The Australian Federation of Medical Women

The voice of Australian medical women advocating for, and supporting, the health and welfare of our local, national and international communities.

Our Mission

The Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW) offers our members, colleagues and the community access to the collective knowledge and experiences of medical women.  AFMW seeks to ensure equity and equality for women doctors to achieve their potential throughout all stages of their professional and personal lives. AFMW is a not for profit, politically neutral, non sectarian, non government organisation that seeks to improve the health of all Australians, especially the health of women and children.

Our History

In 1896 Australia’s first medical women’s society was formed by an inspiring group of ten Victorian female doctors, including Constance Stone. The AFMW was formed in 1927 and today the AFMW offers an important network for female doctors Australia wide.

AFMW Membership

AFMW membership is automatic for doctors who are members of their affiliated state medical women's society; medical women can join AFMW directly where there is no active local state body. Full membership is open to registered female medical practitioners of Australia.  Associate membership includes non-registered female medical practitioners and medical students. Membership of AFMW confers automatic membership of the Medical Women's International Association.

AFMW Aims

The aims of the Federation are:

- To further the professional development of medical women through education and research and to improve the health and welfare of all persons but especially women and children in the Australian community.
- To stimulate, encourage and promote the entry of women into the medical and allied sciences throughout the world and assist its members in optimum utilisation of their medical training.
- To foster friendship, respect and understanding among medical women throughout the world without regard to race, religion or political views.
- To afford medical women the opportunity to meet at stated times to consider common problems together and gain the co-operation of medical women in matters in international health.

AFMW Affiliations

AFMW is a member of the Australian Women's Coalition and the WomenSpeak Network. Internationally AFMW is affiliated with the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA), which is actively involved with the United Nations as a Non-Government Organisation (NGO). MWIA is actively involved with the World Health Organisation, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and with UNICEF. It is represented on the Board of the General Council of International Organisation of the Medical Sciences and has NGO observer status to the World Medical Association. MWIA provides its members with the opportunity to exchange ideas, medically and personally, with colleagues from other nations.

The History of the Medical Women's Societies