Australian Federation of Medical Women (1927 - )

The Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW) is a non-profit, non-government society with member bodies in each state. The Federation was formed in 1927, from existing associations of medical women in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, to promote and develop the formal practice of medicine among women. The first medical women's association was formed in Victoria in 1895. Historically it has worked to remove barriers to women's participation in the profession. Currently, the Federation sponsors numerous networking and mentoring programs for women doctors. It has branches in all states and the Australian Capital Territory.

The Australian Federation of Medical Women is the parent body of medical women's societies in each of the states of Australia and in the Australian Capital Territory. Representatives from the State bodies are elected to sit on the AFMW Executive. In 930 its membership was 170, reaching 502 by 1969.

AFMW is affiliated with the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA), which formed in 1919 and now is actively involved with the United Nations as a Non-Government Organisation.

The aims of AFMW as part of MWIA are as follows:

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.

Affiliated

• Medical Women's Society of New South Wales (1921 - )

  [1927 - ]

• Queensland Medical Women's Society (1929 - )

  [1929 - ]

• South Australian Medical Women's Society
• Victorian Medical Women's Society (1896 - )

  [1927 - ]

Books

• Morgan, Elma Sandford, A short history of medical women in Australia, E S Morgan, Adelaide, S A, 1970, 56 pp. [ Details... ]

Newsletters

• Woman to woman: Newsletter of Australian Federation of Medical Women, Australian Federation of Medical Women, Sydney, 1988. [ Details... ]

See also

• Hutton Neve, M. ( Marjorie), This mad folly: the history of Australia's pioneer women doctors, Library of Australian History, Sydney, 1980, 174 pp. [ Details... ]