AAP Membership Categories

FAAP Categories

Fellow, FAAP

Received initial certification in pediatrics from the American Board of Pediatrics, the American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or La Corporation Professionelle des Médecins du Québec.

Specialty Fellow, FAAP

Certified by a board other than a pediatric board (listed above) and must meet the requirements as determined by the section/council through which they are applying.  Specific criteria can be viewed at aap.org/councilsectionmembership. Specialty Fellow applicants will be required to join their designated section/council.    

Corresponding Fellow, FAAP

Fellow or Specialty Fellow practicing outside the US or Canada.

Senior Member

Member who has attained the age of 70 OR is 65 or older and no longer derives income from professional activities. Senior Members who are board-certified (former FAAP member type) will retain their FAAP and voting privileges. Senior Members who are not board-certified (former non-FAAP member type) will not have the FAAP designation, nor be able to vote.

Honorary Fellow

Is a pediatrician or other individual of national or international stature who has made exceptional contributions to child health, and who has been proposed as Honorary Fellow by a Chapter, District,  Section, Council or a member of the Board of Directors, may be elected to Honorary Fellowship by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. 

In-Training/Post-Training Categories

Medical Students

Medical Student Members should be enrolled in a medical school accredited by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) or the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) or International medical students must be enrolled in a medical school listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMEDD).

Resident Member

Enrolled in a residency program approved for credit toward board certification by American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics (AOBP), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or La Corporation Professionelle des Medecins du Quebec.

Fellowship Trainee Member

Fellow of a post-residency training program leading to pediatric subspecialty. You can move into this category from the Resident, Candidate or Fellow categories.

Candidate Member

Completed an ACGME accredited pediatric or surgical residency training program or a pediatric or surgical residency program reviewed and deemed acceptable by the AAP, but not yet board certified.

Other Categories:

Associate Member

Pediatric dentist who received a certificate or a degree in the specialty of pediatric dentistry from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of the American Dental Association and practice in the US or Canada.  

National Affiliates

Pediatric nurse practitioner licensed and certified in the US or Canada, and currently work as a member of a pediatric care or medical home team OR licensed physician assistant who received a certificate from an ACR-PA accredited program, practice in the US or Canada, and work in a pediatric setting or at least 50% of professional activities are in pediatrics OR pediatric pharmacist who earned a PharmD and is a board-certified pediatric pharmacy specialist OR pediatric laboratory director who is a board-certified pathologist with medical degree (MD or MD/PhD) in pathology, or board-certified clinical chemist and other PhD-level scientist in related field.  Must be sponsored by a FAAP.

International Member

Received an MD or DO or an equivalent degree from a medical school located outside of the US and Canada; reside and practice medicine or engage in other professional activities to the benefit of children outside of the US and Canada; and either be a member in good standing of a local pediatric society which has been recognized by the International Pediatric Association or be sponsored by a FAAP.

Section/Council Affiliate Membership

Membership opportunity that is determined and credentialed for people that do not qualify for any national member categories.  Examples include family physicians, respiratory therapists, nutritionists, etc.