AAFP membership: Frequently asked questions and answers
When do I renew? How many CME credits do I need? Here’s everything you need to know.
The benefits of AAFP membership follow you every step of your family medicine career. Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about maintaining your AAFP membership.
Popular AAFP membership FAQs
Do medical students have to pay to join the AAFP?
No. AAFP membership is free for any student attending an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school. Student membership ends automatically upon graduation or withdrawal from medical school.
Is AAFP membership part of my residency program?
Possibly. Some programs enroll their residents and pay their AAFP membership dues. Check with your residency program or contact the AAFP Member Resource Center at aafp@aafp.org or (800) 274-2237 if you’re not sure.
Are there different tiers of dues for physician membership?
Yes. The AAFP understands new physicians may face financial pressure, so annual dues for first-year physician members are $100, plus chapter dues. Annual dues for second-year and later physicians are $510, plus chapter dues. Get more information on physician membership.
Do I have to be an AAFP member to attend FUTURE?
No. AAFP membership isn't required to attend FUTURE, but we strongly encourage you to join because it's free! It ensures you receive a discount on your FUTURE registration fee and you gain access to awesome resources for medical students.
What happens if my membership lapses?
You can either reinstate your AAFP membership or rejoin. Reinstating allows you to pick up where you left off and keep your original enrollment date. Rejoining is a fresh start, requiring a new application and proof of CME credits earned during your hiatus. Compare the two options to decide which is right for you.
Other AAFP membership FAQs
Your membership dues must be paid by January 1. The AAFP offers members the option to pay their dues in full or to sign up for a monthly installment plan. Members can also elect to automatically renew their membership annually.
Active members must report at least 150 credits of approved CME (including at least 75 AAFP Prescribed credits) every three calendar years. This period is called a reelection cycle.
Once members meet the CME requirement, they are “reelected” to AAFP membership. If reelection requirements aren’t met, membership is canceled.
Some chapters also require “chapter credits.” Check with your chapter for more information.
The AAFP has long recognized that to effectively represent our members throughout the country, membership at both the national and chapter levels is important. While we ensure your interests are represented in Washington, DC, our chapters speak to state legislatures, licensing boards and other places where your voice needs to be heard.
The AAFP Board of Directors operates to further the AAFP’s mission to improve the health of patients, families and communities by serving the needs of members with professionalism and creativity.
The AAFP Congress of Delegates 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), which debate and vote on business resolutions that then become AAFP policy.
The board of directors appoints members to serve on commissions that deliberate on issues within their scope of work, new strategic ideas and referrals from several entities within the AAFP. Commissions make recommendations to the board regarding policy, new programs and projects, and improvements to current activities.
The AAFP is your professional membership society focused on delivering member value in areas such as federal, state and private sector advocacy; providing quality CME and accrediting the CME of others to ensure it’s pertinent to family medicine; and assisting practices in continual improvement and transformation to better meet the needs of members and their patients.
The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is the certifying board for the specialty of family medicine, not a professional membership association.