Guiding WONCA to be a major worldwide contributor to equity and justice in health
In my 33-year career since graduating from medical school and immigrating to the United States, I have been a community-engaged rural, urban, and academic family doctor, a community activist, an educator, a caretaker, and a member of multiple boards and task forces locally, nationally, and internationally. I am a curious and avid listener and reader; I pay attention to what people around me feel and do, bridging differences toward common goals. I am a change agent, working to make a difference. I am a leader. A learner, a teacher, a mentor and mentee, and a fierce advocate for family medicine, for equity and community health.
I believe in the role of family doctors and their teams promoting health equity by considering the balance of social factors of vulnerability that impact the health of individuals, families, communities, and the planet. Family doctors and our organizations can mitigate health disparities by providing accessible, community, and person-centered primary healthcare. By creating collaborative partnerships with colleagues in other specialties, government, businesses, educational systems, and health and social service providers, we can make positive, fair and just change for the populations we serve.
I enjoyed the privilege of being a Member-at-Large of the WONCA Executive, and Liaison to the WHO from 2016 to 2021. I have represented WONCA to the WHO, the UN, and global events with interdisciplinary collaborating partners. At all these high level settings, I have carried the important voice of family doctors and the importance of the complex work we do.
As president-elect, I will continue to elevate WONCA’s global standing and partner with our WONCA community and high-level organizations towards a goal of family doctor-led primary healthcare for all.
My Vision for the Future of WONCA
I envision a WONCA that unites member organizations to strengthen Family Medicine.
A WONCA setting our own goals for health equity, organizational equity, research, and development, promoting the training and appropriate payment and support of a broader number of family medicine teams.
A WONCA recognized for both its global and local wisdom, channeling the amazing strengths of the clinical, academic, and research pursuits of our member organizations.
A WONCA that can enhance and build our research capacity through centralized program management and coordination support for research partnerships, focusing on family medicine work, clinical outcomes, and workforce development.
I envision a WONCA that can lead the licensing and certification of many more Family Medicine clinical practices and training sites across the world, generating revenue so our meetings can be more affordable for members.
A WONCA that guides governments on the how, where, and when should we train family doctors and their teams.
WONCA rising higher than ever as a recognized leader among world organizations, with a strategic action and budget plan that explores our development and makes it happen.
I would be honored to serve as WONCA President to strengthen our specialty and guide Family Medicine to be a major worldwide contributor to equity and justice in health.
Click here to read more about my vision for WONCA
What I stand for:
Click through titles to read more about each
Advocacy
With advocacy leadership that runs the gamut from community-level to worldwide, I believe in pushing for change at all levels to advance health and wellness.
Teaching
One can achieve little alone. I’m so honored to teach and learn from so many of my students residents, and colleagues across various levels, projects, and passions.
Research
A dedicated physician-teacher, I search for evidence-based ways to improve our standards of care, care delivery, and outcomes for the patients we serve.
Patient Care
Caring for people of all ages, from prenatal care to the end of life at the Duke Family Medicine Center, in Durham, North Carolina
Family, friends and community
My family, my friends, my colleagues, my community. they all impact and transform me.
Health Equity
I believe in pursuing health equity, teaching health equity, and health equity as a personal value. Read more by clicking “health equity” above.
Get to know me
My Life by the Numbers:
30
years as a Family Doctor in urban and rural areas
17
years as a Professor at Duke University
21
years a mom
27
years a spouse
10
years representing WONCA at UN and WHO
100 +
Family Medicine residents and students trained
Get to know me
Selected Awards and Recognitions:
- 2021 F. Marian Bishop Leadership Award, by the society of Teachers of Family Medicine Foundation – Honoring senior leaders who have significantly enhanced family medicine’s credibility by a sustained, long-term commitment to family medicine in academic settings
- 2021 Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award by the Duke School of Medicine – Presented annually to a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding compassion in the delivery of care; respect for patients, their families, and healthcare colleagues; as well as showed clinical excellence.
- 2020 Duke Presidential Award Office of the President, Duke University, 2020 – for demonstrating the values that define and shape Duke as an institution
- Click here to view all award and recognitions
Your support
My experiences to this point have given me the tools and expertise to recognize the change we need to see. I hope to bring about that much-needed change with your support.
If elected, I would be standing on the shoulders of giants, amazing champions for family medicine who preceded me in the roles of WONCA President and President-elect, and have contributed with great leadership and effort to the WONCA we know today. To each of them, my full gratitude. To Karen Flegg, Anna Stavdal, Donald Li, Amanda Howe, Michael Kidd, Rich Roberts, I am thankful for your mentorship!
Our WONCA regions are diverse, and so are our Member Organizations, The experiences, voices, resources, and challenges may be different, yet we all raise together in support of Family Medicine.
I have a deep understanding of two of these regions through my lived experiences in Iberoamerica and North America, and I have learned a lot about other regions through my role on the WONCA Executive, and travels and communication with colleagues from around the world. I will continue to learn from you, I want to hear what would help each region in their development, and what is necessary in each country to gain support for Family Medicine/General Practice.
I hope we can work together for the next four years! Vote for me at the council sessions in October 2023!
Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi for WONCA President-elect 