Fellow in Clinical Microbiology -FCCM

This category may be awarded in two circumstances:
1.	Applicants who have completed 6 years of documented senior professional service after receiving a doctoral degree in a hospital or public health clinical microbiology laboratory and passed written and oral examinations set by the College.
2.	Applicants who have successfully completed a post-doctoral program in Clinical Microbiology approved by the College (as outlined below in Programs for Training FCCM), and passed written and oral examinations set by the College.
Forms
	FCCM Application Form - 3-page -format [revised 2010]
	FCCM Syllabus ([1997, revised 2003]) (26-pages) [revised 2003]
	"Guideline to the oral examination of FCCM" (6-page format) posted Feb 13, 2006
	FCCM Reciprocity Form- 2-page -format [rev. Augst 26, 2010]
	Certification by the College as a Fellow of the Canadian College of Microbiologists (FCCM) in Clinical Microbiology has full reciprocity with the American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) in the USA. [FCCM-ABMM Reciprocity Agreement 2000 -2-page 1 MB -format] Applicants who hold current ABMM certification in the USA can apply for FCCM certification under the reciprocity agreement between the CCM and the ABMM.
Postdoctoral Programs for Training Fellows in Clinical Microbiology
	Program Accreditation: The College will approve and accredit suitable post-doctoral programs designed to train Fellows for managing laboratories supporting the diagnosis and treatment of infectious disease and for participation in relevant research. Individuals satisfying the requirements of such a program will be certified by the College and designated as Fellows (FCCM). Approval and accreditation of such training programs will be considered upon formal application to the College by the respective program director. The program must be located in a teaching hospital that already has existing programs for training medical residents, it must have an affliation with an academic department of microbiology and provide the candidates the opportunity to participate in clinically relevant research. Review of the application by an accreditation committee may include an on-site visit, meetings with the program director and the training staff, and the assessment of laboratory and other training resources. Approval and accreditation of a given program are valid for a five-year period and may be renewed by application to the College. No fee is charged for this assessment by the College.
	Candidate Qualifications A doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in microbiology or related laboratory science ( e.g. immunology, biochemistry, or cytology) within five years of the application date.
	Training of the Candidate A period of at least two years of formal clinical laboratory training and laboratory management is required. The areas to be covered will include, but will not be restricted to, diagnostic and community microbiology, novel techniques in the rapid and specific identification of infectious agents, epidemiology, interpretation of test data, infection control and biosafety in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Training in management can be through either accredited courses and workshops, presentation of evidence of experience acceptable to the College, or a combination of both. During this training program, the performance of each candidate will be evaluated periodically by the program director. Such evaluations, will be made available to the members of the candidates examining committee.
	Examining Committee The college will appoint a committee for the final examination of the candidates. This committee will include two qualified individuals chosen from the Registry of the College and 1 representative of the College's Board of Directors.
	Examination and Fees Candidates will normally complete a written examination on completion of a two-year period of training. Following this, an Oral Examination by the Examining Committee is required, but the College recommends that this be taken after sufficient experience as a laboratory manager has been acquired (normally two years). A letter of eligibility attesting to the status of a successful candidate on the written exam will be provided to the candidates by the College for employment purposes following a successful written examination. See "Guideline to the oral examination of FCCM" The College will set a fee for the final examination and certification (the fee is currently [2006] $450.00).
	Recertification of the Candidate Members wishing to maintain their FCCM status must be recertified by the College every five years. Any candidate who has accumulated 150 contact hours of continuing education during that five-year period will be considered eligible for recertification. Re-certification fees are $75.00; payable every three years
	Links: CEC- Categories of Activities Providing Continuing Education Credits Required for Specialist Certification