Are you told you are a role model of great leadership? Do you feel passionate about communicating these skills to the next generation of staff within your organisation?
We invite you to apply for our FMLM Fellowship Award and join a long line of people who are recognised as continuously demonstrating a high-level of leadership competence. Be part of our group of Fellows who feel proud to be a pioneer of great leadership education at all levels.
FMLM Fellowship is an award, made by an independent panel, that certifies an individual as a healthcare leader of competence and experience, showing adherence to the Leadership and management standards. The awardee is entitled to use post-nominals that vary depending on the level of FMLM Fellowship attained.
Is someone you know a pioneer of people-led management within your team? Have you experienced positive changes that happen in your wider organisation because of this proactive and positive person? We also encourage you to nominate somebody you recognise as a great leader to apply for our Fellowship award.
We are always looking for people who are proud to be leadership pioneers to become a part of our group of Fellows, no matter your level of career or size of working team. Add the Fellowship award to your accolades as a signpost that you are somebody people can come to for inspiration on your people-led, directional way of working and managing a team.
“Having been a medical leader for many years the FMLM Fellowship provided me with an opportunity to receive formal recognition of the work and outcome from all those years. This is a public statement of the value of clinical leadership as a career option.” - Dr Sarah Schofield, Founding Senior Fellow of FMLM
Why become a fellow?
Patients and healthcare systems require the very best leaders. The Francis report on Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust and the Kirkup report on Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust emphasise the importance of setting standards and the professionalisation of leadership in driving the quality of healthcare in which doctors play a significant role.
The ability to benchmark medical leaders against national standards has never been more important given the increasing accountability and responsibility that doctors have with respect to the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery and health advice, as well as safety and quality. Fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM) plays a key role in professionalising medical leadership by accrediting high performing and effective medical leaders against national Leadership and Management Standards for Medical Professionals.
Benefits
- External recognition of a high-level of leadership competence, meeting national standards for medical and dental professional in leadership roles.
- Supported evidence as a high performing medical leader for career progression, appraisal and revalidation - setting fellows apart from other medical leaders.
- Use of the nationally recognised post-nominals SFFMLM, FFMLM, AFFMLM, CFFMLM and IFFMLM.
- Eligibility to stand for representative roles including Chair and Regional Lead (Fellow and Senior Fellow only).
- Opportunity to join FMLM committees, participate in specialist consultations and events such as panel or chairing roles.
- Discounted rates for FMLM events, development programmes and conferences including the annual Leaders in Healthcare international conference.
- Formal certificate of fellowship for portfolio.
- Invitations to fellows mixers and receptions (NEW).
Step-by-step application guide
*Due to high demand for Fellowship, we currently have a backlog of applications to process meaning that some applicants are regrettably experiencing delays. We are working hard to review and approve these applications as quickly as possible in July and August 2024, but to prevent further delays and frustrations for new applicants, we are pausing new Fellowship submissions until September.
During this period, we are also reviewing how applications are made. We aim to reopen in September with a new streamlined process to make life easier and simpler for candidates, and allow us to turn around submissions faster than before.
However, should you wish to be notified about when applications reopen, please email enquiries@fmlm.ac.uk with the subject line ‘Fellowship application waiting list’ and we shall be in touch in early September.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience and understanding.*
If you are considering applying for FMLM fellowship, read this helpful step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Step 1: Read the standards (30 minutes)
The FMLM Leadership and Management Standards for medical professionals are a set of core values and behaviours designed to help doctors to be effective medical leaders at all levels. Using the FMLM Standards, reflect on your own practice and how you:
- understand yourself and your impact on, and interactions with others
- lead your team and get the best out of them
- contribute to the strategic direction and operational delivery of your organisation
- positively influence the strategy and culture of the healthcare system
Step 2: Decide which fellowship level is right for you (10 minutes)
FMLM Fellowship is available at four levels which are detailed below. Each level is mapped to the domains of the FMLM Standards. It is important that you can competently evidence your skills, values and behaviours of the required domain(s) to be eligible to apply at that level.
- Collaborative Fellowship
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Available at Associate Fellow and Fellow level, Collaborative Fellowship is for effective healthcare leaders at a team level or at a more senior organisational or system level. Applicants will be able to demonstrate their competence in the first two, three or four domains of the Leadership and management standards – self and team, plus organisation and system depending on your level. All candidates should demonstrate consideration of corporate responsibility and system leadership.
Ideal for healthcare colleagues such as pharmacists, nurses and managers. Examples might include graduates of one of our clinical fellow schemes, experienced nurses, operational managers, directors and CEOs.
- Senior Fellowship
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For medical leaders who will have made a significant contribution to leadership and management in the health sector and will be able to demonstrate competence in all domains of the Leadership and management standards - self, team, corporate responsibility and system leadership.
Ideal for established medical leaders with at least two years’ experience at Board or system level, examples might include medical directors, ICB or neighbourhood locality chair, postgraduate deans etc.
- Fellowship
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For medical members and effective leaders and managers of many teams or a very large team at an organisational level. Applicants will be able to demonstrate their competence in the first three domains of the Leadership and management standards - self, team and, corporate responsibility.
Ideal for those responsible for leading a number of teams, a department, functional area or medium sized business, examples might include department heads, leaders of federations of general practices, or the senior partner within a large practice.
- Associate Fellowship
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For effective medical and dental leaders at a team level. Applicants will be able to demonstrate their competence in the first two domains of the Leadership and management standards – self and team and demonstrate consideration of corporate responsibility and system leadership.
Ideal for those with an expectation of at least two years’ experience of leading a team(s) in formal or informal role, examples might include experienced trainees, consultants and GP partners etc.
If you are not sure which level to apply for – contact the FMLM Team at enquiries@fmlm.ac.uk who can discuss this with you.
Step 3: Check your appraisal (10 minutes)
Ensure your appraisal is up to date and signed/locked. Your appraisal must be dated within the last 12 months to be eligible.
Step 4: Collate multi-source feedback (one hour)
Plan sufficient time to undertake a multisource/360° feedback exercise.
Your 360/multi-source feedback isn’t just for supporting information, it is a valuable source of information about your leadership style and interactions. Ask yourself and reflect in your application, “what are my core values and how are these demonstrated in my examples?”, “how has this learning affected my subsequent practice?”, “what areas for development have I identified and how have I addressed these?”
Post-CCT applicants will need to submit a 360 report which has been specifically designed for doctors in leadership and management roles and is ideally mapped to the FMLM Standards. The FMLM 360 can also be used for appraisal and revalidation purposes. It is vital for the strength of your application to reflect on the results of your latest 360.
360 Feedback must ideally be dated within the last year.
Step 5: Approach your referees (30 minutes)
Approach two referees before submitting their names to ensure that they have enough time to reflect on their reference in support of your application.
Step 6: Put dedicated time aside to complete your application form (three hours)
The application is made up of sections where you are able to share examples of your leadership, both in your career and in your ethos and ambitions, with reference to the FMLM Standards.
You are expected to submit:
- Information about your current role, past education and leadership or management roles you have undertaken
- A personal statement and application of evidence
- Your current CV (no longer than 5 pages)
- A multisource feedback report – either by making use of our FMLM 360 tool (If you are a doctor or dentist) or a similar application.
- Upload your most recent appraisal summary (MAG, ARCP or other) signed off by your appraiser.
- Provide details of two reference names.
- Provide evidence of how your leadership behaviour has translated into practice, corroborate statements and reflections with clear examples of the impact and outcome of your actions as a medical leader
- Once complete, return to the application after a day or two and review your submission. Check you have provided sufficient examples against the FMLM Standards and have reflected on them.
Step 7: Ensure your membership subscription is up to date
FMLM Fellowship is only open to FMLM members - you may join as an FMLM member as part of your application for FMLM Fellowship.
Step 8: Pay application fee
The application fee for applying for fellowship is:
- £350 for Fellowship and Senior Fellowship
- £250 for Associate Fellowship
Payment is made through us as part of the application process.
Step 9: Submit your application
Submit your application and supporting information to enquiries@fmlm.ac.uk.
After you have submitted your application.
Please note applications take approximately 2 to 3 months to process.
After you have submitted your application and your references have come back to us you will be enrolled into the next Assessment Panel.
Once the panel have granted you with the award of Fellowship you will be informed and asked to create an online profile – we really value the profiles of our Fellows to inspire the next generation of applicants.
You will then receive your official FMLM Fellowship certificate and be encouraged to share your Fellowship status on your social media and with your organisation.
Apply now
Good luck with your application and we look forward to welcoming you into the FMLM Fellowship community. Do not underestimate yourself - be proud of the changes you have made within your organisation.
FAQs
- How up to date does my 360 feedback and appraisal need to be?
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Appraisals should be complete and signed off or ‘locked’ by the appraiser. Appraisals must have been undertaken within the past 12 months.
360 Degree Feedback needs to be completed within the last three years.
- Do I need to do a FMLM 360 or can I supply my own?
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For all doctors post-CCT applicants must submit a FMLM 360 report. For doctors in training and dentists FMLM accepts all professional 360/multi-source feedback reports on the basis that the report includes sufficient review of your leadership and management role/behaviours/interactions.
- When can I expect a decision on my application?
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The average timeline for processing is 14 weeks. Once we have all the supporting documents and references the application will be sent for assessment, after the panel has reviewed the application and made a decision the application is sent to The Board of Trustees for ratification.
Please note that processing times can vary and depends on how quickly referees respond, when the next assessment is and when The Board will next meet.
- I don't live or work in the UK, can I still apply?
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International Fellowship of FMLM is available for all doctors not registered with the General Medical Council and who practice overseas. Contact enquiries@fmlm.ac.uk for more details.
International Membership of FMLM is also open to all medical professionals and those with an interest in medical leadership and management overseas.
- I'm not a member, can I join?
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FMLM Fellowship is only available to FMLM members, so join our membership circle here. As well as FMLM Fellowship, membership provides access to the following benefits, services and resources:
- BMJ Leader Journal, the official journal of FMLM and the only UK based journal dedicated to healthcare leadership and management.
- FMLM Mentoring scheme, an exclusive service available to all career stages to provide personalised guidance on a range of topics.
- Discounted entry to events, including annual and regional conferences and education days,
- Access to online information and resources, including articles from international leading thinkers, webinars and podcasts, blogs and audiobooks
- FMLM members directory, providing a list of members where you can search for other members in your region, by career level or by specialty.
- Headhunting services provided in partnership with Hunter Clinical to help you find your next leadership role.
- Will I get a post nominal? What will it be?
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All successful applicants can use the following post nominals;
Associate Fellowship – AFFMLM
Fellowship – FFMLM
Senior Fellowship – SFFMLM
Collaborative Fellowship - CFFMLM
International Fellowship - IFFMLM
- Is this a UK recognised award?
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Yes, FMLM promotes excellence in leadership on behalf of all doctors in public health, primary and secondary care, from medical student to medical directors, and for health care providers and advisory organisations across the UK.
- Who can act as referee?
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Your application must be supported by two senior leaders who are in a position to comment on your leadership and management achievements. At least one referee must be a doctor, registered and in good standing with the GMC; one of the two must be senior to you.
Individuals who are themselves in the process of applying for Founding Senior Fellowship / Founding Fellowship will not be accepted as referees. Applicants may not be referees for each other.
- What happens to my fellowship if I discontinue my FMLM membership?
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To maintain your fellowship you must continue to pay the annual fellowship fee that will replace your existing membership subscription following your fellowship approval. If you discontinue your FMLM membership you will relinquish your award and fellowship status. Your name will be removed from the published list of fellows and you will no longer be able to use the relevant post-nominal.
Should you wish to re-join FMLM and restore your fellowship award, you are required to pay the reinstatement fee at 50% of the application fee (Associate – £125; Fellowship/Senior Fellowship – £175). Reinstatement is only available within three years of relinquishing your award and you must have continued to be in good standing with the GMC or GDC for the full duration of this period.