Cultivating interest in family medicine: family medicine interest group reaches undergraduate medical students.

PROBLEM ADDRESSED Fewer medical students are choosing careers in family medicine across Canada. One way to cultivate student interest is through creation of family medicine interest groups. Students, residents, community-based family physicians, and academic faculty can all contribute to the success of such groups. OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM A family medicine interest group provides information about the challenging and rewarding career of family medicine through medical students' exposure to family physicians and residents. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION A group of faculty and undergraduate students combined forces to form the Family Medicine Club. Development of this group and results of evaluation of its effectiveness to date are discussed. CONCLUSION One mechanism to increase interest in primary care as a career is to initiate and foster a family medicine interest group that links students with family physicians.