Congress of Delegates

The Congress of Delegates (COD) is the Academy's policy-making body. Its membership consists of two delegates and two alternates from each constituent chapter and from the member constituencies including new physicians, residents, students, and other constituency groups represented at the National Conference of Constituency Leaders.

The Congress elects new officers and three members to serve on the Board of Directors for the following 12 months. AAFP members are welcome to participate in hearings of the five reference committees: Advocacy, Education, Health of the Public and Science, Organization and Finance, and Practice Enhancement. Reference committees are committees of the COD that consider business (resolutions) items referred to them for recommendation to the COD for debate and action.

During the two and one-half day meeting (held prior to AAFP Family Medicine Experience), the Congress agenda includes addresses from AAFP officers, resolutions from chapters, and reports from the Board of Directors and commissions.