AAFP Fellowships: Three Programs Explained

“AAFP fellowships” points to three different things, and most confusion comes from treating them as one. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) confers an honorary Degree of Fellow (FAAFP) on members, runs a yearlong Vaccine Science Fellowship, and publishes a directory of post-residency clinical fellowships that other institutions operate. The first is a recognition, the second is a funded professional-development program, and the third is advanced clinical training. Everything below is as described on the official AAFP pages on October 29, 2026; programs change, so confirm current terms on the pages listed under Sources.

What it is and who runs it

The AAFP is the national professional society for family physicians. Its family medicine specialty is the field these programs serve. The AAFP’s awards, scholarships and fellowships hub lists three fellowship-type entries: the Degree of Fellow (“recognizing service to family medicine”), the Vaccine Science Fellowship (“a yearlong deep dive into vaccine science and policy”) and global health fellowships (“supporting international efforts”).

Meaning of “AAFP fellowship”	What it is	Who runs it	Money
Degree of Fellow (FAAFP)	Honorary degree recognizing service to family medicine; holders may add FAAFP	AAFP	One-time $210 application fee, fully refunded if declined
Vaccine Science Fellowship	One-year program for mid-career family physicians interested in vaccine issues	AAFP	Nominal stipend (amount not stated); travel costs covered
Post-residency clinical fellowships	One- to two-year advanced training in a specialty area	Individual programs, listed in the AAFP Fellowship Directory	Typically a stipend or salary that varies by program

Eligibility

Degree of Fellow

The AAFP states that “any active, life or inactive member with dues and reelections in good standing may be elected.” Candidates must have held active AAFP membership for six years (a combination of resident and active membership totaling six years also counts) and must accrue a total of 100 points, as defined in the application, across six areas: lifelong learning; practice quality and improvement; volunteer teaching; public service; publishing and research; and service to the specialty. The AAFP says more than 18,000 family physicians have received the designation since 1971.

Vaccine Science Fellowship

The fellowship is open to family physicians and is “designed for those mid-career in their professional development.” Its stated purpose is to develop a group of family physicians who are interested in, and knowledgeable about, vaccine issues, linking public health and family medicine. Full eligibility criteria are given on the application platform the AAFP page links to.

Clinical fellowships for graduates

The AAFP page for residents and graduates describes fellowships that follow residency. Eligibility and selection are set by each program, not by the AAFP.

What it funds or requires

Degree of Fellow

It funds nothing; it is an honorary degree. The requirement is the 100-point record described above. Publishing and research is one of the six scored areas, alongside teaching, public service and quality improvement.

Vaccine Science Fellowship

The AAFP describes a one-year commitment of about 10% of a full-time equivalent, or 22 days including travel. The fellowship provides a nominal stipend, covers travel costs, and offers mentorship by immunization policy experts. Fellows are required to join monthly calls, complete self-study projects (presentations, articles or research) that are shared with AAFP members and public health officials, and attend in person the Sealy Institute Clinical Trials Program and the AAFP FMX meeting. For a research administrator, the notable detail is institutional: the AAFP states that the institution or department chair must commit to allowing the time. For how fellowship terms are usually defined, see research fellowship.

Clinical fellowships

Fellowships typically last one to two years, depending on the area of specialization and program structure. The AAFP lists these areas: sports medicine, geriatrics (see what is geriatrics), obstetrics, palliative care, addiction medicine, emergency medicine and academic medicine. The AAFP’s page says fellows typically receive a stipend or salary that varies by program, and its FAQ states that most earn between $60,000 and $75,000 annually. Treat that range as the AAFP’s own statement, not a guarantee for any program.

Application or compliance steps

Degree of Fellow

Confirm six years of qualifying membership and good standing.
Document activity across the six areas against the 100-point scheme in the application.
Submit through the AAFP’s online Degree of Fellow application. The $210 fee is charged on submission and fully refunded if the application is declined.

The AAFP page lists no deadline. Questions go to the AAFP Member Resource Center at (800) 274-2237.

Vaccine Science Fellowship

Secure the institution’s or chair’s commitment to the time (about 22 days).
Apply through the AAFP’s external application platform before that cycle’s deadline. Deadlines recur with each cycle, so read the current cycle’s date on the official page.

Clinical fellowships

Search the AAFP Fellowship Directory by location, program type, community setting and duration, then apply through the program or its match system. The AAFP says applications usually open 12 to 18 months before program start dates.

Typical timeline phases

Degree of Fellow: a six-year membership period, an activity-accrual period to reach 100 points, then submission and review. There is no stated cycle deadline.
Vaccine Science Fellowship: application window, selection, then a one-year program of monthly calls, self-study projects and two in-person meetings.
Clinical fellowship: directory search and applications 12 to 18 months ahead, then one to two years of training.

Common mistakes

Treating FAAFP as clinical training. The Degree of Fellow is honorary and recognizes service; it is not a fellowship in the training sense.
Looking for AAFP-run clinical fellowships. The AAFP provides a directory; the individual programs run their own applications.
Assuming membership alone qualifies. Six years of membership is one condition; the 100-point total is another.
Ignoring the institutional commitment. The Vaccine Science Fellowship asks the home institution to release about 10% FTE for a year.
Using a past cycle’s deadline. Application dates for the Vaccine Science Fellowship belong to a specific cycle.

Related programs

Program	Distinguishing feature, per the AAFP
Degree of Fellow	Honorary; 100 points across six areas; $210 refundable fee
Vaccine Science Fellowship	One year; about 10% FTE; stipend plus travel; mentorship
Clinical fellowships	One to two years; stipend or salary; listed in the AAFP Fellowship Directory
Global health fellowships	Listed on the AAFP hub as “supporting international efforts”

For the immunization science behind the vaccine program, see what is immunology.

FAQ

Is an AAFP fellowship the same as FAAFP?

No. FAAFP is the designation held by those who receive the honorary Degree of Fellow. The Vaccine Science Fellowship and clinical fellowships are separate programs.