About Resident and Student Congresses

The resident and student congresses meet during National Conference. These sessions provide a unique leadership forum for residents and students to discuss major concerns and influence AAFP policies, programs, and services. It's hands-on leader training.

What are the resident and student congresses?

The official names are the National Congress of Family Medicine Residents (NCFMR) and the National Congress of Student Members (NCSM). These bodies were created more than 35 years ago as the official voices of residents and students in the AAFP. Through these forums, resident and student members elect their national officers and advocate for a wide variety of issues and causes. Many of the initiatives launched by residents and students are now AAFP policy. Many family medicine leaders got their start in the resident and student congresses.

Who can participate in the congresses?

Congress sessions are open to anyone registered for National Conference. To speak to and vote on recommendations before your congress, you must be a resident or student member of the AAFP. To vote in elections, you must be a chapter delegate.

AAFP chapters send one student member and one resident member to serve as chapter delegates to the resident and student congresses. These delegates attend all congress sessions, poll their state delegations about issues before the congresses, and vote in the elections. If you are interested in serving as a delegate (or alternate delegate) to your congress, contact your chapter executive. Find your chapter.

What will I learn by participating in my congress?

Learn how you can:

• Have your voice heard in organized medicine.
• Run a business meeting using parliamentary procedure.
• Build a case for specific action.
• Debate and make an informed decision.
• Run or apply for a leadership position in the AAFP.
• Make the most of AAFP resources.

What happens during congress sessions?

Each congress holds three sessions. During these sessions and related activities, you will:

• Learn about the AAFP’s strategic priorities and how the Academy and other key organizations are addressing issues of importance to residents and students.
• Receive instruction in parliamentary procedure and informed decision-making.
• Participate in special discussion groups, and develop and debate resolutions on topics ranging from medical education to global health.
• Find out what leadership opportunities are available to residents and students, including those positions elected during National Conference.

What’s involved in writing resolutions?

Resolution writing is a great way to fine-tune your advocacy skills. A resolution begins with an idea and develops into a formal proposal or recommendation. It may express a belief or call for a specific action, and it includes a series of statements explaining the reasons for the resolution. A resolution may have a single author or several authors. The congress discussion groups are ideal forums for generating resolutions.

Learn more about how to write a resolution.

Who's eligible to run for a national office?

A key action of the congresses is the election of resident and student leaders. Positions elected at National Conference include:

• Resident and student AAFP board members
• National Conference chairs
• Delegates to the AAFP Congress of Delegates
• National coordinator for the Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) Network
• Representatives to the boards of the AAFP Foundation, Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, and Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.