Accredited by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA)

The University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) is continuing to increase its global impact by becoming the second family medicine residency program in the world, and first in North America, to be accredited by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA).

WONCA is an international not-for-profit professional organization that advocates on behalf of family doctors (family physicians and general practitioners) from around the world and represents family medicine at the World Health Organization. WONCA developed the “Standards for Postgraduate Medical Education” against which residency programs in family medicine can be assessed and accredited, a process considered essential to the further development of quality family medicine across the world.

“We’ve always known that DFCM’s postgraduate residency program was exemplary, but it’s wonderful to see it recognized at a global level,” says DFCM Chair, Dr. Michael Kidd, who is also a former president of WONCA. “This global designation provides international recognition of our education and training programs for future family physicians and creates opportunities for further exciting international partnerships.”

The decision to endorse DFCM’s accreditation by the reviewers was unanimous, citing a “consistently strong ethos of education and research scholarship and mature, self-directed learning”. The accreditation team noted that inclusivity, collaboration and mutual respect was evident in the program.

Congratulations to our Undergraduate and Postgraduate Program Directors as well as all the hard work that our faculty and staff contribute to graduating high-quality and competent new family physicians in fostering education and research scholarship!