’s secretary-treasurer is also a former president of the King County Academy of Family Physicians. She earned…

Allopathic and osteopathic family physicians working in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) can now apply for loan repayment assistance through the federal Health Resources & Services Administration. The FY25 application is open through Thursday, May 1, at 4:30 p.m. Pacific. There are three loan repayment programs, and the HRSA website explains the differences between…

Though Match Day 2025 is in the rearview mirror, there are many other medical students looking ahead to their own Match Day. If you’re one of them, AAFP has you covered. On April 22, the Academy is hosting “We Matched, You Can, Too“, a webinar with four soon-to-be interns. They’ll walk attendees through their own…

When WAFP’s House of Delegates convenes in late April, a key aspect of the House’s work is deciding how (or even whether) to implement policy proposals submitted by WAFP members. These proposals, or resolutions, will direct Academy resources and effort toward discrete issues affecting family medicine in Washington. And starting today, all WAFP members are…

This post has been updated to correct the date of the event. The Idaho, Oregon, and Washington chapters of the American Academy of Family Physicians are teaming up to host an opioid summit in Walla Walla on June 20-21. Registration is now open! But don’t wait, as space is limited. The program begins mid-day on…

With support from the Washington State Legislature and the Washington State Health Care Authority, the Washington Society of Addiction Medicine has launched the YesWeCan listserv. The listserv offers peer support to those providing care to individuals with substance use disorder. Clinicians can use the listserv to address questions related to opioid withdrawal, initiation of MOUD,…

The National Institute of Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation will host a webinar on Feb. 25 with sessions on future payment models, innovative care management methods, and increasing access to primary care. The webinar begins at 9:30 a.m. Pacific. The schedule is as follows: If you’re interested, register here.