The Family Behind Family Medicine with Dr. Benjamin Popokh, MD

Season 1

1. Growing up in the Waiting Room- Episode 1.

   Episode 1

   Show notes

   The first oral history interview episode by Dr. Benjamin Popokh explores the experiences of individuals who grew up with one or more family physician parents, examining how family medicine shapes childhood, family relationships, and perceptions of the profession. Through interviews with participants from rural, suburban, and urban communities across the United States, the episode documents memories of house calls, clinic work, after-hours emergencies, and growing up in practices that often functioned as extensions of the family home. Participants describe feelings of pride in their parents' service, opportunities to assist in medical practices, and the unique challenges of sharing a parent with an entire community, including missed family events, frequent interruptions, and demanding work schedules. The episode also examines how children came to understand the broad scope of family medicine, the deep relationships between physicians and their patients, and the lasting influence these experiences had on their views of service, community, and medicine, while introducing the broader themes explored throughout The Family Behind Family Medicine oral history series. Made possible by a grant from the Center for the History of Familiy Medicine and the AAFP Foundation.

   This item is protected by U.S. copyright and related rights. It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine. Disclaimer: The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice.

   Aug 17, 2026 20 min

2. Who Gets Called- Episode 2

   Episode 2

   Show notes

   Episode 2: Who Gets Called?

   Why do some children of family physicians follow in their parents’ footsteps while others choose a different path? In this episode of The Family Behind Family Medicine, host Benjamin Popokh explores the many routes that lead people toward, and away from, family medicine.

   Through stories from physicians, nurses, physician assistants, healthcare leaders, and trainees, listeners hear how growing up around family medicine shapes lives in unexpected ways. Dr. Russell Thomas shares how childhood house calls alongside his father inspired him to return home and practice in the same small Texas town. The Harberger brothers describe resisting medicine before eventually discovering that family medicine felt like the perfect fit. Others, including Jacqueline Miller and the Woods family, admired the dedication of family physicians but chose different healthcare careers after witnessing the demands of the profession firsthand.

   The episode also features Nayeli Fuentes, a first-generation physician whose path to medicine began after a family medical crisis revealed the barriers many patients face in accessing care. Her story highlights how the values at the heart of family medicine transcend family tradition.

   At its core, this episode examines the enduring influence of compassion, service, and human connection. Whether inherited through generations or discovered independently, the calling to care for others continues to shape lives, families, and communities across America.

   Aug 26, 2026 21 min

3. Trailer: The Family Behind Family Medicine Trailer

   Episode 1

   Show notes

   The Family Behind Family Medicine is an oral history project made possible by a grant from the Center for the History of Family Medicine. Dr. Benjamin Popokh explores explores one of the most essential yet underexamined dimensions of family medicine: the influence of physicians' families on their personal and professional lives. Through six episodes featuring interviews with family members of family physicians from diverse practice settings across the United States, the series examines the reciprocal relationships between physicians and those closest to them. Participants describe the many roles that spouses, children, parents, and other relatives play in supporting clinical practice, shaping physician identity, and navigating the rewards and challenges of a career in family medicine. By documenting experiences from rural communities, suburban practices, and urban health systems, the project highlights how family relationships both sustain and are transformed by the practice of family medicine, offering a perspective that has received comparatively little attention in discussions of the specialty.

   This item is protected by U.S. copyright and related rights. It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine. Disclaimer: The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice.

   Aug 27, 2026 2 min

4. The Life You Join- Episode 3

   Episode 3

   Show notes

   What does it mean to build a life with someone whose calling is family medicine? In this episode, spouses and partners of family physicians share their experiences navigating medical school, residency, practice, and family life. Through stories of sacrifice, loneliness, resilience, financial challenges, career flexibility, and finding community, they reflect on the realities of supporting a physician whose commitment to patients often extends beyond the clinic. Despite the challenges, these families reveal the deep rewards of serving alongside family physicians and the lasting impact family medicine has on their lives, relationships, and communities.

   Sep 8, 2026 20 min

5. Episode 4- Without our Wives

   Episode 4

   Show notes

   Life and reflections of Elfie Thomas as the wife and mother of small-town family medicine physicians in Eagle Lake, Texas. In this episode of "The Family Behind Family Medicine," host Benjamin Popok interviews 97-year-old Elfie Louise Thomas about her life as the wife of Dr. Raymond Thomas and the mother of Dr. Russell Thomas, both prominent family physicians in Eagle Lake, Texas. Elfie reflects on meeting her husband during university, working in bacteriology labs to support his medical education, and settling in Eagle Lake to build a lifelong medical and community presence. She recounts raising four children, organizing community youth activities such as the Girl Scouts, and supporting her son Russell as he overcame polio to become a dedicated country doctor. Robin Thomas also joins briefly to share a story about how the doctors always acknowledged the vital role of their wives in their medical careers.

   Oct 28, 2026 22 min