Other family medicine organizations
Learn more about related family medicine organizations.
Family medicine thrives on collaboration. In addition to AAFP, several national organizations play vital roles in advancing the field. These groups support family physicians and educators through research, residency leadership, certification and training. Learn more about their missions and how they contribute to the continued growth and excellence of family medicine.
Organizations advancing family medicine
American Board of Family Medicine
The American Board of Family Medicine is the second-largest medical specialty board in the U.S. Founded in 1969, the board is a voluntary, private nonprofit. Its mission is to improve public health. The organization’s purpose is to establish and maintain standards of excellence in family medicine, improve medical education training in the specialty and evaluate the fitness of specialists who apply for and hold certificates.
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Founded in 1978, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine is devoted to transforming care, education and research to promote health equity and improve the nation's health. Its annual winter meeting attracts more than 200 institutional leaders from academic medical centers who are steering innovations in clinical care delivery, medical student education, resident training and research. The association is comprised of chairs (members) and senior administrators (associate members) of family medicine departments. Current members represent 150 departments.
Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
The Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors empowers program directors to achieve excellence in family medicine residency training. Founded in 1990, the association addresses the needs of residency directors and the public by providing support mechanisms to help them deliver the highest quality family medicine education.
North American Primary Care Research Group
The North American Primary Care Research Group is a multidisciplinary organization for primary care researchers. Founded in 1972 and oriented to family medicine, the research group welcomes members from all generalist disciplines and related fields, including epidemiology, behavioral sciences and health services research. It is a volunteer member organization committed to producing and sharing new knowledge relevant to primary care. It has bi-national governance (U.S. and Canada), an international research mission and a commitment to a nurturing, informative and inspiring environment.
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine works to transform health care through education. Founded in 1967 to meet the needs of family medicine educators, the society has grown from 105 founding members to nearly 5,000. Members include medical school professors, preceptors, residency program faculty, program directors and others involved in teaching family medicine.