Running for the BOD…Real Time Day 2.5

Did you know that Arizona is very, very, very dry? Apparently it’s hot, but I haven’t left the hotel to validate that rumor!

I am writing this post having literally used all the lotion in my hotel room for the second day in a row and perhaps for the first time in my life recognizing that the humidity of the south is slept on a little.

Yesterday was fantastic! The practice session felt like another day talking about STIs at the podium—so I will have to be careful not to mix us slide decks since that’s not what I am here for, right? I love all the energy you get when you put together such amazing human beings in one place getting passionate. Wait, is this an STI talk? No, no. Different passion.

Longtime mentor and friend, Maureen Murphy

Prior student and resident AAFP board, past president of NCAFP, AAFP Family Physician of the Year, overall bada$$.

The Town Hall was followed by the much dreaded Meet the Candidate session when you are surrounded by (actually lovely and smiling) peers who pepper you with questions. I kept waiting for “what’s your favorite color” but it never came. The range of questions was broad—-what would be the top 3 things you would accomplish on the board. what can you-one person-actually do on the board, how do you feel about resident unions, what should the academy do if Project 2025 comes to fruition? Soft balls, all of them.

The day ended with a tremendously rewarding conversation at the bar about baby goats with a colleague offering me some mentoring. I mean, these are MY people.

Today will involve listening to the congress wrestle with the resolutions that were extracted for floor debate, which is always a fascinating time to hear other perspectives and really appreciate the diversity of the universe! Tonight all the candidates will have our booths and share our “swag” that we brought on extremely limited budgets and enjoy revelry together!