
Advertise on podcast: Family Docs
Rating
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This podcast has
29 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
California AFPExplicit
No
Date created
2023/03/01
Latest episode
2026/10/01
Average duration
40 min.
Release period
35 days
Description
A family medicine podcast from the California Academy of Family Physicians. For more information, visit www.familydocs.org/podcast.
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Conversation with Dr. Shruti Javali & Dr. Adnaan Edun
2026/10/01
On this episode, Dr. Rob Assibey and Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea speak with Dr. Shruti Javali and Dr. Adnaan Edun in a special on-site recording at Family Medicine POP! in San Diego. They discuss how Dr. Javali and Dr. Edun met, their passion for global health and rural medicine, and their advice on getting involved with CAFP and AAFP.
Guests:
Shruti Javali, MD is a board-certified family physician, Program Director, and Medical Director with Adventist Health Hanford Family Medicine Residency in California's Central Valley. Shruti is passionate about graduate medical education, underserved care, and global health, and is especially interested in supporting the next generation of family physicians. She serves as District 6 Director on the California Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors and is Immediate Past President of the Fresno-Kings-Madera Chapter of CAFP. Shruti completed residency in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside her husband, Adnaan, and their shared interests in service, travel, and global health have remained an important part of both their personal and professional lives. Adnaan Edun, MD is a board-certified family physician, Medical Director, and core faculty member with Adventist Health Tulare Family Medicine Residency in California's Central Valley. Adnaan's work centers on comprehensive primary care, long-term patient relationships, and caring for rural and underserved communities. He is President of the Tulare Chapter of the California Academy of Family Physicians and serves as District 5 Alternate Director on the CAFP Board of Directors. Adnaan has a longstanding interest in global health and has participated in medical work in Peru, Guatemala, and Kenya. He completed residency in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside Shruti, and has also developed a strong interest in physician autonomy, sustainable primary care, and Direct Primary Care. Resources:
New Physician Toolkit - https://www.familydocs.org/nptoolkit AAFP Global Health resources Global Health Summit, Kansas City, MO - Thursday, April 15, and Friday, April 16, 2027 as part of the AAFP Leadership Conference events. Questions? [email protected] CAFP Member Engagement Interest Form – (Committee interest and more ways to engage with CAFP) Upcoming CAFP & Local Chapter Events - https://www.familydocs.org/events Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
JEDI Committee Focus Groups
2026/09/25
On this episode, Dr. Rob Assibey and Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea speak with Dr. Andrea Banuelos Mota and Dr. Michael Core about their work with CAFP's JEDI Committee and their work with the Latine Focus Groups. They also discuss Dr. Banuelos Mota's leadership journey at CAFP and Dr. Core's work with CAFP & AAFP as well as a participant in the focus groups. Find out more about what the committee is doing and CAFP's opportunities for latine family physicians!
Guests:
Andrea Banuelos Mota, MD, MPH is a Family Physician practicing in Southern California at Kaiser Permanente in Mission Hills. Dr. Banuelos Mota is a Los Angeles area native and was raised in the East San Fernando Valley. Dr. Banuelos Mota is the daughter of Mexican immigrants whose father was a gardener and mother a housecleaner. Growing up with limited resources, and in an underserved household, shaped her perspective on advocating for the underserved.
Dr. Banuelos Mota obtained her bachelor's degree in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She then worked in the non-profit field for several years while she completed her pre-medical requirements at the California State University, Northridge. Andrea obtained her Doctor of Medicine and Master's in Public Health degrees from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. And her completed her residency at the UCLA Santa Monica Family Medicine Residency.
Aside from a career providing primary care to diverse patients Andrea plans on dedicating her career to increasing the number of minority physicians. She also plans on engaging in efforts dedicated towards payment reform in primary care to make primary care more sustainable and efficient for both physicians and patients. Dr. Banuelos Mota is excited to remain engaged in the CAFP throughout her career. Outside of work, Dr. Banuelos Mota enjoys spending weekends with her family, including her husband, two children and mom. Michael Core, MD was born and raised in East Los Angeles. Dr. Core's mission is to empower economically oppressed communities through the practice of medicine. Dr. Core's career remains rooted in serving his community, practicing across the spectrum of safety net settings in Los Angeles County: county health system, FQHCs, educational and private non-profit medical groups. Dr. Core currently serves as a Regional Medical Director for AltaMed Health Services, the nation's largest Federally Qualified Health Center, for their Metro and South Los Angeles regions. In this role, Dr. Core helps oversee clinical operations, finances and quality to a medically and socially complex patient population. Prior to joining AltaMed, Dr. Core served as a Regional Medical Director for Healthcare In Action, a private non-profit Street Medicine medical group, delivering compassionate, patient-led care to people experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles. Outside of his clinical roles Dr. Core serves on the American Academy of Family Physician (AAFP) Commission for Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness in Family Medicine; working collaboratively to ensure the work of the AAFP is carried on with a DEI and antiracism lens to help close health disparities. As a member of the LAAFP, Dr. Core has served as a delegate at CAFP's AMAM and has lobbied his legislators at the annual Lobby Day. Outside of work Dr. Core lives in Long Beach with his wife (for whom he could not have accomplished all that he has) and two sons enjoying gardening, beach life, traveling and baking apple pies.
Resources:
CAFP's JEDI Committee page - https://www.familydocs.org/jedi CFP Magazine articles from the JEDI Committee Fall 2026 - Focus Group Findings Fall 2025 - JEDI Committee Focuses on Latine Family Physicians Summer 2024 - CAFP Focuses on JEDI Work Everyone Project - https://www.aafp.org/clinical-insights/center-for-diversity-health-equity-and-global-health/the-everyone-project CAFP's Member Engagement Interest Form - Sign up to be on a committee here: https://www.tfaforms.com/4999682 AAFP Commissions page - https://www.aafp.org/about/leadership/commissions Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Correctional Medicine with Drs. Hal Grotke, Adia Scrubb, and Tricia Bautista
2026/06/26
On this episode of the Family Docs Podcast, Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea speaks with Dr. Hal Grotke, Dr. Adia Scrubb, and Dr. Tricia Bautista on correctional medicine. This is a part of family medicine where some of the most vulnerable, overlooked and complex patients in our healthcare system receive care. It's work that requires not just strong clinical skills, but incredibly deep empathy, resilience, and a commitment to justice and healing. We are so thankful and incredibly honored to be joined by three absolutely extraordinary family physicians who live this work every day. Each of them brings a different lens: clinical, policy, advocacy, and trauma informed care. Together, they provide a perspective on correctional medicine that every family physician absolutely deserves to hear.
Guests:
Hal Grotke, MD, FAAFP
I'm a 28 year CAFP member since my second year of medical school. I was widowed nine years ago but I am happily married again. I'm a disabled Navy veteran from Operation Desert Storm. I love going for long walks in the mountains with my wife and our dog.
Adia Scrubb, MD, MPP
Adia Scrubb, MD, MPP grew up in Oakland, California and currently practices at the California Medical Facility in Solano County. Dr.Scrubb received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine/ PRIME Program at UCLA and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and completed residency at John Muir Health. Her participation in the CAFP Susan Hogeland CAE Health Policy Fellowship helped her continue policy and advocacy work which included serving on the California Surgeon General's ACEsAware clinical implementation committee, joining the Family Medicine Initiative in Trauma Informed Care (FIT) team, as well as the CAFP JEDI Committee.
Tricia Bautista, MD, FASAM
Tricia Bautista, MD, FASAM is a native Southern Californian who trained in family medicine at Adventist Health Hanford and pursued an addiction medicine fellowship at Montefiore/Albert Einstein. While a resident, she served on the CAFP Foundation's Student/Resident Council, was an active member of the Kings-Fresno-Madera chapter and advocated for substance use-related issues that have been formally adopted into CAFP policy. During her training in Bronx, NY, she was exposed to correctional medicine and now serves as the Director of Addiction Medicine for one of the nation's largest correctional health services, primarily caring for incarcerated individuals in NYC jails (aka "Rikers Island") and providing transitional primary care upon re-entry within NYC Health + Hospitals.
Resources:
California Family Physician article "Finding Care in Captivity" by Hal Grotke, MD https://mydigitalpublication.com/article/Finding+Care+In+Captivity/4933678/841484/article.html
Resident rotation/fellowship/elective for the California Correctional Health Care Services Educational Partnership Program, the program for medical student and resident rotations within the California prisons. Info at [email protected]
Information:
This episode of the Family Docs Podcast was supported by the American Board of Family Medicine
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Climate Health with Dr. Diana Howard and Dr. Alex Sherriffs
2026/06/12
In this episode, the Family Docs Podcast hosts Dr. Rob Assibey and Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea discuss climate informed patient care and what it means for family physicians in everyday practice. Climate related health impacts are showing up in the exam room through heat related illness, poor air quality, and changing patterns of infectious disease. Dr. Diana Howard and Dr. Alex Sherriffs share what they are seeing in practice and offer practical strategies family physicians can use to better support their patients. They also talk about who is most vulnerable and review a few simple steps physicians can counsel patients about climate related health risks.
Guests:
Diana Howard, MD, AAHIVS is a Family Medicine and HIV specialist who advocates for inclusive, climate-informed medicine that protects vulnerable communities. As UC San Francisco faculty, she empowers residents to understand how a changing climate impacts primary care. Dr. Howard is a constant advocate for medical trainees' involvement in CAFP activities.
Alex Sherriffs, MD, FAAFP is a Family Medicine physician and air quality/climate health advocate who has lived and practiced in California's Central Valley for over 52 years. As UC San Francisco faculty, he integrates climate science into primary care and medical education, focusing on geriatrics, environmental health, prevention, and health equity. Dr. Sherriffs brings regional insight into the health impacts of extreme heat, air pollution, wildfire smoke, and climate-sensitive diseases.
Resources:
CAFP Online Education: Climate Informed Patient Care education.familydocs.org/climate Climate Change and Health resources available at familydocs.org/climatehealth.
Heat Illness & Vulnerable Populations presentation at 2026 Family Medicine POP!, August 21-23, 2026 in San Diego - familydocs.org/pop
CalEnviroScreen (oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen): Identifies populations who are burdened by multiple sources of pollution
California Air Districts ww2.arb.ca.gov/california-air-districts
Information:
This episode of the Family Docs Podcast was supported by the American Board of Family Medicine
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
FMRevolution Origins with Dr. Jay W. Lee and Dr. Rachel Friedman
2026/05/29
In this episode, Dr. Rob Assibey and Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea are joined by Family Medicine Revolution legends Dr. Jay W. Lee and Dr. Rachel Friedman. Dr. Friedman was one of two Santa Rosa family medicine residents (along with Dr. Nicole Mohlman) who were fed up with the academic establishment's attitude toward family medicine, and began to draw up plans to make family medicine a force in healthcare. From the Family Medicine T-shirt Revolution, to the social media storm that Dr. Lee championed with #FMRevolution, you'll hear the legends themselves talk about the origin story of this incredible movement and why it's important to carry, and pass on, that torch!
Guests:
Jay W. Lee, MD, MPH is a family physician leader and public health advocate who co-founded the FMRevolution hashtag – a grassroots movement reclaiming the power, purpose, and future of Family Medicine. He is a passionate voice for primary care justice, physician workforce renewal, and training the next generation to lead boldly, speak truth, and rebuild a health system rooted in relationships, equity, and community.
Rachel Friedman, MD is a family physician in Santa Rosa and sees herself as a "whole person-ologist"-- a specialist not just in one particular organ system, but in the way all of the elements in a person's body, mind, heredity, and environment interact to create health/disease. She moved to Santa Rosa in 2008 to complete family medicine residency, with an additional fellowship in Integrative Medicine, and fell in love with this area. In 2012, she joined KP Santa Rosa as both a full-scope family physician and founding faculty of a new KP family medicine residency. She recently became Program Director of the training program, a leadership role that allows her to continue seeing patients and teaching, while pursuing her passions for whole person, patient-centered healthcare, equity/inclusion, and healthcare transformation/innovation.
Resources:
Get some FMRevolution merch, including a throwback #FMRevolution t-shirt and a new take on an original FM T-shirt Revolution shirt at familydocs.org/store. Get 50% off the #FMRevolution collection through July with the discount code: FMRevolution.
Family Medicine as Counterculture - https://journals.stfm.org/media/5340/ggayle629-1998.pdf
See some of the napkin drawings of the original t-shirt ideas on www.familydocs.org/podcast. Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Primary Care for All with Dr. Kevin Grumbach and Dr. Anthony Chong
2026/05/18
In this episode, Dr. Rob Assibey and Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea speak with Dr. Kevin Grumbach and Dr. Anthony "Fatch" Chong, co-chairs of CAFP's Primary Care for All Task Force on the origins of the task force, unified financing model for primary care, and how CAFP is driving this work.
**CAFP is hosting a Town Hall for Primary Care for All for CAFP members on June 17th. If you are interested in attending, let us know at [email protected].**
Guests:
Kevin Grumbach, MD is Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He served as Chair of the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine from 2003 to 2022. He is a Founding Director of the UCSF Center for Excellence in Primary Care and former Director of the Community Engagement Program for the UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute. He served as Vice President for Population Health for the UCSF Health system from 2015-2018. His research and scholarship on the primary care workforce, innovations in the delivery of primary care, racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, and community health improvement have widely influenced policy and practice. With Tom Bodenheimer, he co-authored the best-selling textbook on health policy, Understanding Health Policy - A Clinical Approach, now in its 9th edition, and the book, Improving Primary Care – Strategies and Tools for a Better Practice, published by McGraw Hill. He received a Generalist Physician Faculty Scholar award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Health Resources and Services Administration Award for Health Workforce Research on Diversity, the Richard E. Cone Award for Excellence and Leadership in Cultivating Community Partnerships in Higher Education, and the UCSF Chancellor's Public Service Award, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Dr. Grumbach has been an advisor to Congressional Committees and government agencies on primary care and health reform and a member of the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. He currently serves on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Standing Committee on Primary Care and the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council. He practices family medicine at San Francisco General Hospital.
Anthony Chong, MD, FAAFP
Immediate Past President, California Academy of Family Physicians
Chief Medical Officer, Scripps Coastal Medical Center
Dr. Anthony Chong is a board-certified family medicine physician and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is the Chief Medical Officer for Scripps Coastal Medical Center (SCMC), a large primary care medical group in San Diego, CA. Dr. Chong is passionate about advancing quality patient care, improving patient care delivery, and fostering physician engagement and well-being.
Before becoming President of the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP), Dr. Chong served on the CAFP Foundation Board, including two terms as President, and represented the San Diego-Imperial Valley District on the CAFP Board of Directors. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Outside of work, Dr. Chong enjoys spending quality time with his wonderful wife and two children. Whether exploring San Diego, relaxing at home, or attending school or extracurricular events, he values every moment with his family.
Resources:
familydocs.org/pcfa
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine 2021 Report on Primary Care: Implementing High-Quality Primary Care
Final Report of the CAFP Primary Care for All Task Force
Fact Sheets:
Primary Care Investment Benchmark
Unified Financing for Primary Care
Common Fund for the Commonwealth, Renee Crichlow, MD - https://medium.com/@reneecrichlow/common-fund-for-the-commonwealth-726c4d06de6b Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Conversation with Dr. Sheryl Recinos
2025/12/22
In this episode, Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea talks with Dr. Sheryl Recinos, family physician, family medicine hospitalist, and acclaimed author. They talk about her journey into family medicine, defining success, and so much more.
GUEST
Sheryl Recinos, MD, MAEd, MFA, is a family medicine hospitalist, author, and the first alumni board member of the homeless youth program that saved her as a teen. The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
RESOURCES
Dr. Recinos's website: https://sherylrecinosmd.com
Author of YIMBY: Yes! In My BACKYARD! and Hindsight: Coming of age on the streets of Hollywood
California Family Physician - Review of YIMBY by Jonathan Lynne, MD - https://mydigitalpublication.com/article/CAFP+book+review+YIMBY+Yes%21+In+My+Back+Yard/5027725/851109/article.html
CAFP Committee information - www.familydocs.org/committees
CAFP's JEDI committee work - www.familydocs.org/jedi
California Family Physician - JEDI Committee Focuses on Latine Family Physicians - by Andrea Banuelos Mota, MD and Sheryl Recinos, MD, https://mydigitalpublication.com/article/JEDI+Committee+Focuses+on+Latine+Family+Physicians/5027737/851109/article.html
AAFP Implicit Bias Training - https://www.aafp.org/news/practice-professional-issues/20200115implicitbias.html
CAFP ACEs - https://www.familydocs.org/aces
Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Conversation with Dr. Laura Murphy
2025/11/11
In this episode, Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea goes solo to talk with Dr. Laura Murphy, family physician, educator, her medical school classmate, and the current New Physician Director on the CAFP board. Dr. Murphy has been deeply involved in leadership, advocacy, and education. They talk about her journey, the challenges and opportunities facing early career physicians, and resources that can support you along the way.
GUESTS
Laura Murphy, DO - Dr. Murphy received her B.S. in Biopsychology from University of California, Santa Barbara and then her medical degree from Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine. During medical school, she served as the FMIG president and began her advocacy journey with the CAFP through various leadership positions, including medical student member on the CAFP board. As a family medicine resident at UC San Diego, Dr. Murphy started on the CCPD for which she now co-chairs. After residency, she completed a sports medicine fellowship at UC San Diego to pursue her passion for empowering patients to live a healthy, active lifestyle. She is currently an associate program director at Ventura County Medical Center Family Medicine Residency program where she practices outpatient family medicine and sports medicine, as well as lead the musculoskeletal and advocacy curriculum for the residents. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her 8 month old, Cooper, and share the love of backpacking, brewery hopping, and traveling with her husband, Steve.
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
RESOURCES
New Physician Toolkit - www.familydocs.org/nptoolkit AAFP's Career Benchmark Dashboard & Survey - "Know Your Worth" - www.aafp.org/worth Direct Primary Care resources - https://www.familydocs.org/dpc Family Medicine's Gender Pay Gap - https://www.jabfm.org/content/35/1/7 Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Family Medicine
- https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/practice-and-career/managing-your-practice/artificial-intelligence.html CAFP Online Education - https://www.familydocs.org/cme & https://education.familydocs.org Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, August 21-23, 2026 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Conversation with Dr. Bright Zhou
2025/11/05
In this episode, Drs. Rob Assibey and Cynthia Chen-Joea are joined by Dr. Bright Zhou (they/them). They discuss social media health advocacy as a tool to reshape public narratives around family medicine, the evolving role of physician hospitalists and the unique challenges they face, and highlights from the CAFP New Physician Toolkit and how it will be helpful for doctors everywhere.
GUESTS
Bright Zhou (They/Them) is a core faculty member at the University of Southern California Family Medicine Residency, where they practice both inpatient and outpatient medicine. Their clinical interests are in health dissemination through social media, mental health, narrative medicine, LGBTQ+ and immigrant health. Bright is a boba connoisseur, an archaeologist, a singer/violist, and a budding DJ.
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
RESOURCES
Follow Dr. Zhou on social: @genzattending on instagram and tiktok New Physician Toolkit - familydocs.org/nptoolkit NEJM - AI/Centaur model - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2503232, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250828/How-can-medical-trainees-use-AI-without-losing-critical-thinking-skills.aspx Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, August 21-23, 2026 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Conversation with Dr. Shannon Connolly
2025/10/23
In this episode, Drs. Rob Assibey and Cynthia Chen-Joea join with Dr. Shannon Connolly, CAFP's 2025 Family Physician of the Year live at Family Medicine POP to dive into the critical conversation on women's health and reproductive health access.
GUESTS
Shannon Connolly, MD, FAAFP - Dr. Connolly completed medical school at the University of Southern California and residency in family medicine at UCLA. She is currently the Associate Medical Director at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, where she oversees primary care and behavioral health care. She has served as president of the California Academy of Family Physicians and is currently Chair of the Committee on Justice through Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the CAFP. Additionally, she sits on the Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Family Medicine for the American Academy of Family Physicians. Her clinical interests include abortion and family planning, gender affirming care, and health equity.
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
RESOURCES
CAFP's Sexual & Reproductive Health Care - https://www.familydocs.org/rhi
Reproductive Health Hotline: 1-844-ReproHH (1-844-737-7644). More details at reprohh.ucsf.edu.
AAFP's Reproductive Health: Clinical Guidance and Practice Resources - https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/care-resources/reproductive-health.html
Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, August 21-23, 2026 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop
CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam
Information:
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
ACEs with Dr. Mikah Owen
2025/10/16
In this episode, Drs. Rob Assibey and Cynthia Chen-Joea meet live at Family Medicine POP in San Diego with Dr. Mikah Owen, Senior Director of Clinical and Academic Programs and Health Equity at UCAAN to talk about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) & Trauma Informed Resilience Oriented Healthcare (TIROH).
GUESTS
Mikah Owen, MD, MPH, MBA - Senior Director of Clinical and Academic Programs and Health Equity, UCAAN
Based in the Sacramento area, Dr. Owen is a social pediatrician who has dedicated his career to improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents from marginalized and vulnerable backgrounds, especially those with involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Dr. Owen has been a long-time adviser to the ACEs Aware initiative and has joined the UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) as Co-Principal Investigator. Prior to joining UCAAN, Dr. Owen was an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC Davis Health.
Dr. Owen earned an MD at UCSF, completed his Pediatric Residency at UC Davis, and completed his fellowship in Community and Societal Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. He recently completed the Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership at Yale University. The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP & Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
RESOURCES
CAFP ACEs & TIROH site - https://www.familydocs.org/aces
Live Beyond Campaign materials - https://livebeyondca.org
Becoming ACEs Aware in California training - https://training.acesaware.org/aa
Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, August 21-23, 2026 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam Information:
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Recapturing the Joy in Medicine
2025/08/19
On this episode of the Family Docs Podcast, Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea discusses physician wellness and the pursuit to recapture the joy in medicine with Drs. Lauren Brown-Berchtold and Kim Yu.
Guests:
Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH, CPH, FAAFP - Dr. Cynthia Chen-Joea is a physician career and life coach, double board-certified in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Thrivation, dedicated to coaching early-career physicians break free from burnout and build sustainable, fulfilling careers. She is also the co-founder of Physician Contract Negotiation, empowering physicians to advocate for their worth and navigate their careers with confidence.
She serves as the Director of Inpatient Medicine at Charles Drew Family Medicine Residency Program and Medical Director of Copa de Oro Medical Group. Her previous leadership positions include, Physician Advisor, Secretary-Treasurer of the Medical Staff and Department Chair of Family Medicine at Emanate Health.
A passionate advocate for physician well-being and healthcare transformation, Dr. Chen-Joea has held multiple leadership roles at the local, state, and national levels working in advocacy within her specialty organization. She currently serves as the New Physician member on the AAFP Board of Directors, working to create a more sustainable future in medicine.
Kim Yu, MD, FAAFP, DABFM - Dr. Kim Yu is a national and international speaker, executive family physician leader, past president of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, and current Speaker of the California Academy of Family Physicians. Based out of California, Dr. Yu lives to #inspirecreatelead and currently works at the American Board of Family Medicine as the PRIME National Strategy Consultant and as Director of Health Care Strategy at KCS Inc., a multisite FQHC in Orange County, CA, serving the Asian community and the underserved in Southern California.
Dr. Yu has served as the chair for the AAFP's Global Health Member Interest Group and as convener for WONCA's Special Interest Group in Health Equity. She currently serves on the AAFP delegation to the AMA, Wonca Working Party of Women in Family Medicine - USA country lead, and has interests in physician wellbeing, population health, practice management, health IT, value based care, global health, health equity, advocacy, disaster relief, and a wide range of primary care topics.
Lauren Brown-Berchtold, MD, FAAFP - Dr. Lauren Brown-Berchtold is the program director for the Valley Consortium for Medical Education (VCME) Family Medicine Residency program in Modesto, California. She previously was a core faculty member and later program director of San Joaquin General Hospital for 8 years in total. She graduated from Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, then joined John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, to complete her family medicine residency and Maternal-Child Health fellowship equivalent training. Dr. Brown-Berchtold is a fervent advocate for physician mental health protections and burnout prevention, and spends a lot of extracurricular time working on this topic nationally. When away from the hospital, she loves to read as well as explore life with her husband and very active daughter!
Resources:
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2018/0700/p38.html
Dr. Kim Yu Finds 'Reason for Being' in Family Medicine Advocacy - https://www.theabfm.org/dr-kim-yu-finds-reason-for-being-in-family-medicine-advocacy/
Ikigai - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikigai / https://positivepsychology.com/ikigai/
26 hours of work per day: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-022-07707-x
Weidner AKH, Phillips RL Jr, Fang B, Peterson LE. Burnout and Scope of Practice in New Family Physicians [published correction appears in Ann Fam Med. 2018 Jul;16(4):289. doi: 10.1370/afm.2281]. Ann Fam Med. 2018;16(3):200-205. doi:10.1370/afm.2221 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5951247/
Pixar Films mentioned - Inside Out and Inside Out 2
Learned helplessness - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4920136/
Job crafting - Amy Wrzesniewski - https://hbr.org/2010/06/managing-yourself-turn-the-job-you-have-into-the-job-you-want
Baader-Meinhof phenomenon / frequency illusion - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/frequency-illusion
Nine recs for physician wellbeing for c-suite article: Shanafelt TD, Noseworthy JH. Executive Leadership and Physician Well-being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017;92(1):129-146. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.10.004. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(16)30625-5/pdf
AMA Cost Of Burnout: https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/interactive/16830405
Physician coaching: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2740206
Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, September 5-7, 2025 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop
CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam
Information:
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Vaccines with Dr. Alex McDonald
2025/08/12
On this episode of the Family Docs Podcast, we talk with Dr. Alex McDonald about vaccines – what family docs need to know now about vaccines, trends in vaccination rates, breaking and addressing vaccine myths, having vaccine conversations with patients, and how you can start getting involved in advocacy.
Guests:
Alex McDonald MD, FAAFP, CAQSM is a former professional triathlete, Family and Sports Medicine physician and Associate Program Director of the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. McDonald is an AAFP and CAFP media spokesperson and social media ambassador with a passion for family physicians to raise their voice for their patients. Dr. McDonald regularly writes for the Physician's Weekly and contributes to the Physician's Weekly podcast. Dr. McDonald is a recipient of the 2025 AAFP Vaccine Science Fellowship and recently was awarded the California Immunization Coalition's 2025 Ronald P. Bangasser, Immunization Leadership Award.
Resources:
"Vaccine Misinformation, Pseudoscience, & the Frailty of Community Health" by Alex McDonald, MD, CAQSM, FAAFP - Dr. McDonald explores how vaccine misinformation and pseudoscience undermine public health and calls for a return to trust, truth, and evidence-based care. (https://www.physiciansweekly.com/post/vaccine-misinformation-pseudoscience-the-frailty-of-community-health)
Family Medicine POP: Prism of Practice conference, September 5-7, 2025 (San Diego) - www.familydocs.org/pop
CAFP's All Member Advocacy Meeting (AMAM), March 14-16, 2026 (Sacramento) - www.familydocs.org/amam
Information:
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP and Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, FAAFP.
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-academy-of-family-physicians
Hear Me: Stories to Challenge OUD Stigma - Kshe's Story (S03E04)
2025/06/04
Hear Me: Stories to Challenge OUD Stigma - Series Summary:
In this series, we amplify the voices of individuals who have navigated the healthcare system while facing stigma related to opioid use, race, identity, pregnancy, and trauma. Through raw, personal narratives like Joey's and Kshe's (KAY-she), you are invited to listen deeply — not only to the stories , but also to the systemic challenges and human truths they reveal. These short, powerful episodes are a call to action: to reflect, to empathize, and to change. Because compassionate care begins when we choose to hear.
Episode: Kshe's Story: Pregnancy, Substance Use and the Power of Compassionate Care
Featuring:
Kshe Bernard Valery Shuman, ATR-BC, LCPC, Co-Founder, Sana Healing Collective Summary:
Faced with judgment and fear during her pregnancy, Kshe (KAY-she) found hope in one provider's compassion—her story is a powerful reminder that empathy in medicine can change lives.
As You Listen to Kshe's Story, Consider:
How does stigma impact the willingness of pregnant individuals with SUD to seek medical care?
What assumptions might you hold—consciously or unconsciously—about people who use drugs while pregnant?
How can you integrate trauma-informed, compassionate care into your practice?
Kshe's story highlights the life-changing impact of compassionate care. As a healthcare clinician, your approach matters. How you speak to, treat, and engage with patients can either serve as a barrier or as a bridge to care. Consider what changes you can make in your practice—whether through language, policy advocacy, or patient interactions—to help dismantle stigma and foster trust.
Compassion isn't just an ideal—it's an intervention. How will you use it?
Resources:
Pregnancy and Substance Use: A Harm Reduction Toolkit: https://harmreduction.org/issues/pregnancy-and-substance-use-a-harm-reduction-toolkit/ Drawing on Black and Queer Communities' Harm Reduction Histories to Improve Overdose Prevention Strategies: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/drawing-black-and-queer-communities-harm-reduction-histories-improve-overdose-prevention-strategies/2024-07 "I'm a Health Nut!" Street Drug Users' Accounts of Self-Care Strategies: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/002204260503500311 CO*RE Pain Management Education Consortium: https://core-rems.org/
CAFP's Substance Use Disorder Resources: familydocs.org/sud Details:
This podcast series was developed by Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association (IPMA) and the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) through the Collaborative for REMS Education (CO*RE) partnership.
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesics REMS Program Companies (RPC). For more information about the Opioid Analgesics REMS, visit https://opioidanalgesicrems.com/RpcUI/products.u.
The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent, IPMA, or the California Academy of Family Physicians. Copyright CAFP 2025
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP.
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
Hear Me: Stories to Challenge OUD Stigma - Joey's Story (S03E03)
2025/05/30
Hear Me: Stories to Challenge OUD Stigma - Series Summary:
In this series, we amplify the voices of individuals who have navigated the healthcare system while facing stigma related to opioid use, race, identity, pregnancy, and trauma. Through raw, personal narratives like Joey's and Kshe's (KAY-she), you are invited to listen deeply — not only to the stories , but also to the systemic challenges and human truths they reveal. These short, powerful episodes are a call to action: to reflect, to empathize, and to change. Because compassionate care begins when we choose to hear.
Episode: Joey's Story: Running from Stigma
Featuring:
Joey McCleod Valery Shuman, ATR-BC, LCPC, Co-Founder, Sana Healing Collective, and Senior Lecturer, Art Therapy and Counseling program, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Summary:
What happens when fear of judgment keeps someone from seeking lifesaving care? Joey's story reveals how stigma at the intersection of race, sexuality, and substance use can create invisible barriers that healthcare clinicians have the power to break.
As you listen to Joey's story, we encourage you to:
Reflect on Bias: Consider how stigma—both personal and systemic—may shape Joey's experiences in healthcare and affect his willingness to seek care.
Recognize the Power of Small Interactions: The way you communicate—your tone, body language, and choice of words—can either build trust or reinforce fear and avoidance.
Commit to Change: Identify one action you can take to create a more welcoming, nonjudgmental environment for patients facing similar barriers.
Joey's story is just one example of how stigma can create barriers to care. As a healthcare clinician, you have the power to change that. Take a moment to reflect—what's one small shift you can make in your language, your approach, or your clinical environment to ensure patients like Joey feel safe, heard, and respected? Reducing stigma starts with awareness, but real change happens through action. We encourage you to commit to one tangible change today that will help foster trust and compassion in your practice.
Resources:
Drawing on Black and Queer Communities' Harm Reduction Histories to Improve Overdose Prevention Strategies: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/drawing-black-and-queer-communities-harm-reduction-histories-improve-overdose-prevention-strategies/2024-07 "I'm a Health Nut!" Street Drug Users' Accounts of Self-Care Strategies: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/002204260503500311 CO*RE Pain Management Education Consortium: https://core-rems.org/
CAFP's Substance Use Disorder Resources: familydocs.org/sud Details:
This podcast series was developed by Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association (IPMA) and the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) through the Collaborative for REMS Education (CO*RE) partnership.
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesics REMS Program Companies (RPC). For more information about the Opioid Analgesics REMS, visit https://opioidanalgesicrems.com/RpcUI/products.u.
The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent, IPMA, or the California Academy of Family Physicians. Copyright CAFP 2025
The Family Docs Podcast is hosted by Rob Assibey, MD, FAAFP.
The Family Docs podcast is developed, produced, and recorded by the California Academy of Family Physicians. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or the California Academy of Family Physicians. More information at www.familydocs.org/podcast.
Visit the California Academy of Family Physicians online at www.familydocs.org.
Follow us on social media:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/cafp_familydocs
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cafp_familydocs
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/familydocs
Podcast reviews
Read Family Docs podcast reviews
famdoc11 2023/03/10
Outstanding sessions!
These are very well done and very inspirational.
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