AAFP Launches Campaign to Inspire the Next Generation of Primary Care Physicians 

The U.S. is predicted to face a massive shortage of doctors who work in primary care, expected by 2036, approximately 40,000 fewer than what’s needed. To mitigate this, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has introduced a new campaign called “Be Their First.” The main aim here is to encourage more medical students to become family doctors and choose other primary care specialties.  

AAFP collaborated with another company called Zeno Group to run the campaign online, using social media, paid adverts, and influencers to spread the message to the audience. Their main focus is first-, second, and third-year medical students. 

As Rebecca Fuller Beeler, AAFP’s VP of Marketing, explained, more doctors are predicted to leave the workforce in the next 5 to 10 years. On the contrary, more people will need medical care as they age and deal with long-term health issues. Therefore, the need for primary care is growing and is expected to grow more rapidly. 

Another aim for the campaign is to clear up common misunderstandings, such as many students believe that primary care is more of a “backup” and a less important option, but Beeler disagrees. “Primary care doctors do a lot. They care for people from birth to old age,” and added, “It’s a very challenging and rewarding field. You can also work in areas like HIV prevention, sports medicine, or delivering babies.” 

The campaign also explains and shares genuine information about how much primary care doctors can earn, making it easier to repay student loans, as money is also a growing concern for students, with most students graduating with over $200,000 in debt. 

To achieve the goal of reaching more students, AAFP is also collaborating with HerCampus, a media platform supporting college women. In their collaboration, they are also offering five $5,000 scholarships to students who are willing to work in primary care. This will also help AAFP to reach students on different college campuses and provide useful resources.  

According to Beeler, this is a great match, as she says, “They know how to connect with students, and we know how to support future family doctors.” 

The campaign was launched on March 6, grabbing massive attention online. AAFP hopes for better student engagement through May. The AAFP believes that through this campaign, students might be able to see how important and rewarding a career in primary care can be.