November 16, 2020

Implicit biases are the unconscious associations individuals form in response to social conditioning and audiovisual cues.

As a child growing up in Gainesville, Florida, Marlin Christianson loved to fish. On one occasion, young Marlin caught a fish and went about cleaning it for the family to enjoy for dinner. His father noticed his skill at what some might consider a fairly gruesome task and commented, “You know what, you seem pretty comfortable doing that. You should be a doctor!”

Community Health Workers have been a valuable addition to primary care clinicians and care teams.

A2018 report from Utah Health Policy Project stated, “Leaders ranging from healthcare to government, have pointed to the CHW workforce as the next step forward in the quest to improve the quality and efficiency of the U.S. health system in general, and for the role they can play in reaching underserved population groups, and ultimately increasing health equity and decreasing/eliminating disparities.”

Originally scheduled to meet in Chicago, delegates and state chapter staff ended up safely joining the AAFP Congress of Delegates virtually this year. At each Congress of Delegates (COD), resolutions are presented by each state chapter, debated during reference committees, and voted on during general session meetings. Due to the virtual format, states were limited to submitting no more than two exigent resolutions each. Delegates also voted to elect the new leadership of AAFP.

First, a little bit about Serena
I moved to Cottonwood Heights, Utah, from Houston, Texas, just before third grade. I was (and am) a spirited but shy kid who ruminated a lot on Halloween costumes. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from China for graduate school before I was born, and I have one younger brother, Everest, who currently works as a consultant in Washington, D.C. I attended Skyline High School and did my undergrad at WashU in St. Louis. My primary interests outside medicine are fine arts and humanities, food (specifically charcuterie and picnic dining), and, like all good Utahns, the outdoors.

It All Started With Hay Fever (From Actual Hay)
Dr. Spencer Nielson grew up in a small town, Leamington, Utah, which is located halfway between Nephi and Delta. Spencer grew up on and worked on an alfalfa farm.

To start, can you tell us about your life (where you grew up, went to school, etc.) and your journey to practicing family
medicine?

This year’s Annual Member Meeting, typically held in May, was postponed until September and held virtually for the first time. Despite the delay and change in format, we knew it was important to have our meeting, hear from our leadership, and showcase our award winners and successes of the previous year. Now more than ever, we need to celebrate and honor the work of our UAFP members.

After a year of unprecedented political divide and health challenges, it is important to remember that Utah’s family physicians are the backbone of the state’s health care system; we strongly stand together taking care of our fellow Utahns.