DFM Attracts One-Third More Students at This Year’s KC Conference

The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) had one of its best years ever at the 2011 American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students, held July 30-August 1, 2011, in Kansas City.

This year, a total of 26 faculty, staff, and residents representing all of the DFM’s residency programs attended the conference. It’s a prime opportunity to recruit prospective residents and faculty, and to maintain a national presence.

The AAFP conference is “the one time of year where all the family medicine programs nationwide are together in one place,” said Michelle Grosch, statewide recruitment liaison.

“We really want to get students interested in our programs, especially those who might not have thought of Wisconsin,” she said.

Conference Slideshow

Booth, Breakfast, Faculty Presentation Draw Interest

The department color-coded its conference booth this year to help visitors better differentiate between residency programs. Each program’s color was reflected in table banners and matching shirts worn by program representatives.

“This made it clear that we have different programs within one department,” Grosch explained. “It made the booth more approachable and easier for students to navigate.”

In addition, the department hosted a complimentary “Meet and Greet” breakfast at the conference hotel. Students who had registered for the conference received a mailed invitation ahead of time; invitations were also available at the DFM’s booth.

Kathy Oriel, MD, the Madison residency program director, also presented an educational session for medical students on the residency search and interview process.

Tallying and Tracking Student Contacts

These efforts to improve the DFM’s visibility paid off. Overall, the department had 129 total student contacts at this year’s conference, including the 45 students who attended the breakfast. That’s a 37 percent increase from 2010, and a 68 percent increase from 2009.

Of the 129 students, 36 percent came from the Midwest, 24 percent from the East Coast, 16 percent from the West, and 12 percent from the South. Twelve percent were from outside the US.

Staff at each residency program are tracking these contacts, so they know who applies for residency at the DFM, who is invited for an interview, and who ultimately matches at the DFM.

“Our big job was to talk to students about our programs, and fortunately we had a lot of business this year,” Grosch said. “All the faculty, residents, and staff did great, and by tracking the outcomes, we’ll be better able to determine what works and what we should do again next year.”