I don't know about you, but Match Day and Opening Day always bring me hope for a new and fresh team of residents and players alike! So cheers to looking forward to spring and new beginnings for opportunities and growth!

However, before we move past winter, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to each one of you for making the Winter Refresher for the Maryland Academy and Family Physicians a resounding success. It was a pleasure to see so many familiar faces and to welcome new ones.

Your engagement and enthusiasm contributed greatly to the positive atmosphere and the overall success of the event. We were also thrilled to have some of our members step forward to join our various task groups, and we warmly welcome any more volunteers who wish to get involved and make a difference. Thank you once again for your valuable participation and support. We look forward to many more successful gatherings in the future, and it’s never too early to start planning!

Along that line for success, the 2024 Match Day for family medicine was a landmark event, marking the largest class of family medicine residents in history. A total of 4,595 medical students and graduates matched into family medicine residency programs from a pool of 5,231 offered positions, reflecting a significant increase of 124 positions from 2023. In our own Maryland programs, Meritus filled 6 positions, the University of Maryland 10, MedStar Franklin Square Residency program 8, and the University of Maryland Capitol Region filled their 4 spots. While we are very proud to welcome these amazing future family physicians, it is important to point out that we are still not significantly increasing the percentage of Family Medicine physicians in the system.

Getting involved with our pathways group is crucial for fostering the growth and development of family medicine in Maryland. By contributing to this collective effort, members can play a pivotal role in brainstorming and implementing innovative ideas and strategies aimed at addressing the increasing demand for family medicine physicians in the state. This involvement not only helps to ensure that the healthcare needs of Maryland's diverse population are met but also supports the professional development of physicians by offering opportunities for networking, education, and leadership.

One last consideration as we discuss the continued need for working to increase our family medicine workforce is to maintain and engage our newest physicians in the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians. Year after year we find that new physicians graduating from residency are one of the biggest challenges to engage. It is important for our academy to continue to provide value for membership and are dedicated to doing so. If any of our members have recommendations as to how to tackle this problem, we would love to hear your input.