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UNC School of Medicine

Family Medicine Student Resources

UNC School of Medicine students have several opportunities to learn more and gain experience in Family Medicine. Opportunities are available for participation in student programs, conferences, and professional organizations. The following are some resources related to Family Medicine.
Medical Students at Family Medicine
Back row: Noa Nessim, Zach Fisher, Allison Hollowell, Geoffrey Houtz, Bailey Allen Front row: Ashley Augustus, Megan Barnes, Christina Rizk

Updated March 2026

Henley Scholarship 

The Henley Scholarship is awarded annually to a fourth-year medical student at the University of North Carolina who intends to pursue a career in Family Medicine. The scholarship supports one year of leadership development in all aspects of Family Medicine, including clinical care, teaching, and research. The Henley Scholar is awarded $5500 to cover leadership development activities such as travel expenses, registration costs, and membership fees.

Scholars work with the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) to learn how the academy advocates for family medicine physicians across the state. The scholarship funds cover registration and travel to the NCAFP Winter Conference in Asheville. In addition, the funds cover national meetings, such as one of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine annual meetings (the conference on medical student education or the annual spring conference), and the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) annual meeting. Membership fees to these organizations will be covered. At each of these meetings, the scholar will network with residents and faculty from UNC Family Medicine as well as family physicians from across the state and country. In addition, the scholar will have faculty mentorship to submit a poster presentation to one of the above conferences. The scholar is invited to attend annual events in the UNC Department of Family Medicine, such as the Huntley lecture (March) and the Curtis and Arndt lectures (June). The scholar will have opportunities for longitudinal advocacy and research initiatives tailored to personal interests.

At the end of the year, the scholar will share their experience with the UNC Department of Family Medicine during the resident research presentations held in May.

CONFERENCE DATES*

  1. AAFP Future Conference: Thursday, July 30th through Saturday, August 1st, 2026 | Kansas City, MO -OR- NAPCRG 2026: November 20th-24th, 2026 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada *international travel dependent on budget and other conference choices 
  2. NCAFP Winter Conference: Thursday, December 9, through Sunday, December 13, 2026, Omni Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
  3. STFM Conference on Medical Student Education: February 5th through February 7th, 2027 | Anaheim, California -OR- STFM Annual Spring Conference: April 30th-May 5th, 2027 | Chicago, Illinois

*if the scholar has a conflict with one of these conferences, an alternative conference can be identified

Application Requirements:

To be considered for the Henley Leadership Scholar in Family Medicine award, applicants must:

  • Be a rising fourth year medical student
  • Demonstrate a strong interest in Family Medicine as a career path.
  • Provide their definition of leadership.
  • Share their expectations and goals for learning from this scholarship if selected.

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit the following documents to Kayla Bonnell (kayla_bonnell@med.unc.edu) by May 15th, 2026. 

  1. Resume or CV outlining your academic and extracurricular achievements.
    1. A personal statement addressing the following questions (maximum 2 pages):
    • What is your definition of leadership?
    • What interests you most about Family Medicine as a career?
    • What do you hope to learn from this scholarship if you are selected?

Deadline for Submissions:

All applications must be submitted by May 15th, 2026. Applicants will be notified by May 22nd, 2026, for potential interviews with selection being announced May 29th, 2026.

Contact Information:

For inquiries or submission details, please contact Kayla Bonnell at kayla_bonnell@med.unc.edu  

Don’t miss this chance to advance your career in Family Medicine and develop essential leadership skills. Apply for the Henley Leadership position today!

 

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation (PLF) is excited to announce that the 2026 scholarship application is now available! This year, the application and selection process has been significantly revised to better align with our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

About the Scholarship:

  • Purpose: To advance family medicine by supporting well-educated, community-minded leaders in primary care.
  • Eligibility: Medical students entering their fourth year in fall 2026 who are committed to family medicine.
  • Benefits: Up to 10 scholarships valued at $28,000 each for the 2026-2027 academic year, awarded over four years. Scholars will also receive educational programs, networking opportunities, leadership training, and financial support.
  • Expectations: Scholars must attend annual leadership skills development symposia organized by PLF.

Application Deadline: May 1, 2026

For more details and to apply, visit www.pisacano.org . If you have any questions, please contact Jane Ireland at jireland@theabfm.org.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to further your career in family medicine!

 

Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS)

The applications cycle for the 2026 Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS) program are open! You can access further information and the application here.

This program was established by the General Assembly to provide financial assistance to qualified students enrolled in an approved education program and committed to working in critical employment shortage professions in North Carolina. This program provides up to $25,000 per year of forgivable loans, and you can apply for it each year you’re in medical school for a total of $100,000. Generally, a loan for one academic year will be forgiven for one year of full-time employment (post-residency) and recipients cannot receive FELS funding concurrently with other state-funded loans.

Eligibility requirements (per the website linked):

  1. Be a legal North Carolina resident and NC resident for tuition purposes.
  2. Recipients must not be in default, or does not owe a refund, under any federal or State loan or grant program.
  3. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to the enrolling policy of the institution.
  4. Be willing to work in NC in a designated critical employment shortage profession.
  5. Must plan to enroll at least part-time in a FELS Approved Program at a FELS Eligible Institution

The application is due by March 1st. Applications will be entered into a lottery for award consideration (per the website linked).

 

 

 

Community Health Training Program

The Community Health Training Program is a UNC School of Medicine partnership that has grown from the pre-existing accelerated FIRST Program and the Kenan Rural Scholars Program. Leadership from FIRST and Kenan recognized the opportunity for collaboration and the creation of a dedicated program experience for students with shared interests, including a commitment to the state of North Carolina and the desire to work within Primary Care. Through the combination of these two programs, the program aims to increase the cohort-based experience, streamline curricular opportunities, and better leverage our community partners with rural clinics and hospitals, while also enriching the curricular experience for this selection of University of North Carolina School of Medicine students. Select here to read more. 

CAMPOSComprehensive Advanced Medical Program of Spanish (CAMPOS)

CAMPOS is an enrichment program offered to entering students who have intermediate to advanced Spanish fluency. It is designed to run concurrently with the traditional curriculum. The goal of CAMPOS is to graduate more students who can independently care for the increasing number Latino patients in North Carolina. Read more here.

SHACStudent Health Action Coalition

UNC’s Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) coordinates the community service efforts of health science students from the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Public Health, and the School of Social Work. Read more here. 

 

 

North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians

The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) is the state’s largest specialty medical association, with a membership of over 4,000 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students. The NCAFP is a federated chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians and was originally chartered in 1948. Membership if FREE for students and when you join the AAFP, you automatically become an member of the State Chapter.  The NCAFP is committed to the future of primary care in North Carolina and offers several family medicine experiences, funding opportunities, and more to medical student members. Select here to read more. 

AAFPAmerican Academy of Family Physicians

The American Academy of Family Physicians is one of the largest national medical organizations, representing more than 100,300 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students nationwide. Founded in 1947, its mission has been to preserve and promote the science and art of Family Medicine and to ensure high-quality, cost-effective health care for patients of all ages. Read more here. 

STFMSociety of Teachers of Family Medicine

The Society was founded in 1967 to respond to the needs of family medicine educators. Membership of nearly 5,000 teachers of family medicine. These teachers include medical school professors, preceptors, residency program faculty, residency program directors and all involved in family medicine education. Read more here. 

NAPCRGNorth American Primary Care Research Group

The North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) is a multidisciplinary organization for primary care researchers. Founded in 1972 and oriented to family medicine, NAPCRG welcomes members from all primary care generalist disciplines and related fields, including epidemiology, behavioral sciences, and health services research. Read more here.

Robert Graham CenterThe Robert Graham Center: Policy Studies in Family Practice and Primary Care

The Robert Graham Center exists to improve individual and population health by enhancing the delivery of primary care. Read more here. 

ACUAssociation of Clinicians for the Underserved

ACU is a nonprofit, transdisciplinary organization of clinicians, advocates and health care organizations united in a common mission to improve the health of America’s underserved populations and to enhance the development and support of the health care clinicians serving these populations. Read more here.