AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians)

>To provide responsible advocacy for and education of patients and the public in all health-related matters; >To preserve and promote quality cost-effective health care; >To promote the science and art of family medicine and to ensure an optimal supply of well-trained family physicians; >To promote and maintain high standards among physicians who practice family medicine; >To preserve the right of family physicians to engage in medical and surgical procedures for which they are qualified by training and experience; >To provide advocacy, representation and leadership for the specialty of family practice; >To maintain and provide an organization with high standards to fulfill the above purposes and to represent the needs of its members.

</LI></UL> 'The Academy was instrumental in the establishment of family practice, a derivative of classical general practice, as medicine's twentieth primary specialty.

The AMA's Council on Medical Education and the independent American Board of Medical Specialties granted approval to a certifying board in family practice, the basic structural requisite of a medical specialty, on February 8, 1969. Examinations have been given annually since 1970, and recertification examinations annually since 1976. 'The Academy maintains a national headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.

It publishes a clinical journal for physicians in primary care entitled American Family Physician, with a circulation of 156,000; a monthly all-member news and features publication entitled FP Report and a publication on practice management and socioeconomic issues entitled Family Practice Management.'