Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians

06/25/2026

Yesterday, MAFP CEO Maria Huntley, CAE, MAM, & COO Jami Burbidge, CAE, MAM, spent time with family physician leaders in Central MN, including a visit with University of Minnesota Medical School CentraCare St. Cloud Regional Campus Dean Chris Fallert, MD.

The campus, which welcomed its first class in 2025, is helping prepare future physicians to serve Greater MN communities.

They also stopped to see Mark Halstrom, MD, & his growing practice in Sartell (Integracare Clinics).

Thank you to Drs. Fallert & Halstrom, & our members across Central MN, for sharing your time + perspectives. These conversations help us better understand the opportunities + challenges facing family physicians across the state.

06/24/2026

🛑 Deadline to book lodging at Grand View Lodge is TODAY (June 24)!

Summer CME sessions wrap up by early afternoon, leaving plenty of time to relax, connect with colleagues or enjoy all that Grand View Lodge has to offer.

Located on scenic Gull Lake in the Brainerd Lakes area, the resort features golf, walking + biking trails, lake activities, dining options, a full-service spa & family-friendly amenities — making it easy to turn your CME trip into a relaxing summer getaway.

06/23/2026

Direct primary care (DPC) is gaining momentum. Whether you're currently practicing in a DPC model, interested in exploring it or simply curious about what it could mean for the future of your practice, let's talk about it!

Join us for a Community Conversation on Direct Primary Care:

🗓️ July 15, 2026, ⏰ 7:30–8:30 p.m. CDT, 💻 Online

Connect with colleagues. Share your perspective. Help shape how the MAFP supports family physicians in this evolving model.

➡️ Open to MAFP members only. No cost to attend.

Register at mafp.org/event/2026-community-conversation-for-minnesota-family-physicians-jul-15

06/23/2026

06/22/2026

🛶 Join us August 10-11 at the historic Grand View Lodge for MAFP Summer CME.

Spend your mornings learning about new hypertension guidelines, OB care updates, autism + neurodevelopmental differences, AI + mental health & more.

Then enjoy afternoons to recharge, connect with colleagues, participate in the Care of Women KSA or explore the Brainerd Lakes Area.

⏰ Book lodging by June 24 — rooms in the MAFP block are limited.

Learn more + register: mafp.org/summer26

06/20/2026

One of the greatest privileges of our work is gathering with family physicians in communities across MN to hear directly about the challenges, opportunities + innovations impacting family medicine.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Duluth on Thursday for our Regional Meetup. We appreciated the thoughtful conversations & the chance to learn from local innovators who are reimagining primary care delivery.

The insights shared at these meetups help ensure that the MAFP's advocacy, programs + priorities reflect the experiences, perspectives + needs of family physicians across our state.

📍 Next stop: Alexandria (June 24) — mafp.org/event/2026-regional-meetup-alexandria

( University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus )

06/18/2026

Today, MAFP CEO Maria Huntley, CAE, MAM, visited Amity Creek Primary Care in Duluth, a new direct primary care (DPC) clinic founded by family physicians Nyasha Spears, MD, & Kristin Lusian, DO.

DPC is a practice model that emphasizes a direct relationship between patients & physicians through a recurring membership fee, often allowing for enhanced access, longer visits + more personalized care.

We ❤️ opportunities to see where our members practice & learn how they're meeting the needs of their communities.

👏 Congrats to Drs. Spears + Lusian on this new chapter!

06/18/2026

What's changed in the latest high blood pressure guidelines — & what does it mean for your patients?

Catherine Benziger, MD, MPH (Essentia Health), shares a preview of her Summer CME presentation.

Join us August 10-11 at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa for 2 days of education, connection + practical takeaways for family physicians.

Reserve your room by June 24: mafp.org/summer26

06/17/2026

🎉 A warm welcome to MN's newest family medicine residents!

Last night, residents from across the state gathered at Urban Growler Brewing Company for our 2026 New Resident Welcome Event.

Special thanks to these MAFP leaders:
🌟 Andrew Slattengren, DO, FAAFP (MAFP Foundation Director + Past President)
🌟 M. Reza Chaudhry, MD (Outgoing Resident Director)
🌟 Sumaiyya Mohiuddin, MBBS (Incoming Resident Director)

We're excited to support the new residents throughout their training & beyond. From leadership & advocacy to networking, grants + professional development, we look forward to helping them build connections, find their voice + shape the future of family medicine in MN.

🤝 We're grateful to our event partners — CentraCare , Essentia Health + Voyage Healthcare — for helping make the evening possible!

( UMN Family Medicine and Community Health United Family Medicine Residency )

06/17/2026

🩺 MN family medicine was well represented on Capitol Hill this week at the Family Medicine Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C.

Our MN delegation — including MAFP leaders, resident physicians, med students + staff — joined more than 300 family physicians from across the country to advocate for policies that strengthen primary care & improve patient access to care.

⚖️ Today, delegation members met directly with MN's congressional offices to share stories from their practices, training experiences & communities while advocating for:

• Improved oversight + accountability for Medicare Advantage plans.
• Modernized visa pathways to help address physician workforce shortages.
• Better access to chronic care management services for Medicare beneficiaries.

🙌 We're especially grateful to the MAFP Foundation for providing financial support that made it possible for resident physicians + med students to participate in this important advocacy experience.

Family medicine voices matter — 📣 MN showed up!

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), UMN Family Medicine and Community Health