2026 Pub. 10 Issue 1

Thank you for your service to the UAFP Board!

DISCLAIMER: This article is NOT REAL. Well, it is real in that it does exist, but it doesn’t contain factual information. It is made up for the purposes of entertainment. And isn’t that the real truth? Probably not. CORINNE, UTAH — We now join the press conference from the Denny’s Stratos Hyperscale Data Hospital of

Six years ago, we had no idea what would happen next. We wore face shields, reused masks and hoped our hospitals’ capacity would not be overwhelmed. “Zoom” became part of everyday language, and clinicians developed an elaborate mix of hand gestures and handwritten notes just to troubleshoot telehealth visits. Around that same time, we started seeing patients who had technically recovered from COVID-19 but were still exhausted, short of breath, tachycardic or cognitively foggy weeks to months later. At the time, we had few answers beyond reassurance, repeated testing and hoping symptoms would eventually improve.

It was another record-setting year for family medicine with more than 800 family medicine residencies offering 5,512 positions in the National Resident Matching Program. After the SOAP concluded, 98.6% of those positions were filled.

Congratulations to the graduating family medicine residents of 2026! We wish you all the best in your career as a family medicine physician.

UAFP hosted this fun annual event for our members and their families. Watch the Beat, UAFP’s e-newsletter, for announcements of future events!

In the first few years of life, more than one million new neural connections are formed every second, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard. The human brain doubles to 70% of adult size during the first year of life, 80% of adult size by age three and 90% by age five. During these critical stages when their brains are developing most rapidly, the stimulation children receive through everyday interactions has a significant impact on their brain architecture and can have lifelong effects on their social, emotional and intellectual well-being. It’s important for children to have safe, supportive developmental environments starting from birth — that’s where The Basics comes in.

In the summer of 2024, after my first year of medical school, I had the opportunity to attend the AAFP National Conference (now called FUTURE) in Kansas City, Missouri. My mother, originally from Missouri, had just retired from a career in family medicine. So, when I learned I had received a scholarship to travel to Kansas City to attend the conference, I called my mother to see if she might like to come, too, for old time’s sake.

Outside of medicine, my biggest hobby is spending time with my girls and husband. I love anything that will take me outdoors, particularly hiking, running and skiing. I also am happy when I’m cooking for others, especially baking.

I grew up in Woodburn, Indiana, a small town in northeast Indiana just outside of Fort Wayne. I was adopted at a young age and grew up with four other siblings who were also adopted. As a kid, I was often outside climbing trees and playing in the creek with my two older brothers. As an older child and teen, I was very active in sports and played soccer, basketball and ran track nearly year-round. I then stayed in Indiana for college and medical school (nothing beats in-state tuition!). I also studied abroad in New Zealand, which kick-started my love for the mountains, eventually influencing my decision to look out west for residency. Now, I am still quite active and enjoy nearly any activity that involves moving and being outside, like hiking, biking, running and paddleboarding. I still play soccer and have been lucky enough to meet great friends through it. Nearly my entire family is still back in Indiana though, so I fly back as often as my schedule and bank account allow.

I grew up in Los Angeles, so moving out to Utah for medical school was a bit of a change, but I have enjoyed every minute of it! I like experiencing the different seasons and getting to enjoy a few outdoor activities like hiking and pickleball with friends. Being able to see the mountains and snow from my apartment and the NoordaCOM campus is something that I miss whenever I go back to California.

The Utah Academy of Family Physicians Foundation (UAFP Foundation) is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the You Belong in Family Medicine Scholarship, a program created to bridge the gap between medical school and residency while strengthening Utah’s future family medicine workforce.

Each year, UAFP recognizes an outstanding graduating medical student from each of our three medical schools in Utah who has matched into family medicine. All three of these accomplished future family medicine physicians have shown evidence of active student leadership in family medicine activities and demonstrated evidence of superior scholastic achievement in their medical school studies, particularly in the field of family medicine.

CME and Community in Utah’s Most Stunning Settings   Southern Utah Family Medicine Conference November 13-14, 2026Rocky Vista University & Black Desert ResortIvins, UtahRegistration Open Now CME & Ski 2027 February 22-24, 2027Westgate ResortPark City, UtahRegistration Opens Aug. 1 Visit our website to secure your spot. Space is limited! Don’t miss your chance to earn

Every healthcare professional has experienced it: a conversation that becomes challenging despite the best intentions. These encounters can be emotionally taxing and difficult to resolve in the moment. Whether driven by fear, frustration, unmet expectations or clinical uncertainty, tense interactions can quickly erode trust if they are not handled thoughtfully. Yet these moments also present opportunities. With the right communication strategies, conflict can become a pathway to understanding, connection and safer care.

2026 was a highly successful legislative year for UAFP. With the passage of HB 270, non-compete clauses were eliminated from all provider contracts, representing one of the most significant and impactful changes to healthcare employment in recent years.

What a great time to be in medicine. I continue to be inspired by the strength, adaptability and commitment of family physicians across our state. Every day, in communities large and small, you provide not only medical care, but stability, trust and leadership for Utah families. At a time when healthcare continues to evolve rapidly, the role of family medicine has never been more essential.

Recently, our associate director, Barbara Muñoz, spoke with a family physician who had completed residency one to two years earlier but had not renewed their membership with UAFP. When Barbara asked why they had chosen not to rejoin, the physician responded, “I don’t like that UAFP endorses Republicans.”