Call for membership: Founding Fellows of the East, Central, and Southern Africa College of Family Physicians (ECSA CFP)

 

 

The ECSA-CFP invites family physicians (FPs) to apply through their local associations for membership of the College as Founding Fellows.

Application Deadline: 30th April 2025

About Us

The East Central and Southern Africa College of Family Physicians was established in June 2024, through resolution ECSA/HMC73/R1, as part of the ECSA College of Health Sciences (ESA-CHS).

The founding objectives of the College are:

  • To promote and advance the discipline of Family Medicine in the ECSA region.
  • To train and assess medical doctors in the discipline of Family Medicine
    throughout the region.
  • To organize and conduct postgraduate education and training of FPs, set
    standards and facilitate the highest level of skills, culturally responsive
    attitudes, compassionate and efficient care.

What is a Founding Fellow?

Any specialist family physician registered as such with a medical regulatory authority in a constituent member country at the time of the inauguration of the College, shall be eligible to be admitted as a Founding Fellow. The College Council have determined that the application period will be from 1 November 2024 to 30 April 2025. Thereafter FPs can apply for Fellowship by peer review, having satisfied the Council that they possess qualifications entitling them to be Fellows of the College, or by examination following training in the College Fellowship programme. Admission as a Founding Fellow or Fellow by peer review or examination will be subject to payment of subscription fees and approved application. After the period of application for Founding Fellows has closed, the fees for Fellows by peer review will be reviewed and may be higher.

Why Join Us?

As a Founding Fellow you will be at the forefront of a movement whose vision is to lead the transformation of primary healthcare in the ECSA region and strengthening the health workforce by providing high quality education, training, research and advocacy in Family Medicine. For the College to be successful in this vision, we need enthusiastic, highly motivated family physicians to play a key role in shaping and leading the development of clinical practice and academic growth of the discipline of Family Medicine. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of Family Medicine in the region and proudly carry the attribution “Founding Fellow ECSA-CFP” as part of your qualifications and signature.

To apply for Founding Fellow status you must 

  • Have a postgraduate specialist qualification in Family Medicine such as an MMed FM or equivalent.
  • Be registered as a Family Medicine specialist in your country of practice (ie on the specialist register of your country regulatory body or Medical Council)
  • Apply through your local FP specialist association

How to Apply

Submit your specialist registration (or similar) certificate and other relevant certifications with a covering application letter to the Family Physician Specialist Association or Professional Body in your country of practice. For Founding Fellows, the current joining fee is 60 US Dollars which should be paid to the Association that reviews your application. If approved, you will be enrolled into the Register of Fellows of ECSA-CFP. Subscription fees will be paid annually to stay on the Register.

What do I do if there is no specialist association in my country of practice?

If you want to apply to be a Founding Fellow but there is no specialist association in your country of practice, then identify a neighbouring country where there is a specialist association and apply there, explaining your situation in your application letter. The ECSA-CFP can guide you to a suitable country specialist association. In the long term though, the best action is to set up a specialist association. We can support you in doing this also.

We look forward to welcoming dedicated and visionary Fellows to the College!

For more information or answers to your questions, please contact Jacob Shabani the Registrar of ECSA-CFP at +254 719 803966