Local Chapter Story featuring Ann-Gelle Carter, MD
Ann-Gelle Carter, MD, completed her medical school training in Chicago and was very active in the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Student National Medical Association. When Dr. Carter relocated to California for her residency training, she longed to be professionally and socially connected during her intern year. Dr. Carter decided to dig into her local chapter, Tulare, where she found there was neither a current chapter president nor organized local engagement.
Dr. Carter felt disconnected in a new state, so she was determined to get involved. Eager for mentorship, Dr. Carter reached out to her former program director, who encouraged her to look for alternative ways to get involved with CAFP at the state level. Dr. Carter attended the 2019 Student and FM Resident Summit in Los Angeles, which inspired her to apply for a leadership position within CAFP. Dr. Carter was selected as a resident representative of the Member Engagement Committee (MEC).
Over the past year and a half, being a MEC member has been a breath of fresh air for Dr. Carter. She continues to find ways to connect and find joy in participation, such as participating in local community outreach activities, volunteering to perform free high school physicals annually, and attending enrichment opportunities such as the Family Medicine Expo (FMX) and the CAFP Chief Resident Workshops.
Dr. Carter would enjoy seeing a local chapter resurrection in Tulare County and is eager to help manifest that. While this is a challenge due to the limited number of family medicine physicians in the area, along with the challenges of navigating the current COVID-19 pandemic, she is committed to it as a long-term goal. She would love to inspire the next generation to continue to seek opportunities to connect, even if they may not currently exist in traditional ways.
If you are interested in helping to resurrect an active local Tulare chapter, please email cafp@familydocs.org. CAFP will provide support and connections to colleagues who share this goal.
