Patel named recipient of family medicine scholarship

Shivani Patel, a fourth-year student at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Foundation Student Scholarship. Only 20 students nationwide were recipients of the scholarship.

Patel was nominated for the award by Dr. Lia Bruner, associate professor of family and community medicine at the Medical Partnership and Patel’s career advisor and mentor.

“I am overjoyed, excited, and incredibly grateful to have received this scholarship,” said Patel, “and I am beyond grateful to Dr. Bruner for not only nominating me but for her guidance.”

The scholarship will allow Patel to attend the STFM Medical Student Education Conference in January 2026, where she will present her poster Development of a Secondary Education Mini-Medical School Camp: Implementing Small Group Learning and Simulation Lab Experience to Promote Interest in Pursuing STEM Careers.

Patel’s research for the poster came from her experience working at the Medical Partnership’s annual summer camp, Mini-Medical School. In the summer after her first year, Patel and a group of her peers were tasked with developing and executing a camp for middle- and high-school-aged students interested in healthcare. Patel took on the role of camp director and worked with her fellow counselors to design a camp curriculum that covered various body systems, from cardiopulmonary to musculoskeletal. Mini-Med welcomed over 250 students from across the country and continues to be a successful camp at the Medical Partnership.

Patel said Mini-Med and STFM helped her discover a passion for teaching, and she plans to be a lifelong learner and teacher as she progresses through her career.

Patel said she is excited to attend the conference and network with others who share a passion for family medicine.

“It is always such an interesting experience when I attend a family medicine conference,” she said. “It is hard to explain, but it just feels like I am with my people.”

Patel plans to pursue a career in family medicine and has applied to residencies within the specialty.