Family Medicine Collaboration in Colorado
For over 35 years, Colorado’s Family Medicine residencies have worked together to share best practices, learn, problem-solve, and recruit family physicians in a collaborative manner. This unique arrangement is one reason Colorado stands out as a place to learn family medicine.
The Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies, the Commission on Family Medicine and the Colorado Institute of Family Medicine work closely together to ensure high quality health care for all Coloradans by enhancing access to primary care, including rural and underserved communities, through the training of exceptional family physicians.
Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies (CAFMR)
The Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies brings together Colorado’s leadership in academic family medicine. Membership
includes the ten family medicine residency program directors and a representative from the Colorado University Department of Family Medicine.
CAFMR cultivates and develops a highly qualified family physician workforce in Colorado to appropriately meet the needs of the population,
including rural and underserved communities.
The Commission on Family Medicine (COFM)
The Commission on Family Medicine was established in 1977 through the bipartisan efforts of Democratic State Senator Harvey Phelps, MD,
of Pueblo and Republican State Representative Tillie Bishop of Grand Junction. Both men shared a vision that the people of Colorado, particularly
those in rural and underserved areas, needed assured access to physicians who were specifically trained to meet the broad-ranging health care
needs of patients of all ages.
The Commission is composed of the Dean of Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (Parker, Colorado), the Dean of the
University of Colorado School of Medicine (Aurora, Colorado), Family Medicine Residency program directors from the ten Colorado Family
Medicine residency programs, Governor-appointed citizens from the seven congressional districts, and a representative from the Colorado
Academy of Family Physicians.
Colorado Institute of Family Medicine (CIFM)
The Colorado Institute of Family Medicine (CIFM) includes community leaders to expand financial support for family medicine residency
training. The Institute also obtains grant funds to strengthen family medicine residency training in Colorado, and develops projects to
strengthen primary care in the state.