SFAM – The Swedish Association of General Practice

SFAM is the professional and scientific college of general practitioners (family physicians) in Sweden, a non-profit organisation with about 2000 members. SFAM is affiliated to the Swedish Society of Medicine (Svenska Läkaresällskapet) as well as the Swedish Medical Association (Läkarförbundet). Main areas of interest for SFAM are continuing professional development, training of future GPs, assessment of competence, quality improvement and research in general practice/family medicine.

SFAM represents Swedish GPs in a number of international organisations, including WONCA, EURACT, EGPRN, and EQuiP. SFAM was the host of the European Wonca Conference in Stockholm 1996. SFAM also cooperates with the other Nordic colleges in arranging Nordic conferences in general practice and hosted the Nordic Congress of General Practice 2015 in Gothenburgh.

SFAM holds its annual national scientific conference in the spring. The three-day meeting is arranged in turn by the local branches of SFAM and includes a scientific program and the final part of the specialist examination for GPs, as well as meetings of the committees and the networks. SFAM also frequently arranges other seminars and meetings on themes of current interest.

As the official representative for family medicine, SFAM is frequently asked to comment on proposals from governmental and other authorities concerning medical practice and other matters that concern GPs and their patients.

Board

The board (Styrelsen) is elected at the annual national meeting. The office is located in central Stockholm.

Local branches

SFAM has about 25 local branches covering almost all parts of Sweden. Local SFAM branches organize activities for GPs and GP registrars in their area, and send representatives to the national meetings.

Committees

There are several standing committees (råd), handling issues such as continuing professional development, quality improvement, and research in general practice and primary care.

Networks and interest groups

The College of Directors of Education (Studierektorskollegiet), a network of GPs in charge of local training for GP registrars, holds biannual national meetings. Other networks include the networks for GPs interested in areas such as asthma and allergy,  consultation skills, and others.

Journals

AllmänMedicin is the member journal of SFAM with articles in Swedish on matters of professional and scientific interest.

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care is a scientific journal, published in English by NFGP, the Nordic Federation of General Practice, with online open access.

Documents

The average general medicine specialist’s work in Sweden

For information in English about the GP specialist examination, see instructions for candidates and  examiners.

For information about the midway evaluation of competence, see  MiST in English.

(Revised 18 October 2018 by Karin Lindhagen)