In “The Promise of AIRE,” authors Warren P. Newton, Grant Hoekzema, Michael Magill, Jay Fetter, and Lauren Hughes introduce and contextualize the Family Medicine Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) program — a joint initiative of the ACGME and the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). The editorial articulates the motivation behind AIRE: to allow family medicine residencies to innovate beyond traditional three-year models and to explore time-variable, competency-based training designed to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities.
The article highlights the shift from time-based measures of training to a competency-based medical education (CBME) framework, emphasizing outcomes, community needs, and the active role of residents in co-creating their learning. The authors identify several models of innovation being explored within AIRE programs, from extending core competencies to integrating fellowships and developing specialized tracks in areas such as community health equity, lifestyle medicine, and behavioral health.
Ultimately, Newton and colleagues argue that AIRE represents both an experiment and a movement — one aimed at reshaping how family medicine training can better prepare physicians for contemporary practice, address health disparities, and strengthen the specialty’s response to population health challenges. The piece underscores that true innovation in medical education requires patience, collaboration, and a long-term commitment to evidence-based evolution.
“The Promise of AIRE” serves as both an invitation and a roadmap for residencies seeking to advance family medicine education through creativity, rigor, and responsiveness to community health needs.