Cultivating interest in family medicine Family medicine interest group reaches undergraduate medical students

PROBLEM ADDRESSED Fewer medical students are choosing careers in family medicineacross Canada. One way to cultivate student interestis through creation of family medicine interestgroups. Students, residents, community-based familyphysicians, and academic faculty can all contribute to the success of such groups. OBJECTIVEOF PROGRAM A family medicine interestgroup provides information about the challenging and rewarding career of family medicinethrough medical students’ exposure to familyphysicians and residents. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION A group of faculty and undergraduate students combined forces to form the Family MedicineClub. Development of this group and results of evaluation of its effectiveness to date are discussed. CONCLUSION One mechanism to increase interestin primary care as a career is to initiate and foster a family medicine interestgroup that links students with familyphysicians.