Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

Acceptable for up to 35 prescribed credits by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program provides foundational training for family medicine residency faculty. STFM members can enroll for $995 in this crucial course. The cost is $1495 for non-members.

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More Details about the Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

This certificate program includes 14 self-led online courses with assignments to provide foundational training for residency faculty. Each of the 14 individual courses include interactive modules, reflective activities, readings, videos with experienced faculty, quizzes, and assignments to reinforce learning. Faculty instructors provide feedback on select assignments.Completion of the track requires a minimum of 35 hours and covers:

  • The structure and requirements of residency education
  • How to be an effective and efficient faculty member
  • The nuts and bolts of curriculum development and teaching
  • Strategies for assessment, feedback, and remediation of residents

2023 Update to Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

The entire certificate program was updated from the ground up in 2023 with:

  • More than 20 new videos by experienced faculty
  • Updated content in nearly all courses with significant content added to Residency Recruiting & Interviewing, Giving Feedback, Classroom Teaching Skills, Structure & Funding of Residency Programs, and Scholarly Activity
  • Enhanced module functionality & accessibility

Certificate Requirements

To graduate, participants must complete all courses and assignments and pass a final exam. Courses include readings, videos, interactive modules, quizzes, and assignments.Graduates receive a certificate, a letter of congratulations noting the accomplishment, a letter to their program director, and a press release to distribute locally. They will also be listed on the STFM website here.

What Residency Faculty Need to Know About the Program

Timeline and Final Exam for Graduation

You must complete all courses and assignments within 12 months to graduate. You must pass the final exam to graduate and earn the certificate. You may take the exam three times.

Feedback From Instructor

You will receive feedback from the course instructor on some assignments.

Time Commitment

You will need to set aside significant time for a few assignments, including curriculum development, scholarly activity, and practicing feedback.

Communicating on Assignments

You will need to communicate with your program director and/or other faculty for some assignments during the program.

Program Cost, How to Enroll, Course List, and CME

Cost to Enroll
How to Enroll
Course List
CME

Cost to Enroll in the Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

  • Member price: $995
  • Non-member price: $1495

Visit our membership page to learn about the benefits of membership. 

How to Enroll in the Program

If you have an STFM account, click My Account to log in, then use the Store link at the top of your profile page to purchase the course.

If you don't have an stfm.org account, click Create Account to make one, then use the Store link at the top of your profile page to purchase the course.

If you would like to pay by mail or fax, download this PDF form.

Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program Course List

  • ACGME Program Requirements
  • Core Outcomes, Competencies, and Milestones (updated Dec 2023)
  • Structure and Funding of Residency Programs
  • Billing and Documentation Requirements
  • Recruiting and Interviewing Residents
  • ABFM Rules and Requirements
  • Scholarly Activity
  • Writing for Academic Publication
  • Curriculum Development
  • Didactic Teaching Skills
  • Clinical Teaching Skills
  • Assessment and Evaluation
  • Giving Feedback
  • Residents in Difficulty: Academic and Behavioral Problems

Continuing Medical Education Credits for Program

This Enduring Material activity, Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program, has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 35.00 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP certification begins 05/01/2024. Term of approval is for one year from this date. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CME approval for Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

What Is a Certificate Program

An assessment-based certificate program is different than a certificate of attendance/participation and professional certification. "An assessment-based certificate program is a non-degree granting program that:

  • Provides instruction and training to aid participants in acquiring specific knowledge, skills, and/or competencies associated with intended learning outcomes;
  • Evaluates participants’ achievement of the intended learning outcomes; and
  • Awards a certificate only to those participants who meet the performance, proficiency or passing standard for the assessment(s).”

1. Institute for Credentialing Excellence. Defining Features of Quality Certification and Assessment-Based Certificate Programs. http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/d/do/71. Accessed March 28, 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions About Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program

How do I or my faculty enroll in the program?

If you have an STFM account, click My Account to log in, then use the Store link at the top of your profile page to purchase the course.If you don't have an stfm.org account, click Create Account to make one, then use the Store link at the top of your profile page to purchase the course.If you would like to pay by mail or fax, download this PDF form.

What is the cost to enroll in the program?

The cost for STFM members is $995. The cost for non-members is $1495. Join STFM before enrolling to receive the discount.

Is the certificate program approved for CME credits?

This Enduring Material activity, Residency Faculty Fundamentals Certificate Program, has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 35.00 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP certification begins 05/01/2024. Term of approval is for one year from this date. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Can I buy a bulk subscription for all of my faculty?

No. Residency Faculty Fundamentals is a training program for individuals. If you're looking for a bulk subscription for an online faculty development resource, consider TeachingPhysician.org.

How long do I have to complete the program?

You have up to one year to complete the program in order to graduate and earn the certificate. You have access to the courses for two years. We estimate that it will take most learners a minimum of 30 hours to complete all the learning activities and assignments.

Is there a time requirement for the program director?

Program directors or other senior faculty may need to meet with the learner for 3–4 hours over the yearlong course of the program to explain things such as how your program is funded, how you're meeting ACGME requirements, and what some of your policies and processes are.

As a program director, can I find out how my faculty are doing?

We encourage you to talk to your faculty to confirm that they're progressing through the program. At any time, your faculty can print out a copy of their online dashboard, which shows their progress to date. Your faculty will need to meet with you during the program to complete their assignments. When they complete the program, they will receive a certificate and a letter to share with you. STFM and the course instructor cannot share data about individuals' performance (although the names of graduates will be posted on the STFM website).

What's the difference between a certificate program, a certificate of participation, and certification?

“The primary focus of an assessment-based certificate program is on facilitating the accomplishment of intended learning outcomes. Although assessment is an integral part of the certificate program, the primary purpose of the program is to provide education and training which supports the accomplishment of the intended learning outcomes. The certificate awarded designates that participants have completed the required education/training and demonstrated accomplishment of the intended learning outcomes.”1A certificate of attendance “signifies that a participant was present and in some cases that the participant actively participated in a program or event. Demonstration of accomplishment of the intended learning outcomes by participants is NOT a requirement for receiving the certificate; thus, possession of a certificate of attendance or participation does not indicate that the intended learning outcomes have been accomplished by the participant.”1Professional certification “is a voluntary process by which individuals are evaluated against predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, or competencies. Participants who demonstrate that they meet the standards by successfully completing the assessment process are granted a time-limited credential. To retain the credential, certificate recipients must maintain continued competence. The credential awarded by the certification program provider denotes that the participant possesses particular knowledge, skills, or competencies. Whereas the focus of an assessment-based certificate program is on education/training, the focus of professional/personnel certification is on the assessment of participants. Moreover, the assessment is independent of a specific class, course or other education/training program and also independent of any provider of classes, courses, or programs. The assessments are NOT designed to evaluate mastery of the intended learning outcomes of a specific class, course or education/training program and the certification program provider is NOT the sole provider of any education or training that may be required for certification.”1

1. Institute for Credentialing Excellence. Defining Features of Quality Certification and Assessment-Based Certificate Programs. {{http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/d/do/71:http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/d/do/71}}. Accessed March 28, 2016.

Questions?

If you have questions about this conference, contact Brian Hischier, manager of online education, at (913) 800-5198 or the email link below.

EMAIL QUESTIONS

Contact Us

11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway

Leawood, KS 66211

(800) 274-7928

stfmoffice@stfm.org 

 

 

Events

January 21, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "Staying In: What Sustains GME Leaders Through the Long Haul"

January 29–February 1, 2026: STFM Conference on Medical Student Education

February 4, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Rethinking Bias in AI – Why Algorithmic Bias is Only the Tip of the Iceberg"

February 9, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Debt Management for Doctors" in Partnership With Equitable Advisors

March 11, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "The Human Side of Leadership: Managing People and Ourselves"

March 31, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Integrity, Identity, and Inclusion: Reframing Professionalism for a New Era"

May 2–6, 2026: STFM Annual Spring Conference

May 13, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: GME Leadership Webinar Series: "Defining Success on Your Own Terms"

June 10, 2026, 1 pm Eastern: Webinar: "Staying at the Table: Leading for Health Equity While Protecting Your Peace"

August 31–September 2, 2026: STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

Due Dates

January 5, 2026: Fellows, Residents, and Students Submit Proposals to Present at 2026 STFM Annual Spring Conference

January 9, 2026: Apply to Be Scholarship Leader for New Faculty Scholars Program

January 15, 2026: Family Medicine Call for Papers: Theme Issue on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Family Medicine Education

January 15, 2026: Apply for POCUS Educator's Certificate Program

January 27, 2026: Call for Proposals to Present at 2026 STFM Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement

February 16, 2026: Apply for Medical Editing Fellowship

February 23, 2026: Representative to Annals of Family Medicine Board of Directors

February 28, 2026: Apply for STFM Advocacy Scholarship for New Faculty

March 1, 2026: Family Medicine Call for Papers: Theme Issue on Scope of Practice in Family Medicine

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