The AAFP Center for International Health Initiatives (CIHI) was created in 2000 in response to increased interest in the global development of family medicine. As several countries and institutions requested high quality consultations, the AAFP and its members involved in international consultations recognized the need for a process to respond to these requests. The advisory board they created included nine experienced family medicine international consultants.

CIHI’s vision is “to assist in the development of deliberately trained, competent, generalist physicians to meet the health needs of the community and country.” The underlying philosophy of this vision is that trained international consultants will provide assistance based on the universal principles of family medicine, tailored to the epidemiology and economy of the country, and using the best practices of family medicine in the United States that are appropriate for the needs of the community.