Funding Statement:
This educational podcast is supported by an unrestricted grant from Pfizer Inc.
Show Notes
The CME on the Go series of the Inside Family Medicine podcast lets you earn up to 0.5 CME credits per episode — join the hosts as they dive into best practices for COVID-19 vaccine administration, addressing hesitancy, and navigating emotionally charged conversations with patients and healthcare teams. Backed by evidence and personal experience, they offer practical strategies for building trust, improving communication, and reinforcing the importance of vaccination across all populations.
In this episode the co-hosts engage in a candid and evidence-based discussion on COVID-19 vaccine administration and communication strategies. They explore the emotional toll of the pandemic on both clinicians and patients, and how that trauma continues to shape vaccine conversations. The episode dives into common patient concerns, vaccine hesitancy statistics, and the importance of motivational interviewing and empathy in clinical practice. It also addresses how to navigate internal disagreements among healthcare teams and emphasizes the role of trust and transparency in promoting vaccine confidence.
Your hosts for this episode are Lauren Brown-Berchtold, MD, FAAFP, program director for the Valley Consortium for Family Medicine Residency program in Modesto, Calif.; Jason Marker, MD, MPA, FAAFP, associate director of the Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency program in South Bend, Ind.; and Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, MD, MBA, FAAFP, chief medical officer and vice president of health strategy at the public sector health plan Colorado Access.
Whether you're navigating patient queries or seeking to enhance your clinical knowledge, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice for family physicians. Tune in now and earn CME credit!
Topics By Timestamp
00:21 Meet the Hosts 00:55 Season Two Kickoff 01:30 Discussing COVID-19 02:14 Physician and Patient Experiences 06:42 Vaccine Hesitancy Statistics 10:25 Common Patient Questions 24:34 Addressing Healthcare Worker Concerns 28:48 Conclusion and Gratitude
Credit Claiming
After listening to the podcast episode, claim 0.5 AAFP credit by following the provided link.
https://www.aafp.org/assessment/take/18189/e
Learning Objectives
1. Analyze the current guidelines and protocols for COVID-19 vaccine administration, including proper storage, handling, and labeling, to ensure adherence to best practices and improve vaccination rates among high-risk populations.
2. Evaluate the barriers and challenges that primary care clinicians face in increasing COVID-19 vaccination uptake and discuss strategies to overcome these obstacles through patient education and advocacy.
References:
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2022, May/June). Improving adult immunization rates within racial and ethnic minority communities [Educational supplement]. Journal of Family Practice Management. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2022/0500/p21.html
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2022, Nov/Dec). Improving adult immunization rates within racial and ethnic minority communities [Educational supplement]. Journal of Family Practice Management. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2022/1100/supplement.html
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2024, Mar/Apr). Impact on health systems from COVID-19 and the role of social determinants of health [Educational supplement]. Journal of Family Practice Management. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2024/0300/covid19-health-disparities.html
American Academy of Family Physicians. (n.d.). Shared conversation tool for COVID-19 vaccinations. https://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/covid19/clinicians-covid-sdmt.pdf
American Academy of Family Physicians. (n.d.). The motivational techniques and skills building tool: Discussing COVID-19 vaccination with patient populations. Journal of Family Practice Management. (Forthcoming, May/June 2025).
American Academy of Family Physicians. (n.d.). AAFP vaccine science fellowship. https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/prevention-wellness/immunizations-vaccines/aafp-vaccine-science-fellowship.html
American Academy of Family Physicians. (n.d.). Immunizations and vaccines. https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/prevention-wellness/immunizations-vaccines.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). COVID-19 vaccine considerations. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html
Graña, C., Ghosn, L., Evrenoglou, T., et al. (2022). Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD015477. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015477
Barda, N., Dagan, N., Ben-Shlomo, Y., et al. (2021). Safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in a nationwide setting. The New England Journal of Medicine, 385(12), 1078–1090. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2110475
Lazarus, J. V., Wyka, K., White, T. M., et al. (2023). A survey of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance across 23 countries in 2022. Nature Medicine, 29(2), 366–375. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02185-4
Nguyen, K. H., Bao, Y., Mortazavi, J., Corlin, L., & Allen, J. D. (2024). Reasons for COVID-19 non-vaccination from 2021 to 2023 for adults, adolescents, and children. Vaccines, 12(6), 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12060568
Dudley, M. Z., Schuh, H. B., Shaw, J., & Salmon, D. A. (2023). Attitudes and values of US adults not yet up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines in September 2022. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(12), 3932. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12123932
Rahmani, K., Shavaleh, R., Forouhi, M., et al. (2022). The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in reducing the incidence, hospitalization, and mortality from COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 873596. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.873596
Reis, S., Metzendorf, M. I., Kuehn, R., et al. (2023). Nirmatrelvir combined with ritonavir for preventing and treating COVID-19. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11, CD015395. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015395.pub3
Xie, Y., Bowe, B., & Al-Aly, Z. (2023). Nirmatrelvir and risk of hospital admission or death in adults with COVID-19: Emulation of a randomized target trial using electronic health records. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 381, e073312. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-073312
Roy, D. N., Biswas, M., Islam, E., & Azam, M. S. (2022). Potential factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 17(3), e0265496. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265496
Murphy, E. A., Guzman-Cardozo, C., Sukhu, A. C., et al. (2023). SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, booster, and infection in pregnant population enhances passive immunity in neonates. Nature Communications, 14, 4598. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39989-y
CVEED Program. (n.d.). Talking to family and friends about COVID-19 vaccination. https://cveep.org/news/talking-to-family-and-friends-about-covid-19-vaccination/
Additional Resources:
CDC Pink Book Education Series
CDC Pink Book Web-on-Demand Series
CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Administration and Coverage, Children and Adults, by Jurisdiction, United States
CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling
Disclosure: It is the policy of the AAFP that all individuals in a position to control content disclose any relationships with commercial interests upon nomination/invitation of participation. Disclosure documents are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest and, if identified, conflicts are resolved prior to confirmation of participation. Only those participants who had no conflict of interest or who agreed to an identified resolution process prior to their participation were involved in this CME activity.
All individuals in a position to control content for this session have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Disclaimer: Copyright 2025. AAFP. The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of AAFP. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. AAFP makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information and is not responsible for results that may arise from its use. Consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and respective governing bodies for applicable laws. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AAFP unless specifically stated otherwise. AAFP and the AAFP logo are registered trademarks of American Academy of Family Physicians.
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