UAFP Held First Ever Hybrid Annual Member Meeting
Our first ever hybrid virtual/in-person event was not without its hiccups, but for the most part went well! We were glad to be able to offer the opportunity for our members to gather and celebrate this year’s awardees while still including those who could not join us in person. This format also allowed us to…
AAP Cautions Against Off-Label Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Under Age 12
Monday, August 23, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized the full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for ages 16 and older. While this means it is legally permissible for physicians to administer the vaccine off-label for children ages 11 and younger, who currently have no available vaccine, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly…
Michael D. Blackburn, JD, CPA
Michael D. Blackburn, J.D., CPA, is a shareholder in the Salt Lake City law firm of BLACKBURN & STOLL, LC, where his practice focuses on estate planning, tax planning, and advising business enterprises. He is a past chairman of both the Estate Planning Section and the Task Force on Multi-Disciplinary Practice for the Utah State…
Sara Walker, MD, MS
Sara Walker, MD, MS is a recent graduate of the University of Utah Family Medicine Residency. During her M4 year at the University of Michigan, she realized that personal finance was a black box to her and decided to change that. During intern year, she realized that everyone else also thought it was a black box…
Utah Academy of Family Physicians Asks Salt Lake County Council to Let K-6 Mask Mandate Stand
Patient health and safety is of paramount concern during the COVID epidemic. Back-to-school guidelines should be evidence-based and flexible. We have seen a recent surge in COVID-19 cases and Salt Lake County is categorized as High Risk for COVID transmission. In response to increased circulation of the highly transmissible delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus…
Do You Know How Much Utah Spends on Primary Care?
By Sarah Woolsey, MD, MPH, FAAFPDirector Family Health and Preparedness, Utah Department of Health After 20-plus years as a family physician, I continue to strive to create communities where all people, all Americans, all Utahans have access to an affordable primary care team and have their health and well-being needs met. I want to share…
Nominate a Boundary Breaker Today
This year’s Utah Family Physician of the Year is a little different. AAFP wants to provide the opportunity for chapters to recognize up to two members leading up to and during 2021 FMX. Keeping with this year’s FMX theme, AAFP is happy to announce Boundary Breakers. Boundary Breaker Definition: A family physician who empowers their…
Letter from UDOH Deputy Director, Dr. Michelle Hoffman
Dear Colleagues, Since the FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccines for use in individuals 12 and older, more than 1.5 million Utahns have received their first dose! As a pediatrician by training, this has been one of the most exciting developments in our pandemic response. These vaccines are exceedingly effective. As of March 23, when all Utahns…
Students and Residents, Take the Lead
Anna Askari, M.D., M.S.B.S., is the resident member of the AAFP Board of Directors. Family physicians are taught to practice the art and science of medicine by caring for patients, their families and communities while fostering trusting relationships. As I consider the current landscape of family medicine, as well as its future direction, I keep coming…
How You Can Help Increase HPV Vaccination Rates in Utah
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes more than 32,000 new cancer cases in the U.S. each year and most are preventable. Even though the HPV vaccine is an effective strategy in cancer prevention and has been available more than 12 years, only 51% of adolescents have been vaccinated, far below the national target of 80% by 2020.…



