Dr. Rebecca Maddrell - Second Vice President

Dear Members of the Leadership Development Committee:

I chose a career in medicine because I believe health care is a human right. A year in AmeriCorps at a federally qualified health center showed me firsthand that this is not the reality for many. This experience propelled me into a career in medicine to provide direct patient care and ultimately led me to family medicine, where I thought I could have the greatest impact.

However, providing excellent care is not enough. To truly establish health care as a human right, robust advocacy is essential. It is our Illinois Academy of Family Physician’s role and responsibility to amplify our patients' voices and champion local and national change. I am applying for the Second Vice President position to continue the IAFP’s progress in this vital area.

Further, my leadership vision aligns closely with the IAFP strategic pillar of growing and sustaining our family medicine workforce. My focus stems directly from my current academic roles as Assistant Family Medicine Clerkship Director and Assistant Patient-Centered Medicine Course Director, as well as my experience as residency faculty.

As Second Vice President, I would connect the work of the New Physicians Task Force with targeted initiatives for Illinois residents. As residents navigate our complex healthcare system, their frustrations grow. The IAFP can provide these trainees with both an outlet for that frustration and a microphone to share their frontline experiences.  Specifically, I see opportunities to strengthen our relationships with residency programs, to connect board members with local trainees, and to focus on the unique challenges residents face in a podcast episode.  

I think that I am qualified to assume the role of Second Vice President.  During my five years on the Board — two as the New Physician Board Member and three as a director — I have contributed to multiple committees.  I served on the Public Relations Committee, chaired the Audit Committee, and participated in the New Physicians and Strategic Planning task forces. I also facilitated sessions and spoke on panels at the Multi-State Conference and the New Physicians Boot Camp. These experiences gave me an understanding of our inner workings, preparing me well to lead.

Serving as Second Vice President would be a profound privilege. The IAFP is an indispensable resource in today's challenging healthcare climate. Standing alongside passionate family physicians gives me immense hope that we can build a better healthcare system — one that ultimately fulfills the promise of health care as a human right.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Maddrell, MD, FAAFP

Link to Dr. Maddrell's CV