School of Medicine Huntsville program honored

The UAB School of Medicine Huntsville Regional Medical Campus is one of 16 recipients of the 2011 Program of Excellence Award to Family Medicine Interest Groups from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The UAB Huntsville program won the award for a first-time applicant to the Program of Excellence, which recognizes medical schools for outstanding activities in generating interest in family medicine.

Award winners will be honored during a July 29 ceremony at the AAFP National Conference for Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students in Kansas City.

Family medicine interest groups are medical school-sponsored organizations that give students a chance to learn more about family medicine through regular meetings, workshops, leadership development opportunities and community and clinical experiences. The awards recognize these groups for their outstanding performance in community service, promoting the value of primary care, exposure to family medicine and family physicians, professional development and measures of success.

This year’s awards were the most competitive to date, with more interest groups submitting applications than ever before in the 10-year history of the awards, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.