Membership FAQs

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is the professional organization that represents more than 40,000 members across the country. The College establishes the standards for and accredits postgraduate family medicine training in Canada’s 17 medical schools. It reviews and certifies continuing professional development programs and materials that enable family physicians to meet certification and licensing requirements.

The CFPC provides high-quality services, supports family medicine teaching and research, and advocates on behalf of the specialty of family medicine, family physicians, and the patients they serve.

Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) is the professional designation of the specialty of family medicine. Medical school graduates who successfully complete an approved family medicine residency are eligible to sit the Certification Examination in Family Medicine. Practising physicians who qualify may be eligible to earn certification through a combination of approved training and practice experience. The CCFP Special Designation tells patients that their family doctor has achieved certification and is committed to lifelong learning through professional development that is required to maintain the designation.

There are more than 40,000 members of the College. Here’s a breakdown of Special Designations:

• 31,413 members in Canada
• 23,610 with CCFP designation
• 2,794 with Emergency Medicine (EM) designation
• 5,728 Fellows of the College of Family Physicians of Canada

• Members have the ability to use Special Designations—such as CCFP, FCFP, or CCFP (COE)—upon meeting specific requirements. These are symbols of excellence in family medicine that are recognized worldwide. Special Designations signify to patients and peers that members have met high standards for training and are committed to lifelong learning.
• Members have full access to the quality Mainpro+^® programs used to enhance ongoing CPD interests and requirements
• The CFPC advocates for and participates in policy development on behalf of members with governments, other health care associations, and key decision makers to represent the needs and interests of family physicians across Canada
• Members have access to the Self Learning™ Program
• Members have access to the Canadian Library of Family Medicine services, and member programs at competitive rates
• Members receive preferential rates for Family Medicine Forum, and Chapter annual scientific assemblies (ASAs)
• Members have access to funding and recognition opportunities through the CFPC Honours and Awards program
• Members benefit from discounts on products and services

To become a member of the College, apply online.

Suspension or revocation of membership/Special Designation: Individuals who fail to comply with the College’s membership requirements, including those related to annual membership fees and/or continuing professional development (CPD):

• Shall have their College membership, certification, Fellowship, and any Special Designations suspended or revoked.

AND

• Shall lose the right to continue to use any College Special Designations until such rights have been reinstated by the College.

Medical Regulatory Authority Notice: On receipt of notification from a medical regulatory authority of the suspension or revocation of the licence of a College member, the College shall immediately suspend or revoke membership and Special Designations and shall notify the member of this action.

Restoration of membership/Special Designations: A licensed physician in good standing whose College membership and/or Special Designations were suspended or revoked may apply for reinstatement of such membership and Special Designations. To have membership and Special Designations restored, a physician must:

• Provide evidence of such licence having been reinstated, in the case of a physician whose licence has been suspended or revoked by a medical regulatory authority.
• Submit the membership fee for the current year.
• Provide evidence of having carried out continuing professional development that meets the requirements of the College as determined by the Board.

Yes, Resident membership is renewable annually every July 1st. The Resident classification automatically becomes Active when you complete the accredited training program, or is terminated when you withdraw from the program. Postgraduate year one (PGY1) residents receive complimentary membership; PGY2 and PGY3 resident members must pay a reduced annual membership fee, but are not required to participate in Mainpro+ until becoming an Active member.

A Resident member is a physician enrolled as a resident in an approved postgraduate training program in family medicine, or a physician who was previously a CFPC member and is now enrolled as a resident in an approved postgraduate training program in a medical discipline other than family medicine, and who pays an annual fee as set by the Board, fulfills CPD requirements, and belongs to both the national College and a Chapter.

Please contact the Member Care Centre with all of your membership questions or concerns.

Please contact the Member Care Centre to update your membership information, including your address.

A Student membership is available to individuals enrolled in a Canadian university faculty of medicine undergraduate program leading to the MD degree, who formally indicates an interest in CFPC membership, pays an annual fee as determined by the Board (the board has approved complimentary fees for Student Members), and is not required to fulfill CPD requirements. Student members belong to both the national College and a Chapter.

Please ensure you use the email address that matches your membership file to log in.

• If you do not have a password and you are a first-time user, go to the First Time User page to set up a password. You will be asked to enter your membership ID number, your date of birth, and medical school. If your medical school is outside of Canada, please choose International/US.
• If you already have a password, you may access your file online at www.cfpc.ca/login/. Please enter your email address (that is on file) and password (case sensitive).

If you have forgotten your password, go to the Forgot Password page and enter the email address that we have on file for you. You will receive an email with a temporary password. When you receive the reset code email, click the link provided in the email to reset password; if you merely copy the reset code to the main login page, it will not function. Once you input the reset code, you will be able to choose and confirm your new password.

Note : The reset code provided in the email expires after 24 hours.