Photo: Bryan Goodchild
The Department of Family Medicine & Community Health at UMass Chan Medical School is marking a major milestone on Saturday, March 15, observing its 50th anniversary and highlighting its contributions to national and local leadership in family medicine education and patient-centered primary care.
“The focus of the 50th anniversary event is to recognize and celebrate the role of family medicine in health and health justice, particularly in this region, as well as to look forward to the future of family medicine in the region,” said Diane McKee, MD, the UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family and Community Medicine and chair and professor of family medicine & community health.
The department was the first of its kind in New England and a founding department at the Medical School.
“We want the right doctors in family medicine providing the care that people need. These students see the role models in our department making patient care and commitment for underserved patients visible.”
Since 1974, 632 UMass Chan medical students have graduated from the family medicine program, about 13 percent of all graduates. Notably, of the more than 2,500 active licensed family physicians in Massachusetts, one in five completed their medical education at UMass Chan.
“UMass Chan admits students who are committed to good, quality patient care,” said Linda Cragin, MS, instructor in family medicine & community health and director of the Massachusetts Area Health Education Center Network. “We want the right doctors in family medicine providing the care that people need. These students see the role models in our department making patient care and commitment for underserved patients visible.”
Tracy Kedian, MD’96, associate dean for admissions for the T.H. Chan School of Medicine and professor of family medicine & community health, completed her residency training in the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health.
“The values of the institution are demonstrated by the support of extensive community engagement and support for students from a diverse set of backgrounds,” said Dr. Kedian. “These values are consistent with family medicine practice. Students who come to UMass Chan because they are looking for that type of experience are potentially great fits for family medicine.”
Since 2012, 175 UMass Chan graduates have matched into a family medicine residency program, with the highest numbers coming in 2019 (20) and 2024 (23). At the upcoming match in March, another 15 graduating medical students hope to match in a family medicine residency program.
“You have to be a little bit brave to choose family medicine because there’s a huge amount of content that you have to be prepared to learn and use and apply,” said Patricia Seymour, MD’07, associate professor of family medicine & community health. “You need to believe in the mission to care for everybody who walks in your door beyond your need to be recognized for it.”
Dr. Seymour also completed her residency training in family medicine & community health at UMass Chan and said the residency curriculum provided a broad understanding of medicine and essential interpersonal skills, which she uses daily in her career.
“I have interacted with this department as a student, as a resident, as a junior attending and now as an educational leader in the institution. In family medicine, you can take care of everybody. That option really appealed to me, and I think my training prepared me to be ready for everything,” Seymour said.
The 50th anniversary celebration, UMass Family Medicine at 50: Staying Focused on Access, Equity and Justice, will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, at the Massachusetts Medical Society in Waltham. For more information, contact Linda Cragin at Linda.Cragin@umassmed.edu.
