See also:
Family Medicine Interest Groups
Family Medicine Clerkship
Family Medicine, Undergraduate Training in
Family Medicine Faculty Training
Privileges, Family Medicine Departments and
Family Medicine Department, Definition
Departments of family medicine in U.S. medical schools should be recognizable administrative units with a clearly articulated mission that encompasses education, research and, typically, clinical service. In comparable fashion to units in other clinical disciplines, such departments transmit the body of knowledge defined as family medicine throughout the academic and practicing communities. If, in addition to family medicine, a department includes other major disciplines, such as community or preventive medicine, these may be reflected in the departmental title.
A department of family medicine should have a qualified, family physician chair, recruited through a university-recognized search and selection process, who is accountable to the institution in a manner comparable to other clinical departments. Departments must meet the membership requirements of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM). Family physician chairpersons must also meet the membership requirements of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Each family medicine department requires an appropriate mix of faculty educators, investigators, clinicians and administrators with university-based professional appointments comparable to other clinical departments within the institution. Each department must exercise administrative control over faculty, space, facilities, budget, and research functions. In mature departments, these resources approximate those of other clinical departments in the same institution with similar responsibilities.
A department of family medicine must include among its functions all of the following that are applicable to its setting: Identifiable involvement in the medical student curriculum, particularly a required medical student rotation in the third or early fourth academic year; an accredited residency training program (integrated or affiliated); committees; and collaboration with other departments to achieve institutional objectives. Department faculty must be involved in scholarly activities, including the creation of new knowledge and peer-reviewed publications. (2003)
A department of family medicine should have a qualified, family physician chair, recruited through a university-recognized search and selection process, who is accountable to the institution in a manner comparable to other clinical departments. Departments must meet the membership requirements of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM). Family physician chairpersons must also meet the membership requirements of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Each family medicine department requires an appropriate mix of faculty educators, investigators, clinicians and administrators with university-based professional appointments comparable to other clinical departments within the institution. Each department must exercise administrative control over faculty, space, facilities, budget, and research functions. In mature departments, these resources approximate those of other clinical departments in the same institution with similar responsibilities.
A department of family medicine must include among its functions all of the following that are applicable to its setting: Identifiable involvement in the medical student curriculum, particularly a required medical student rotation in the third or early fourth academic year; an accredited residency training program (integrated or affiliated); committees; and collaboration with other departments to achieve institutional objectives. Department faculty must be involved in scholarly activities, including the creation of new knowledge and peer-reviewed publications. (2003)
