Connecting doctors across the globe is key to maintaining educational and cultural exchanges whilst gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you.
Strengthening international relationships while sharing ideas is key to what European Young Family Doctors Movement (EYFDM) promotes. For this reason we are delighted to open the call for the EYFDM Hippokrates and Carosino Exchange Awards 2025
Requirements:
family doctor trainee or within five years of specialisation at the time of the participated Exchange
have fully completed a Hippokrates Exchange: obtained the Certificate of Completion.
be able to attend the WONCA World Conference in Lisbon, 16th-21st September 2025.
Awards
Winners will be invited to present their experiences during the workshop that will be held at the WONCA in Lisbon. Reimbursement of the registration fee for the WONCA World Conference 2025 and EYFDM Preconference (to a maximum value of 450€ per person onlyif the candidate presents her/his exchange experience during the EYFDM Exchange Workshop at the WONCA World Conference 2025).
Documents:
Completed Hippokrates Exchange Template
Your certificate of completion
Specify clearly which Exchange Award you are applying for – Hippokrates (urban) or Carosino (rural)
Send the documents for your NEC, deadline 8th JUNE.
Submission of candidates to the EYFDM Exchange Officer ->11th JUNE; Announcement of the winners -> 19th June Presentation of exchange experience in WONCA World 2025 held in Lisbon ->16-21st September 2025. Winner’s Announcement -> Closing Ceremony of WONCA World 2025 in Lisbon
WEBINAR SERIES: In the lead-up to World Family Doctor Day, Monday 19 May 2025, WONCA’s Working Party on Mental Health is proud to present a global webinar series exploring the central role of family doctors in mental health care. These sessions reflect our campaign’s theme Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World and reinforce the message that primary health care is uniquely positioned to foster mental wellness. The series will explore how family doctors care not only for their patients, but also for themselves and one another.
Topics range from culturally sensitive approaches to mental health, to collaboration between doctors and patients, to core concepts that help clinicians and communities navigate adversity—such as coherence, suffering and hope, and the pursuit of meaningful well-being. A special session will spotlight the MDD Minds project, which has empowered thousands of primary care professionals to better manage depression and prioritize their own resilience. Join us and discover how family doctors, when supported and connected, are catalysts for healing across communities.
Self-Care for Family Doctors
Resilience Building and Mental Awareness (with WONCA Young Doctors’ Movement) Date: Sunday, 18 May. Time: 14:00 UTC.
Working Together for Change
How Family Doctors and Patients Can Improve Mental Health (with World Patients Alliance) Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 12:00 UTC.
Key Concepts for Mental Resilience
Suffering and Hope; Coherence and Engagement; Eudaemonia and Ataraxia Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 16:00 UTC.
Cultural Approaches to Mental Health
Tailoring Solutions to Local Communities (with International Federation of Medical Student Associations) Date: Tuesday, 20 May. Time: 10:00 UTC.
Addressing Depression in Primary Health Care
Lessons from the MDD Minds Project Date: Wednesday, 21 May. Time: 13:00 UTC.
FEATURED DOCTOR: This special World Family Doctor Day edition features Dr Sunil Abraham, a family doctor and faculty member at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. In this interview, recorded at the WONCA South Asia Regional Conference 2025, he shares personal insights from working with underserved communities in India and Australia, and reflects on the emotional challenges of a career in medicine, and the importance of self-care, spiritual grounding, and mental resilience for family doctors.
Check the WONCA Playlist including President’s message and a performance of Three Little Birds, from Bob Marley and the Wailers performed by family doctors from across the globe:
RUN WITH WONCA: As we count down to World Family Doctor Day 2025, we’re inviting the global WONCA community to lace up and get moving together. Physical activity is one of the simplest, most powerful tools we have to support our mental wellness – and it’s even better when we do it as a community. That’s why we’ve launched the WONCA Running Club on Strava.
Join our Running Club: Strava is a mobile app that lets you track your runs, walks, or bike rides using your phone or smartwatch. It’s also a social platform where you can join clubs, follow friends, and cheer each other on. This year’s campaign theme is Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World. Our WONCA running club is a fun, low-pressure way to care for your own mental health, connect with colleagues, and feel part of a shared global movement. Join us here.
The 9th EYFDM Forum just flew by these last 3 days, allowing participants to expand and share their knowledge, expertise and insights both during the scientific programme and social events, while getting to know colleagues from all over Europe and even other regions.
It was a great event and we thank our hosts for making the first tri-national Forum.
Before the start of the event, the Council meet to discuss some important issues, namely concerns regarding conflicts, its effect on healthcare and its discussion within EYFDM and WONCA. Social Media Guidelines were discussed and approved and will be shared within the coming days. We also got a sneak peak of the next events – namely the Pre-Conference of the WONCA World Lisbon 2025 and 10th EYFDM Forum in Tallinn, Estonia 2026.
Group Photo of the 9th EYFDM Forum
Council Meeting
Photo from 2nd Gala Dinner
Photo from 2nd Gala Dinner
Photo from 2nd Gala Dinner
Workshop Dermatoscopy
Workshop Dermatoscopy
The prestigious Fons Sips Award was awarded to Raisa Álvarez Paniagua, nominated by Helena Alonso. We congratulate the colleagues also nominated: Fabian Dupont, İkbal Hümay Arman, Nick Mamo, and their nominators Stuart Holmes, Şeyma Handan Akyon and Kerry Greenan. This award honors outstanding work in the field of Family Medicine and the meaningful impact that has been made within the EYFDM community.
We thank everyone involved in the event – including HOC, staff at the different venues, participants, speakers, reviewers, colleagues that submitted abstracts.
We wish everyone a safe journey and hope to see you in coming events.
We have the pleasure to announce an extension of the 4th edition of the Bridge Project to submit the form to April 15th.
The Bridge Project is an opportunity for young family doctors from across the world to work together on a project of their choice. The aim of the Bridge Project is to connect young family doctors and encourage communication and collaboration. The project gives you the opportunity to work on a research or quality improvement project in an area you are interested in and present the results at the WONCA conference. Previous projects have investigated diverse areas, including family medicine exchanges, prescribing, appointments and comparing healthcare systems. Family medicine doctors from many different countries have participated and worked together on projects. To get involved, you send an application explaining the area you are interested to complete your project in. This might be ‘elderly care’ or ‘safe prescribing’, it can be anything you are interested in!
The Bridge Project team will then match you to other family medicine doctors from around the world who are interested in a similar project. We will then send you details of your Bridge Project Group, and you can start working together. We suggest that you have online meetings about the project, but there is nothing stopping you meeting in person as a group to work on the project. Ideas of what you could do might be comparing health care systems or prescribing processes, a quality improvement project in your clinics or even a literature review. You might even be able to publish the work in a journal!
The main thing is that getting involved with the Bridge Project will help you connect with new colleagues from all over the world, share learning and experiences.
Start date -> 14 April 2025
End (submit you work by)-> 1st September 2025, prior to the WONCA World Conference 2025, in Lisbon with the possibility of presenting your final works in English.
Meetings in fixed group sessions will take place from April to September.
Its advised to have at least 4-5 meetings during that period to aid discussion & come up with a project.
We have exciting news for all researchers and practitioners eager to share their work at WONCA World Conference 2025 and YDM Preconference 2025.
Due to high demand, we are extending the abstract submission deadline. This is your chance to contribute to the world’s leading conference in family medicine and showcase your research on an international stage.
A big thank you to all those who have already submitted their abstracts! We encourage you to motivate your colleagues to contribute as well and be part of this important global conversation.
Do not miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the future of primary care. Submit your abstract now and ensure your voice is heard!
The revised deadline for abstract submission is now 30 April 2025.
Would you like to do an exchange to the UK before attending a conference?
Junior International Committee RCGP Exchange Team is organising the Primary Care Show Conference Exchange in UK from 12th to 15th May 2025 (Monday to Thursday).
Deadline to submit you application: Friday 28th March 2025
We are thrilled to announce that applications are now open for the position of Treasurer on the Executive Committee! As Treasurer, you’ll play a key role in managing finances, ensuring transparency, and contributing to the success of our organisation. You can find all the details in the role description below.
The elections organisational policy can be found here.
Who Can Apply? We are looking for a young doctor who is an active member of their National Medical Organisation (NMO). If you’re passionate, driven, and ready to take on responsibility, we want to hear from you!
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
The deadline to submit applications for this position is 28th March 2025 – email to secretary
Election Day: The election will be held on 25th April 2025, during the Council Meeting in Luxembourg (or online). As a candidate, you’ll deliver a 3-minute presentation and answer questions from the council before voting begins.
Update: there is no longer the requirement of being EU resident
Please contact secretary if you have any questions!
We are reaching out to invite you to participate in a Survey on Working Hours for Junior Doctors, organised by the European Junior Doctors Association (EJD). EJD is a pan-European organisation representing junior doctors and advocating for better working conditions and training across Europe.
This survey aims to gather valuable insights into the working hours of junior doctors across Europe. The data collected will help us better understand the challenges faced and advocate for sustainable working conditions.
We, the European Young Family Doctors Movement (EYFDM), stand united in condemning violence inflicted upon healthcare professionals, patients, and healthcare facilities amidst the tragic conflict in Israel, Gaza and the wider Middle East. Attacks on doctors, patients, and hospitals are a violation of the values we uphold as medical professionals.
Healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to serving others, often at great personal risk, bound by an ethical commitment to care for all people without prejudice. In times of crisis, these values are more essential than ever, as our work transcends political and ideological divides, prioritising health, humanity, and compassion above all.
We consider that all parties involved in this conflict should respect healthcare spaces and ensure the safety and protection of all healthcare workers and the patients they serve. Hospitals, clinics, and medical personnel are neutral and must remain untouched by the violence that surrounds them.
EYFDM expresses its deepest solidarity with our colleagues and all individuals affected by conflict, reaffirming our commitment to uphold the principles of care, empathy, and respect for human life.
