Family Medicine, an official journal of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, aims to publish high-quality, original scholarship about education in family medicine and primary care. The journal publishes original research, systematic reviews, narrative essays, and policy analyses relevant to the discipline of family medicine, particularly focusing on primary care medical education, health workforce policy, and health services research. The journal does not publish clinical review articles.

Family Medicine is committed to advancing efforts toward inclusion and antiracism in all journal-related activities. We endeavor to eliminate bias and racism in our editorial process and published content.
Read the full diversity statement. 

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 Interested in submitting a photograph, painting, or artwork for consideration for a future Family Medicine issue cover? Send the high-quality digital image to tbrazelton@stfm.org.

E-ISSN: 1938-3800

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Behind the Curtain: What Really Happens After You Submit a Paper to a Journal 

By Sarina Schrager, MD, MS,   
Family Medicine editor-in-chief    

Many people express confusion about the process of submitting a paper to a journal, receiving peer reviews, and ultimately getting published. This post attempts to answer your questions. Editors do not want their activity to be opaque. We want everyone to know what really happens when you submit a paper. The team at Family Medicine may do things a little differently than other journals, but the major steps will be the same.

Read the Blog Post

 

Call For Papers—
Theme Issue on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Family Medicine Education

Submission Deadline: January 15th, 2026

Family Medicine is pleased to announce a call for papers for an upcoming theme issue focused on the integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) into family medicine education and training.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound is rapidly becoming an essential skill for family physicians, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, improving procedural safety, and expanding the scope of care across diverse clinical settings. Recognizing its growing role, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) now includes POCUS as a required skill within family medicine residency training. In parallel, the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) has announced the importance of POCUS in its requirements of a family physician.

For this theme issue, Family Medicine welcomes submissions that focus on:

  • Curriculum development for medical students, residents, and faculty with an emphasis on longitudinal POCUS curricula
  • Strategies for implementing POCUS into residency programs
  • Barriers to integrating POCUS into training and clinical environments and solutions to overcoming them
  • Billing considerations in a residency clinic
  • Faculty development strategies and efforts designed to help faculty achieve competency in POCUS
  • Advocating for resources and faculty time to teach
  • Development and application of hands-on and written tools for assessing resident competency in POCUS
  • Methodologies to perform quality assurance in a learning environment
  • Use of innovative teaching modalities including simulation and artificial intelligence
  • Narrative reflections or stories that highlight the clinical impact of POCUS in family medicine.

Submission Guidelines: We welcome original research, brief reports, narrative essays, and FM Focus infographic submissions. Authors should follow the author guidelines provided on the Family Medicine journal website: https://journals.stfm.org/familymedicine/. Submissions from educators and researchers in all settings, including community-based and resource-limited environments, are encouraged.  We are especially interested in contributions that demonstrate evaluation of practical training models which can be adapted to a variety of settings.

Submit manuscripts using our Online Manuscript Submission System.

Listen to our Podcast Series—"Demystifying the Publication Process"

 

Most Read (2023)

Little SH, Heinrich LE, Sen A, Gold KJ. Learning Obstetrical Cervical Exam Skills: Development of a Novel Model to Demystify Blind Procedures. Fam Med. 2023;55(1):51-55. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.55.284433.

Pollack SW, Andrilla CA, Peterson L, et al. Rural Versus Urban Family Medicine Residency Scope of Training and Practice. Fam Med. 2023;55(3):162-170. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.807915.

Fredrickson E, Evans DV, Woolcock S, Andrilla CA, Garberson LA, Patterson DG. Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Rural Obstetric Training for Family Physicians. Fam Med. 2023;55(6):381-388. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.128141.

Ro SJ, Lackey AR, Aymes SE, et al. Impact of a Community-Based Weight Management Program in a North Carolina Health Care System. Fam Med. 2023;55(3):189-194. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.603918.

Longenecker R, Oster NV, Peterson L, et al. A Match Made in Rural: Interpreting Match Rates and Exploring Best Practices. Fam Med. 2023;55(7):426-432. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.106345.

Bass M. She Should Decide. Fam Med. 2023;55(3):201-201. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.868999.

Chen F, Weidner A, Ormsby M, Maier R. Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program Outcomes in a Family Medicine Residency Network. Fam Med. 2023;55(2):75-80. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2022.826652.

McCarthy J, Porada K, Treat R. Educational Podcast Impact on Student Study Habits and Exam Performance. Fam Med. 2023;55(1):34-37. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.55.183124.

Peterson L, Morgan ZJ, Andrilla CA, et al. Academic Achievement and Competency in Rural and Urban Family Medicine Residents. Fam Med. 2023;55(3):152-161. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.656489.

Potts SE. Grandfathered In? Fam Med. 2023;55(1):57-58. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.55.599129.

 

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