
Episode #10
The Global Heart of Family Medicine: A Vision for WONCA with Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, MD
Dr Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), shares how early passions for advocacy and patient care, along with a deep love of culture and people, shaped her path to global leadership. Grounded in the belief that health is a fundamental human right, she describes how WONCA serves as a professional home for thousands of family physicians in more than 150 countries, fostering international collaboration and shared learning. She makes a compelling case for why investing in family medicine is essential to building healthier, more equitable societies worldwide, and what that means for those shaping the next generation of family physicians. Hosted by Omari A. Hodge, MD, FAAFP and Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, MD Copyright © Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2026 Resources: WONCA - World Organization of Family Doctors Homepage WONCA World Conference November 2027 Polaris - North American Region Young Doctors Movement Declaration of Alma-Ata - World Health Organization Guest Bio: Dr Viviana Martinez-Bianchi is a distinguished family physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She serves as a Professor and the Director for Community Engagement at Duke University’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. In October 2023, she was elected President-Elect of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) and assumed the presidency on September 20, 2025, serving until November 2027. https://stfm.org/stfmpodcast102026

