The EYFDM council met on 29th June to elect officers for Awards & Fundraising, Exchange, Image and Secretary for the term from 2026-2029 and to decide about policies and amendments. The council approved the annual report 2025-2026, minutes from previous meeting and voted the financial report and budget.
Yanica Vella was re-elected as the Exchange officer; Rishi Caleyachetty was elected as Secretary, Pedro Fernandes Cardoso was elected as Awards and Fundraising officer and Kati Koost was elected as Image officer.
Congratulations to all running candidates that displayed a vibrant community: Carolina Cordovil (Portugal), Gabriel Cristian Vacaru (Romania), Ekin Dikmen (Turkey), Maria Catalina Rijkin-Popescu (Romania) and Hande Büyükdağ Nam (Turkey).
We also like to thank our outgoing officers Kerry Greenan (Secretary), Marta Kurdzielewicz (Awards and Fundraising ) and Carolina Cordovil (Image Officer).
On January 30 the EYFDM Council meet, worked on and approved the Statement on Family Medicine as a Speciality:
“EYFDM strongly supports the full recognition of Family Medicine/ General Practice as a medical speciality, within the European Union and the whole European Region. EYFDM endorses the WONCA Europe Statement on the Recognition of the Speciality of Family Medicine/ General Practice in the European Region. We call for its inclusion in Directive 2005/36/EC, Annex 1.1.3 on the recognition of professional qualifications, alongside other medical specialities. A common European framework, which reflects the diversity of Family Medicine across health systems, will ensure that the knowledge we obtain in the first years of our careers is qualitatively equivalent to our colleagues from surrounding countries. We aim to bring together trainees, trainers and policymakers to address the future needs of family doctors when designing a common curriculum. Strengthening the position of Family Medicine in Europe is one of the EYFDM aims, and the recognition of Family Medicine as a speciality means taking a step further towards this goal. This position is fully aligned as well with the UEMO and EJD’s “Murcia Declaration on the Future of General Practice and Family Medicine in European Healthcare”, which highlights the crucial role of Family Medicine in ensuring accessible, and sustainable healthcare systems across Europe.”
EYFDM acknowledges that: ● The climate emergency is a global ecological and health emergency. ● The climate emergency is having and will continue to have health impacts that will worsen health inequalities. ● We have a commitment as a primary care organisation to raise awareness of the Climate Crisis and advocate for Planetary Health.
Goals/ targets: ● One-health approach ● Promote low-carbon activities and health systems ● Incentivise campaigns and training for our members to raise awareness on climate crisis and related health emergencies. ● Partner with similar organisations and share common grounds. ● Develop specific policies supported by scientific evidence.
Amendments to the EYFDM Bylaws were also approved regarding participation in SIGs, nomination of proxy, ties in voting and update in the logo description and use of EYFDM name.
The Council also approved a budget amendment to increase funding for bursaries in 2026, after the generous donation of from the Luxembourg HOC of 4500 euros.
The accessibility guidelines were also approved to improve the experience for all members at EYFDM events.
Apply now, and until March 8th for bursaries to attend the EYFDM Preconference and WONCA Europe Conference in Paris.
Wonca Europe, Collège de la Médecine Générale (CMG) and the European Young Family Doctors’ Movement have joined forces to financially support young family physicians from across the WONCA Europe region and bring them closer to the global international community of general practitioners.
At least 10 applicants will receive from 500 to 1000 € to refund the costs of attending these events.
We started 2026 showcasing some opportunities within EYFDM including the roles of ND and executive, exchanges, awards, bursaries, bridge project and more.
Apply now, and until 2th of November, for bursaries to attend the 10th EYFDM Forum!
All the documents must be sent to the awards officer by the 2th of November. The applicants will be informed about the results through emails by the 16th of November.
The refund can cover:
registration fee for the EYFDM Forum in Tallinn 2026
the cost of flight tickets/ train tickets to EYFDM Forum Tallinn 2026
the cost of accommodation during EYFDM Forum Tallinn 2026
We are pleased to open calls for applications to the position of Treasurer on the Executive from Monday 5th May! Please find the role description here. Note that we have removed the requirement for EU/EEA residency.
This will be an online election:
the deadline to submit applications (see documents list below) to secretary is 2nd June 2025
these will be vetted and circulated to council on 3rd June 2025, who will have 1 week to submit questions
questions will be circulated to the candidates on 9th June 2025, with 1 week to submit responses
these responses will be shared with council and the vote opened on 16th, closing on 23rd June with the outcome announced.
Candidates should be a young doctor and a member of their NMO. The required documents for election are as follows: ○ Curriculum Vitae ○ Motivational Letter ○ Proof of membership of their NMO ○ Proof of young doctor status ○ An essential letter of recommendation from their National Delegate if the candidate is not themselves a National Delegate, or from their NEC if the candidate is a National Delegate themselves and their country has a NEC.
○ Up to three desirable letters of recommendation: ■ From their NMO ■ A maximum of two letters from other EYFDM members
Candidates will also need to submit a 3 minute video presentation to accompany their application.
Please contact secretary if you have any questions!
5 applicants will receive 900 € to attend YDM Preconference and WONCA World Conference in Lisbon.
The refund can cover:
registration fee for the YDM Preconference Lisbon 2025
registration fee for the WONCA World Conference Lisbon 2025
the cost of flight tickets to YDM Preconference and WONCA World Conference in Lisbon
the cost of accommodation during YDM Preconference and WONCA World Conference in Lisbon
Any costs in excess of the bursary allocation will need to be covered by the bursary holder.
Documents
Application form (saved Name_AF_Lisbon 2025_Europe) (see below)
Proof of a young doctor status: GP trainee or during the first 5 years after training (saved as Name_Status_Lisbon2025_Europe).
Applicant’s picture (saved as Name_Picture_Lisbon2025_Europe)
All the documents must be sent to EYFDMBursaries2025 by the 30th of April. The applicants will be informed about results through emails by the 31st of May.
Other Requirements
The applicant will be asked to describe her/his experience (using 250- 500 words) within one month after attending the event.
The applicant will be asked to send proof of incurred costs (e.g.bills, invoices).
The applicant has to attend both events: the WONCA World Conference and the YDM Preconference.
Inclusion Criteria – to receive the bursary you must:
Be a young family physician (a family medicine trainee or up to 5 years after finishing training, valid in September 2025)
Be a member of a WONCA Europe National Member Organisation of WONCA (valid on the 30th April 2025). You can check it here.
Prove your attendance at both the WONCA World Conference and the YDM Preconference in Lisbon
Send a report of your experience within one month after the event.
Not live in Portugal
Not be a winner of a previous WONCA / EYFDM (previously VdGM) fund or scholarship.
Failure to meet these requirements, including to send a report of her/his experience within one month after the event fails to prove the incurred costs.
The call for bursaries to Grand Region Forum 2025 is open. Get all the details in the document call below. The number of bursaries has been extended from 2 to 6 with generous sponsorship from Health Ministry of Luxembourg. The new deadline to send all documents to our Awards Officer: December 31st. Announcement on January 12.
The call for bursaries to Grand Region Forum 2025 is open. Get all the details in the document call below. Also, keep in mind the important deadline to send all documents to our Awards Officer: December 22nd.
