Categories of membership
Fellowship (FFOM)
Election of Members of the Faculty to Fellowship (conferring the postnominals FFOM) is the Faculty’s way of recognising those who have made a particularly significant contribution to the practice of occupational medicine, or contributed significantly to the work of the Faculty.
The criteria and application process are determined by the Faculty Board. Members are given the opportunity to apply for Fellowship once in each calendar year. Applications are considered in the first instance by the Fellowship and Recognition Committee which then makes recommendations to the Board. Only Trustees who are Fellows of the Faculty and the lay Trustees may take part in the election of Fellows.
Further information and how to apply
Please refer to the FOM’s Election to Fellowship and Honorary Fellowship guidance.
All nominations must be submitted by 12:00 midday on Monday 8th July 2024.
Once the nominations have been decided and agreed by the Fellowship and Honours Committee and the FOM Board, the presentation of new Fellows and Honorary Fellows will take place at a winter event this year.
Download the Fellowship or Honorary Fellowship submission form.
Please contact fom@fom.ac.uk should you require additional information.
Membership
Membership (conferring the postnominals MFOM) is available to doctors who have satisfied the Faculty that they meet the criteria to be admitted as Members.
Routes to Membership are:
Associate
Associates of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine are recognised as a key part of the occupational medicine workforce. Associateship offers a professional pathway for doctors who work in occupational medicine but are not in an approved training post.
Associate members receive the same benefits and services as Members and Fellows, including the Occupational and Environmental Medicine journal.
The qualification is gained by passing the Part 2 MFOM, which is the exit examination for specialty training in occupational medicine. Those doctors who sit the examination while not in an approved training post must meet the eligibility criteria. Gaining the AFOM qualification demonstrates a core knowledge in occupational medicine theory and practice.
Associates are not specialist occupational physicians and are not eligible for entry on to the General Medical Council’s specialist register for occupational medicine.
For those doctors who wish to proceed further with qualifications, the AFOM can be used as one of the building blocks for an application for entry to the GMC specialist register via the CESR (Certificate of Equivalence for Specialist Registration) route.
Until 2010, Associateship was gained by passing the AFOM examination, which was a mid-point examination during specialty training. Similarly to the new route to Associateship, the qualification was aimed at those pursuing a full-time career in occupational medicine.
Trainee
Trainee membership (Specialist/Specialty Registrar membership) is available only to those currently on/enrolled in a recognised specialty training scheme. Trainees are automatically eligible for admission to trainee membership on enrolment with the Faculty.
There is a representative of trainees on the Faculty Board who can be contacted via the member login.
Affiliating Diplomates
Holders of any of the Faculty’s Diplomas may affiliate to the Faculty.
Affiliating Diplomates have the following benefits:
- regular updates on occupational health and medicine issues, through our electronic newsletter
- authoritative guidance on occupational medicine-related matters such as ethics and good occupational medical practice
- continuing professional development (CPD) through conferences, work groups and briefings
- participation in the Faculty’s CPD scheme which will provide one part of the evidence required for the revalidation portfolio, and use of the CPD electronic diary
- access to the Faculty’s Responsible Officer, for an additional fee, together with updates on revalidation
- use of members’ room and discounted rate on a meeting room
- opportunities to participate in the work and direction of the Faculty in many ways
- access to the members’ area on the Faculty website
- notice of annual prize and fellowship awards
- a comprehensive review of the Faculty’s work and plans, through the Annual Report
- advance notice of new publications and discounted prices
- the opportunity to subscribe to Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an international peer reviewed journal concerned with areas of current importance in occupational medicine and environmental health issues throughout the world, which the Faculty has adopted as its official journal, at a reduced rate
Such affiliation to Faculty does not, in itself, confer the right to append any postnominals.
Holders of Faculty Diplomas wishing to affiliate should complete and submit the application form.
Affiliates (NEW)
This grade of membership is open to all UK based doctors (registered with the GMC), with an interest in Occupational Health and Medicine. This includes consultants, specialty registrars, general practitioners.
Affiliates of the Faculty receive the following benefits:
- online research access through Ovid Discovery and Medline
- regular updates on occupational health and medicine issues, through our electronic newsletter
- access to the members’ area on the Faculty website which includes the FOM’s online ethics guidance
- access to the CPD electronic diary (PreP)
- free entry to CPD events and discounted entrance fees to conferences
Applications for Affiliates can be made by completing and submitting this application form.
Student and foundation year doctor (NEW)
All undergraduate medical students and foundation year doctors (junior doctors) can become members of the Faculty with this category. This category of membership is available for free and members will receive the following benefits:
- regular updates on occupational health and medicine issues, through our electronic newsletter
- free entry to CPD events and discounted entrance fees to conferences
- eligibility for Faculty annual prizes and fellowship awards
If you are an undergraduate medical student or foundation year doctor and keen to learn more about Occupational Medicine, you can join us for free. Applications can be made here.
Retired (NEW)
A new subscription for doctors who have relinquished their licence but are keen to continue to add their experience and expertise to the Faculty. Retired Membership is £30 per year and members will receive our regular newsletter and we are also creating a mentoring scheme where they can pass on their experience to those joining the speciality. For further information contact our membership team on 0203 116 6905 or email: membership@fom.ac.uk
Honorary Fellowship
Election to Honorary Fellowship (conferring the postnominals Hon FFOM) is the Faculty’s way of recognising those outwith the Faculty, and indeed often outwith medicine, who have made an outstanding contribution to the science or practice of occupational medicine.
Lifetime membership
Lifetime membership is open to Faculty members who have been in continuous membership for at least 20 years and who are either fully retired or earn below a £12k p.a. threshold. In addition to continuing to use post nominals, Lifetime members also get access to FOM events, e-newsletters and to the Members Area of the website. Lifetime membership does not include the monthly posted copy of Occupational Environmental Medicine, although a subscription can be paid to continue to receive it.
FULL LIST OF BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
