INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN FAMILY MEDICINE

The International Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine (I-PGDFM) aims to train and certify doctors with postgraduate training in family medicine in the developing world and equip them professionally and spiritually to serve their country and the poor.

A blended learning curriculum delivering:

• Family Medicine Principles
• Evidence Based Medicine
• Clinical Knowledge Updates
• Clinical Skills Training
• Diagnostic and Investigation skills
• Rational Drug Therapy
• Primary care Research component

The I-PGDFM is a distance education initiative by ICMDA, the Distance Education Unit of Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, India, and Loma Linda University (LLU), USA.

The two-year blended learning curriculum is designed to hone distinct family physician attitudes, skills and knowledge that qualify the physician to provide continuing, comprehensive medical and preventive care to families and the communities.

The 'refer less, resolve more' motto of the course, sharing historical roots to family practice is a step towards a cost effective, patient centered, problem oriented, evidence based, global health care delivery system.

1. A two-year blended learning course including distance learning and hands-on training at one of our dedicated contact centres.
2. Training through contact classes, directed reading, e-learning methods, video-lectures and tutorials in modular form.
3. The course will be of two years duration. The maximum allowable period for the student to complete the course requirements will be four years.
4. Course content:
   • 100 self-Learning modules – for updating knowledge base
   • Video-lectures – for updating knowledge base
   • Two contact programmes – for developing core clinical skills
   • 100 assignments to be completed and submitted
   • Project work
   • Elective Residency Programme (ERP) for tailored skills training
5. Contact programmes: The course will have a mandatory one-week contact session in the first year, and a one-week contact session in the second year.
   The programmes include interactive lectures, patient discussions, group activities (role plays, team based learning, etc.), and clinical skills at one of our dedicated contact centres.
6. Assessments: the course assessment will be done in two parts, formative assessment and summative assessment where the formative assessments have equal weightage as the summative assessments.
7. Criteria for awarding of diploma: The student should fulfill the following criteria to successfully complete the course leading to award of diploma:
   • Completion of summative assessment
   • Completion of formative assessment
   • Mandatory attendance in the contact programmes.

1. Impart core principles of Family Medicine like patient-centeredness, comprehensiveness, whole person care, etc.
2. Effective diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses in all age groups, across various disciplines of medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, orthopedics, dermatology, ENT and ophthalmology.
3. Detection of early stage, life, limb and vision-threatening emergencies for early referral and management.
4. Manage common emergencies that present to a general outpatient set up and refer patient after initial stabilisation.
5. Develop a broad-based comprehensive approach to health problems affecting all age groups.
6. Discuss relevant and updated pathogenesis of diseases in the context of diseases presenting in undifferentiated forms or in the background of chronic diseases.
7. Use syndromic and algorithmic approach to manage health without the use of sophisticated diagnostics.
8. Incorporate cost-effective management.
9. Develop an ethical and compassionate approach to patients under their care.
10. Practice focused clinical history-taking and physical examination in specific clinical settings.
11. Network with the specialists for management of patients requiring secondary or tertiary level care.
12. Implement recognised protocols for health promotion among all age groups.
13. Organise and promote rehabilitation for the disabled.
14. Participate in community health programmes, especially those which are components of national health policies.
15. Be motivated to improvise and problem-solve in resource-poor settings.
16. Facilitate health teams to provide high quality, appropriate, ethical and comprehensive care.
17. Ensure a therapeutic environment for patients and care-givers in health care settings and improve confidence in the health system and health care professionals.
18. Train to standardise documentation and record-keeping.
19. Become teachers who can communicate and train teams, community members and other medical fraternity.

Module Overview List pdf

Year One:

1. Basics of Family Medicine
2. Medicine - Part I
   Neurological Problems & Mental Health
3. Women’s Health - Part I
4. Child Health - Part I
5. Surgical Topics for a Family Physician - Part I
6. Medicine – Part II
   Cardiovascular Problems
7. Medicine – Part III
   Respiratory/Gastrointestinal Problems
8. Becoming a Family Physician – Roles, Responsibilities & Attitudes

Year Two:

9. Medicine - Part IV
   Infections & Genito Urinary Problems
10. Women’s Health – Part II
11. (A & B) Child Health – Part II
12. Surgical Topics for a Family Physician - Part II
13. Medicine - Part V
    Musculoskeletal Problems & Lifestyle Medicine
14. Skin/Blood Problems & Emergencies
15. Occupational Health & Age Specific Problems

Entrance Requirements

• The I-PGDFM is open to doctors that possess a basic physician license approved by their respective country to practise allopathic medicine.
• Course materials, lectures and contact sessions will be in English. Candidates are required to read, write and speak to a proficient level of English.
• Regular access to the internet is needed with sufficient bandwidth to download relevant course material and upload assignments.

Academic Requirements

• Mandatory attendance at monthly virtual contact classes.
• Mandatory attendance at an onsite contact programme once each year.
• Completion of all end of module assignments.
• Participation in online discussion forums.

If a candidate does not remain engaged in the course access to modules will be removed.

Financial Requirements

• Course modules will be accessible either on receipt of full payment of year one course fees or, if agreed, after payment of the first of three four-monthly payments.
• A limited number of means-tested scholarships are available to candidates in financial need. Scholarship decisions are based on criteria set by the scholarship committee. The decision will be final and must include the agreement of a payment plan for the remaining fees.
• If a candidate does not fulfil the Academic Requirements above their scholarship award will be rescinded or reduced in subsequent years.

A requirement of the course is attendance at one of our regional contact centres for an in-person skills Contact Programme.

The 2025 Contact Programme for years one and two will be held in September 2025.

We have contact centres at the following hospitals:

• Bach Christian Hospital, Pakistan
• CMC Vellore, India
• Harpur Memorial Hospital, Egypt
• Mengo Hospital, Uganda
• Mercy Medical Center, Cambodia
• Ogbomisho Baptist Hospital, Nigeria

Applicants will need to provide the following during the application process:

1. Copy of your MBBS/equivalent Medical Degree Certificate (format: PDF only)
2. Copy of Medical license. (format: PDF only)
3. Passport size photo (format: jpg, jpeg or png, 3.5 x 4.5 cm and less than 250KB)
4. Copy of passport - first and last pages (format: PDF only).
5. Bank card to pay the application fee.

The documents can be uploaded during the application process.

Click here to apply.

To pay the application fee via PayPal, click here.

Application Fee: $10 (USD)

Total Course Fee (over two years): $8,000 (USD)

Contact Programme: Cover own travel & accommodation

Available Places: 50

Notes:

On application, a non-refundable processing fee of $10 is required.

Course fees: USD $4,000 per year.

Candidates will need to cover the cost of attending a Contact Programme separately (accommodation and travel to the venue).

There are a limited number of scholarships available for those outside of the SAARC region (not including Pakistan) and in genuine financial need - details on how to apply are provided on application.

We have kept the cost of completing the I-PGDFM course as low as possible.

There are a limited number of scholarships available for those outside of the SAARC region (not including Pakistan) and in genuine financial need - details on how to apply are provided on application.

To give to the Scholarship Fund please click here.