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Kimberly Fulda, DrPH, the executive director of NorTex and Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine associate professor, was elected to a two-year term as the co-chair of the Committee on Advancing the Science of Family Medicine Practice-based Research Network Work Group. Dr. Fulda will begin her leadership role in November at the annual North American Primary Care Research Group meeting.

“I was surprised, but a colleague from the Kentucky Ambulatory Network nominated me,” Fulda said. “I know that I would like to focus on increasing awareness for practice-based research networks and the benefits of working with them. We always have a goal of increasing awareness to eventually see more funding opportunities for working with PBRNs.”

The mission of CASFM is to promote and actively contribute to scholarship that advances the science of family medicine for the betterment of patients and their communities. It assures that the development, translation and implementation of new knowledge rapidly becomes part of the fabric of family medicine through internally led writing initiatives such as white papers and manuscripts.

The work group Fulda will be leading explores the role of PBRN laboratories and learning communities in the development of new model practices. It is currently using a collaborative strategy to develop research best practices specific to the context of practice-based research. The group also considers the advocacy needs of PBRN Researchers.

“There is a need for more infrastructure funding for PBRNs, and there is a need for more funding for primary care research in general,” she said. “I would like to see an increase in the dollars available for this. We also plan to give presentations at the NAPCRG conferences and provide workshops for fellow PBRN researchers. I would also like for us to enhance resources available for new PBRN researchers such as setting up a mentoring type of workshop or program or providing opportunities for collaboration. The committee has already put together resources, but we plan to continue expanding them.”

Fulda is serving as the United States co-chair while Dr. Alex Singer will be the co-chair from Canada. As the executive director of NorTex, Fulda works with primary care clinicians to conduct research that is relevant to primary care practice to improve the health of communities. NorTex is composed of more than 100 primary care outpatient clinics, mostly located in north central Texas and some rural areas of Texas.

Her expertise in research spans more than 20 years of coordinating and leading funded clinical and population health projects. Fulda’s work has focused on identifying and reducing health disparities for vulnerable populations, including both adults and children.

Fulda will begin her term in November at the NAPCRG annual meeting.

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