AAFP governance

The Congress of Delegates is the policymaking body of the organization and elects the officers and directors who serve on the AAFP Board of Directors. Each chapter is represented at the Congress of Delegates by two delegates and two alternate delegates appointed by their chapter. Chapter presidents and executives also routinely attend the meeting.

The Congress meets annually, but updates on the Congress of Delegates' actions are available throughout the year. The annual Congress of Delegates meeting includes four sessions and reference committee hearings during which members in attendance discuss the resolutions being considered.

The first board of directors of the American Academy of General Practice was formed in June 1947. Since then, our board has shaped the American Academy of Family Physicians into what we know today.

The board of directors carries out activities and resolutions in between Congress of Delegates meetings and on behalf of family medicine and the Congress of Delegates. The board, in turn, appoints commissions to help carry out its activities. Board members meet in person five times annually and virtually up to two times annually to accomplish the organization's business.

In addition to carrying out the directives of the Congress of Delegates, the board is also responsible for a periodic review of non-clinical AAFP policy statements, strategic planning, board metric development, and recommendations from the eight commissions.

AAFP commissions process referrals from the AAFP Board of Directors, Congress of Delegates, National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL), National Congress of Family Medicine Residents (NCFMR), and National Congress of Student Members (NCSM). In addition, commissions discuss issues within their scope of work and deliberate regarding new strategic ideas to generate specific recommendations for action to the board.

The National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL) is a vehicle for member constituencies—recognized as women, BIPOC, new physicians, international medical graduates and LGBTQ+ physicians—to exchange information, share experiences and develop basic leadership skills. The conference is an opportunity for members of underrepresented constituencies to voice their individual and group perspectives.

NCCL member constituencies also put forth resolutions for debate at the NCCL conference. Resolutions adopted by the body are referred to the appropriate commission or AAFP staff by the Board of Directors.

Resolutions

Resolutions are submitted to the NCCL by any conference registrant. Resolutions are written on-site at the conference and then referred to reference committees for consideration, with a hearing open to all conference attendees. Reference committee members then submit a written report of the hearing with recommendations to the floor of the NCCL for debate and action. Only chapter delegates can vote on the floor.

Resolution Process

NCCL delegates can take the following actions on resolutions:

• Adopt
• Not Adopt
• Adopt with Substitution
• Reaffirm as current policy, program, or service of the AAFP

Resolutions adopted or adopted with substitution are referred to the appropriate AAFP entity for further consideration or action. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the AAFP Board of Directors is approved, the item is referred to the appropriate entity by the board chair. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the Congress of Delegates is approved, the item is referred to the Commission on Membership and Member Services for review with a subsequent recommendation to the board/board chair for next steps.

Implementation

Once a resolution has been passed and finalized, it becomes part of the AAFP’s operational plan, where appropriate staff owners outline tactics that will be implemented to achieve the item(s) set forth in the resolution.

The National Congress of Family Medicine Residents (NCFMR) was created more than 35 years ago to serve as the official voice of AAFP resident members. Through forums, resident members elect their national officers and advocate for various issues and causes. Many family medicine leaders get their start in the resident congress.

NCFMR members also put forth resolutions for debate at the conference. Resolutions adopted by the body are referred to the appropriate commission or AAFP staff by the Board of Directors.

Resolutions

Resolutions are submitted to the NCFMR by any conference registrant. Resolutions are written on-site at the conference and then referred to reference committees for consideration, with a hearing open to all conference attendees. Reference committee members then submit a written report of the hearing with recommendations to the floor of the NCFMR for debate and action. All attendees meeting the rules of order criteria can vote from the floor.

Resolution Process

NCFMR attendees can take the following actions on resolutions:

• Adopt
• Not Adopt
• Adopt with Substitution
• Reaffirm as current policy, program, or service of the AAFP

Resolutions adopted or adopted with substitution are referred to the appropriate AAFP entity for further consideration or action. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the AAFP Board of Directors is approved, the item is referred to the appropriate entity by the board chair. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the Congress of Delegates is approved, the item is referred to the Commission on Education for review with a subsequent recommendation to the board/board chair for next steps.

Implementation

Once a resolution has been passed and finalized, it becomes part of the AAFP’s operational plan, where appropriate staff owners outline tactics that will be implemented to achieve the item(s) set forth in the resolution.

The National Congress of Student Members (NCSM) was created more than 35 years ago to serve as the official voice of AAFP student members. Through forums, student members elect their national officers and advocate for various issues and causes. Many family medicine leaders get their start in the student congress.

NCSM members also put forth resolutions for debate at the conference. Resolutions adopted by the body are referred to the appropriate commission or AAFP staff by the Board of Directors.

Resolutions

Resolutions are submitted to the NCSM by any conference registrant. Resolutions are written on-site at the conference and then referred to reference committees for consideration, with a hearing open to all conference attendees. Reference committee members then submit a written report of the hearing with recommendations to the floor of the NCSM for debate and action. All attendees meeting the rules of order criteria can vote from the floor.

Resolution Process

NCSM attendees can take the following actions on resolutions:

• Adopt
• Not Adopt
• Adopt with Substitution
• Reaffirm as current policy, program, or service of the AAFP

Resolutions adopted or adopted with substitution are referred to the appropriate AAFP entity for further consideration or action. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the AAFP Board of Directors is approved, the item is referred to the appropriate entity by the board chair. If a reference committee recommendation referred to the Congress of Delegates is approved, the item is referred to the Commission on Education for review with a subsequent recommendation to the board/board chair for next steps.

Implementation

Once a resolution has been passed and finalized, it becomes part of the AAFP’s operational plan, where appropriate staff owners outline tactics that will be implemented to achieve the item(s) set forth in the resolution.

Member Interest Groups (MIGs) give AAFP members a voice within our diverse organization. These groups ensure you feel supported in what you care about, giving you the opportunity to go deeper into a specific topic or passion area within family medicine.

MIGs are groups for shared professional interests. MIGs have objectives and long-term goals they work to achieve in support of their specific topic area. This happens through collaboration with their overseeing commission and member volunteer leaders.

AAFP membership is unified, which means that members must belong to the national AAFP organization and their appropriate chapter. The AAFP has a chapter for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Uniformed Services.

Chapters provide a variety of benefits to members, with each chapter offering its own menu of benefits, including:

• Local and regional continuing medical education (CME)
• Networking
• Advocacy to advance the specialty of family medicine at the federal, state and local levels
• Leadership opportunities: Many members in leadership positions at the chapter level advance to hold national leadership positions by serving on an AAFP commission, task force or the national board.

Project Advisory Groups (PAGs) provide opportunities to align the strategic work of the AAFP with family physicians who have professional and/or technical expertise on identified topics. All PAGs are aligned with an AAFP strategic priority, as approved by the AAFP Board of Directors. PAGs are formed by a recommendation from the AAFP Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Executive Vice President (EVP) to the board chair, including members of the PAG. There is a maximum of six PAGs per fiscal year.

Per the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the AAFP will identify individual family physicians who bring a specific set of skills or expertise that is aligned with this important work and are not currently serving on an AAFP commission. The AAFP will use the following categories when determining representation to the PAGs:

• Extra Large Chapter
• Large Chapter
• Medium Chapter
• Small Chapter
• New Physician

The AAFP’s executive management team includes leaders who are responsible for marketing and communications, finance, legal affairs and HR, people and administration, external affairs and practice experience and medical education and physician well-being.