In 2014, program directors across California formally organized as the CAFP Residency Network (CRN) to better promote collegiality, joint advocacy and the sharing of ideas. Now, with more than 70 family medicine residency programs, this collaboration and unity is more important than ever.
Since its formation, the CRN has been instrumental in protecting Song-Brown funding, expanding CalMedForce dollars, and ensuring the needs of programs are understood by regulators and agencies.The CRN also remains dedicated to advancing family medicine through faculty development, scholarly activity, innovative curriculum and continued advocacy, including strategy related to federal GME reform.
The CAFP Residency Network (CRN) is an engaged group of family medicine residency leaders and educators advocating for the statewide advancement of family medicine through leadership development, improvement of resident education, faculty and pipeline development, promotion of wellness within the specialty, collaborative interdisciplinary innovation, continuous curricular improvement and legislative engagement.
October 15, 2021
Due to the ongoing uncertainty presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, with physical distancing continuing to drive virtual interviews and online visits, post-interview contacts might be a necessary part of the 2021-22 interview season. We, California’s Family Medicine Program Directors, pledge to follow the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP) guidelines to “not solicit or require post-interview communication for the purposes of influencing applicants’ ranking preferences nor to promote misleading communication to applicants about ranking intentions” prior to Match Day. We offer this commitment in an effort to help medical students make the best decisions possible as they interview and select potential residency programs.
This declaration is an expression of our belief in the values of professionalism and fairness in support of the residency matching process in family medicine. We also do this in support of the tenets of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, Society for Teachers of Family Medicine, Association of Departments of Family Medicine, AAFP and ACOFP, and National Residency Matching Program.
We support medical students in their objective of obtaining a position at their preferred residency. We understand that communication from program directors may be misinterpreted by some applicants as an indication that the applicant will be ranked to match. Each applicant interviewed by the program should be informed that a lack of communication from the Program Director does not mean they are not sought after, but rather as our attempt to support the mission of the Match to create a process that is fair.
We support each other and all California Residency Programs in our commitment to provide a learning environment that is professional, fair and supportive to all students interested in family medicine in the state of California.
Sincerely,
Members of the California Academy of Family Physicians Residency Network
