Recognized Fellowship Initiative

To foster high-quality fellowship programs through support, recognition and visibility, the ACFAS Board of Directors approved the ACFAS Recognized Fellowship initiative. Programs meeting a list of specific criteria are officially Recognized by the College, which will in turn provide these programs support. Fellows of these Recognized programs will benefit from lower dues rates and recognition of program completion.

For your program to be considered for official Recognition by the College, you will be required to submit an application. Completed applications for the current academic year, received by May 1, will begin the recognition process beginning in May. Decisions of the Fellowship Committee will be communicated to the applicants by August. For newly created programs that show they have met all minimal criteria for recognition, they will be held in Conditional Status until the following year. If you are interested in receiving the application, please send your request to Michelle Kennedy, Director of Membership, at mkennedy@acfas.org.

List of Recognized and Conditional Status Fellowship Programs
The list of the ACFAS Recognized Fellowships have all met and, in most cases, far exceeded the College's minimal standards for recognition. Conditional Status programs are in their inaugural year and will be considered for full recognition after the first Fellow completes their matriculation.

ACFAS Recognized Fellowships Page

The Fellowship Committee created a threshold of minimal requirements for an ACFAS Recognized Fellowship. These recommendations are an analysis of processes and support structures in place to assure adequate post-graduate level training is occurring in the fellowship without credentialing such programs. Minimal requirements will be evaluated through communication with the fellowship program’s director and staff. The Fellowship Committee Chair or a committee member may conduct a site visit if absolutely necessary to correctly evaluate the program and its ability to meet these requirements. The Fellowship Committee reviews compliance with these criteria on an annual basis.

Minimal Criteria for an ACFAS Recognized Fellowship 

Funding for Fellowship Positions - Please Note: If a fellowship program wishes to fund its position through federal GME funds, it first must seek program approval from CPME.

The ACFAS Fellowship Committee has created recommendations for ACFAS to foster and support Fellowships available to DPMs. These criteria will allow ACFAS to support and incentivize high-quality fellowship training for members.

Programs labeled as “ACFAS Recognized Fellowship” will be provided the following ‘benefits’ by ACFAS:

• Published Listing/Website Listing of Recognized Fellowship Program Name
  • Upon becoming recognized by ACFAS, the program’s new status with the College will be marketed through ACFAS’ communication channels, including ACFAS Update newsletter, This Week @ ACFAS weekly electronic newsletter, and acfas.org
  • Contact information and/or program information is listed for all ‘ACFAS Recognized Fellowships’ on our website. Fellowships are grouped in the categories of Foot and Ankle Surgery and Reconstruction, Sports Medicine or Research
  • Direct residents and residency directors to website's fellowship listing resource for one-stop information
  • Advertisements in The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery 
    
• Reduced ACFAS Membership Fee to Participating Fellows
  • Extend a rate on par with the resident rate, plus an amount to cover the cost of Associate Certificate to those Fellows who are ABFAS Board-Qualified, to matriculating Fellows
    
• Provision of a Fellowship Certificate
  • ACFAS will provide Fellows who have completed a fellowship program with status with ACFAS an official ACFAS Fellowship Completion Certificate
  • The Fellow and coordinating Fellowship Director must submit an “Exit Survey” upon completion of the fellowship year