Family Medicine Interest Group

The Department of Family and Community Medicine works closely with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine's Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG), which is led by Feinberg medical students.

Goals

To expose students to the interaction between primary care and the medical community
To help students gain a better understanding of determinants of health and how they can be approached from a primary care standpoint
To build awareness about the specialty of family medicine and primary care, and connect students with University and Community leaders in this area
To begin to develop the skills required to become a family medicine physician through experiential and classroom learning
To provide students with access and exposure to community health centers, and help them to understand the role they play in patient health care

FMIG Student Leaders

Julia Helena Walczak: julia.walczak@northwestern.edu
Tanvi Nayak: tanvi.nayak@northwestern.edu

FMIG Faculty Advisor

Anna Shannahan, MD, serves as the FMIG faculty advisor and is available during office hours to discuss family medicine with students.

Office Location
Department of Family and Community Medicine
710 N. Lake Shore Dr., Abbott Hall, 4th floor
Chicago, IL 60611

To Schedule An Appointment:
Contact the Department of Family Medicine at 312.503.1273 or fcm@northwestern.edu.

Connect with us and join the FMIG Listserv

Our FMIG listserv keeps interested Feinberg students updated on FMIG. To join, please email fcm@northwestern.edu. Our door is always open. We’re excited to share updates on our research, community partnerships and primary care initiatives across our residency programs in Humboldt Park, Lake Forest and Delnor.

If you would like to meet with our chair, Deborah Clements, MD, FAAFP, or any of our faculty, please reach out at 312-503-1273 or fcm@northwestern.edu. We are always happy to connect.

Family Medicine as a Career

We invite you to continue to explore family medicine as a career. Family Medicine’s national association, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), offers resources that give in‐depth knowledge about the specialty and what it means to spend your life as a family physician. For example, the webinar, “What is Family Medicine?”, spotlights a typical day as a family physician, discusses the variety of family medicine career options as well as income and lifestyle expectations.

The AAFP offers the only comprehensive residency directory that allows you to search family medicine residency programs by location, community setting, residency program type, program size, and more.

Family Medicine Opportunities

If you would like to pursue additional family medicine opportunities while in medical school, consider these national events and scholarships that can help you get more involved.

The Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation promotes excellence and dedication in students committed to a career in family medicine by providing scholarships and leadership training. This funding honors the achievements of student and resident scholars, with the hope of alleviating the growing burden of educational debt. The maximum scholarship award over four years is $28,000.

The new Pisacano Leadership Foundation Application is now available. Applications are due May 1.

AAFP FUTURE Conference

The AAFP FUTURE Conference is the premier event for medical students to learn more about family medicine, explore residency programs and connect with the family medicine community. There are great workshops and procedural skills courses to attend and opportunities to get involved in national leadership positions (Student Congress) and within IAFP (Illinois Academy of Family Physicians).

This annual conference is held in Kansas City, MO during late July or early August. There are scholarship opportunities to help fund your travel expenses to FUTURE conference listed below:

Family Medicine Leads (FM Leads) Scholarships for AAFP FUTURE Conference

The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation offers FM Leads scholarships to support future leaders in family medicine. Thanks to donor generosity, at least 250 scholarships will be awarded for FUTURE 2026, held from July 30 to Aug. 1 in Kansas City, MO.

FM Leads Scholarship Categories, Information, Requirements and Guidelines:

Emerging Leader Institute – Opens Jan. 1
Early Career Students (Rising MS/OMS 1–3) – Opens mid-February
Rising MS/OMS 4 or Resident Primary Care Champions – Opens mid-February
FMIG Leaders – Opens mid-February

Each $600 scholarship helps offset conference costs and is awarded on-site at FUTURE. Attendance is required to receive the scholarship.

Support from the Department to Attend AAFP FUTURE Conference

Students interested in family medicine are encouraged to attend FUTURE 2026. The department offers partial financial support to those who apply for all eligible FM Leads scholarships.

If you're interested, contact fcm@northwestern.edu for details. Please note that scholarships are forfeited if you do not attend the conference.