Ariel Crocker, fourth-year medical student at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
Ariel Crocker, a fourth-year medical student at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is one of 30 medical students nationwide selected to participate in the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute, a leadership development program of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation.
Participants work with mentors to complete a year-long leadership project in one of three tracks: policy and public health leadership, personal and practice leadership, and philanthropic and mission-driven leadership. Crocker will work on a project related to personal practice and leadership.
“I am honored to be selected by the AAFP Foundation. I look forward to working with mentors in family medicine who can guide me in the beginnings of my career and ultimately enable me to provide the highest quality care for my patients,” Crocker said.
Crocker will receive a $1,000 scholarship toward travel expenses to attend both the AAFP National Conference of Family Residents and Medical Student Conference, and the Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute.
She will also compete for additional scholarships. The top two medical students and family medicine residents in each of the three program tracks will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship. The Best Leadership Project Award winner of each track will receive an additional $3,000 scholarship.
AAFP Foundation’s Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute aims to identify and train family medicine residents and medical students who have shown a historical aptitude and strong leadership, but have little formal leadership training or experience, according to an AAFP press release.