There are many ways to recruit members for your FMIG and what will be most effective for your group depends on the size of your medical school and FMIG.

Listed below are a few popular recruitment ideas:

• Set up a table at an activities fair or student organization fair – The AAFP can provide you with hard copies of brochures and handouts for this type of event.  E-mail Ashley Bentley to request materials.
• Run procedural workshops that appeal to a wide-range of medical students
• Coordinate a breakfast for new students
• Present Strolling Through the Match – an AAFP Presentation (with free books) that explains the Match process
• Set up an email list to remind students of upcoming meetings and events

Also, check out the profiles of the Program of Excellence (PoE) Winners for other recruitment strategies.

Increasing membership in your FMIG can be greatly helped through an effective communication plan. It is vital that students (members and non-members) know about your group and its programming. Some ideas for communication are outlined in the next section.

In addition to advertising your FMIG and its activities, it is also helpful to designate a Student Membership Coordinator. The FMIG, along with the student in this position, will earn incentives for increasing student membership in the AAFP. Student membership in the AAFP is another “selling point” that encourages students to join your group.

Below are the incentives for FMIGs with a Student Membership Coordinator:

• 25 new AAFP student applications - $25
• 50 new AAFP student applications - $50
• 75 new AAFP student applications - $75
• 100 new AAFP student applications - $100
• 150 new AAFP student applications - $150

Each time the FMIG earns an incentive, the Student Membership Coordinator chooses to receive a $20 gift card to Amazon.com, iTunes or Starbucks. More information is available here (for AAFP members) or contact Julie Herzog.