The BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is the heart of family medicine in BC, supporting family physicians in providing equitable, culturally safe, longitudinal care for all British Columbians.

We provide leadership, support, advocacy and continuing professional development (CPD) for more than 6,800 members from across the province. Our members are family physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students interested in pursuing a career in family medicine.

Watch our short videos featuring some of BC’s family physicians. They share their thoughts on what makes family medicine important for patients and health care, and why they chose this medical specialty.

How we serve our members

• Developing and delivering CPD that meets the evolving needs of BC family physicians
• Promoting and demonstrating the value of the specialty of family medicine through our ongoing advocacy work and the BCCFP awards and honours program
• Supporting family physicians at every career stage
• Empowering family physicians to provide for culturally safe health care and demonstrate anti-racist approaches to address health equity.

Our unique role
To learn more about the unique role of the BCCFP as it relates to some of the organizations that touch on the professional lives of BC’s family physicians, take a look at the Who’s Who in the Professional Lives of Family Doctors infographic. While not an exhaustive list, this one-page resource aims to clarify what we’ve heard many refer to as the “alphabet soup” of organizations that are part of the crowded landscape impacting family medicine and primary care.

Join us
For more information about joining the BCCFP, visit our membership page. For more detail about the organization, review the BCCFP Bylaws (2022).

• What is the BCCFP?

  The BC College of Family Physicians of Canada (BCCFP) is the BC branch of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), the professional association and the legal certifying body for the specialty of family medicine in Canada. Founded in 1954 with a core goal of ensuring that members engage in lifelong learning, it is an organization of family physicians dedicated to improving the practice of medicine and the health of Canadians.

  BCCFP is the only organization focused exclusively on the value and experience of being a family physician in BC. It advocates for the future of family medicine and provides continuing professional development tailored to the needs of family doctors to support the delivery of quality care for British Columbia. More than 6,000 family physicians, residents and medical students are members of BCCFP because of the work the College does to support family physicians, including celebrating their work and bringing attention to the role they play in a person’s overall health.

• Who are the members of the BCCFP?

  Any family physician, UBC family practice resident, or medical student in BC can be a member of the BCCFP.

  Visit our membership page here.

• What does the College do?

  The BCCFP is the professional home of family medicine in BC, providing s leadership, support, advocacy and education.

  The CFPC establishes the standards for the training, certification, and lifelong education for family physicians. It accredits postgraduate family medicine trainees in Canada’s medical schools, conducts the certification examination in family medicine, and grants the CCFP designation to members who qualify as specialists in family medicine.

• What does the College NOT do?

  The BCCFP cannot assist patients in finding family physicians. Please visit our Find a Family Doctor page for more information.

  The College cannot offer medical advice or counselling to patients; please contact your family physician for any medical care or advice. In addition, the BCCFP does not handle complaints against physicians; please contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC for assistance in this area.

• What is family medicine?

  Family medicine can best be described as personal, comprehensive, continuous care. It is personal because it is based on the relationship between the patient and his or her family doctor; it is comprehensive because it is based on the family physician’s consideration of the whole patient in the context of his or her needs, history, and life situation; and it is continuous because it is based on the long-term, ongoing nature of the professional relationship.

• Is family medicine the same thing as general practice?

  Family physicians are qualified to practice general medicine and have additional training in the specialty of family medicine. They also have a clearly defined focus on comprehensive, continuous care of their patients.

• What does the BCCFP offer for family practice residents?

  The BCCFP provides supports for family physicians at all career stages. Information about what the BCCFP offers to residents can be found here.

• How can I get more involved with the College?

  We are always looking for members willing to join planning committees, to provide advance feedback on new initiatives that we are developing, or lend their expertise for our advocacy work. For more information, please contact us at [email protected]

• What role does the BCCFP play in physician education?

  The BCCFP leads the development and delivery of relevant continuing professional development (CPD) to support evolving practice needs for BC family physicians.

• What is certification in family medicine, and what is a CCFP?

  The Certification in the College of Family Physicians (CCFP) is the professional designation of the family medicine specialty. Medical school graduates who successfully complete an approved family medicine residency are eligible to sit for the certification examinations. Practicing physicians who qualify may be eligible to earn certification through a combination of approved training and practice experience.

• What other professional designations does the College confer?

  Physicians who have earned certification in family medicine may use the designation CCFP after their names. E.g., certified family physicians with additional training and qualifications in emergency medicine may earn the CCFP(EM) designation; in addition, physicians who have been certified for 10 years and meet eligibility guidelines may earn the FCFP designation as Fellows of the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

• How is certification maintained?

  Members of the College are required to meet strict standards of continuing professional development consisting of a wide variety of accredited activities such as attending courses and participating in educational events. Members must submit evidence of these activities on a regular basis and earn a specific number of educational credits in the Mainpro+  (maintenance of proficiency) program administered by the College.

• What is the CFPC Fellowship Designation?

  The CFPC awards the Fellowship designation (FCFP) to those who have been awarded Certification in the College of Family Physicians (CCFP) and who distinguish themselves through outstanding contribution to their communities, their colleagues, and the discipline of family medicine. Fellowship is considered a value of membership and will be bestowed for life as long as the member remains in good standing with the College.

  For more information on the FCFP requirements and nominations system, visit the CCFP website. 

• What is a Certificate of Added Competence (CAC)?

  Certificates of Added Competence (CACs) in Family Medicine. These provide a means to recognize enhanced areas of expertise achieved, and maintained, by some family physicians, including Care of the Elderly; Palliative Care; Emergency Medicine; Family Practice Anesthesia; and Sport and Exercise Medicine.

  There is more information about CACs and eligibility on the CFPC website.