• The decision on the creation of a Latin American Association of Medical Education was first proposed by Chilean, Argentine, Colombian, Brazilian, Mexican and other educators in 1955, in Tehuacán, Mexico and then in Viña del Mar, Chile, during the Seminars on the Teaching of Preventive Medicine organized by PAHO (Pan American Health Organization).




• This proposal was endorsed by Dr. Ward Darle, Executive Director of the AAMC who later, meeting with representatives of the Canadian Association of Medical Schools in Montreal in 1961, appointed a commission composed of Drs. Hernán Alessandri and Amador Neghme of Chile , Gabriel Velázquez Palau of Colombia, John Cooper of the USA, José M Torre of Mexico, Juan Antonio Orfila of Argentina and José Kouri of El Salvador, to draft provisional statutes, for which purpose they met in Colombia.




• During the Third Conference of Faculties of Medicine of Latin America, in Viña del Mar, Chile, on November 29, 1962, the creation of a Pan-American Federation of Medical Education - FEPAFEM and the approval of its statutes, was unanimously introduced into the agenda with representatives of eighteen countries of America.

• According to the original statutes, the FEPAFEM government would be under the responsibility of an Administrative Committee and the routine activities under an Executive Direction.




• The first Administrative Committee was constituted by President: Dr. Amador Neghme of Chile, Vice President: Dr. Gabriel Velázquez Palau of Colombia, Treasurer: John Cooper of the United States of America, Representative for South America: Dr. Juan Antonio Orfila of Argentina, Representative for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: Dr. José M Torre de México and Representative for North America: Dr. Jean Jacques Lussier from Canada.




• The first Executive Director was Dr. Ernani Braga from Brasil




• The Constitutive Act of November 29, 1962 signed in Viña del Mar by all present, was legalized in the Civil Registry of Legal Persons of the State of Guanabara, and published in its Official Gazette on October 29, 1963.




• FEPAFEM was recognized in its structures and functions by PAHO, UNESCO, the Hipolito Unanue Agreement, the Ibero-American Social Security Organization and various international foundational agencies that made contributions to the formation of the Federation and its programs.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTION OF FEPAFEM

1During the first stage, Brazil hosted the Executive Directorate in the premises of the Pan American Health Organization. Said Directorate was dedicated to the consolidation of the Federation and to encourage the formation of national associations. Likewise, the publication of the FEPAFEM Bulletin began. When Dr. Ernani Braga went to work in Geneva, it was decided to move the Executive Directorate to Bogota, and an Associated Executive Office was left in Rio de Janeiro under the responsibility of Dr. Mario Chaves, which among other activities was to participate in a human resources inventory on health in Brazil.

2In 1966, Dr. José Félix Patiño as Executive Director, acquired the recognition of the Government of Colombia to FEPAFEM, as a representative international organization of medical education along with its faculties in the continent. Endorsed by the president of the republic Dr. Carlos Llera Restrepo, it began activities on March 29, 1976,

3As of 1975, the Executive Directorate was transferred to Caracas, during which Drs. Francisco Kerdel Vegas, Luis Manuel Manzanilla, Julio Ceitlin were Executive Directors until 1981, when Drs Pablo Pulido and Ada Vedilei directed, except for a short period in Buenos Aires were the role lied on Dr. Luis Nicolás Ferreira. The Venezuelan government also recognized FEPAFEM as an international body representative of medical education and medical faculties in the continent, by decision of the President Mr. Carlos Andrés Pérez, on October 28, 1975. Upon moving the Caracas Executive Directorate, an associated Executive Office was left in Bogotá under the responsibility of Dr. José Félix Patiño with the objective of developing an Educational Resource Center.

FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE FEDERATION

• Dr. Amador Neghme. Chile


• Dr. Rubens Maciel. Brasil


• Dr. Andrés Santas. Argentina


• Dr. Alloysio Salles de Fonseca. Brasil


• Dr. Rodolfo Young. Panamá


• Dr. Efraim Otero Ruiz. Colombia


• Dr. José Laguna G. México


• Dr. Gaspar García de Paredes. Panamá


• Dr. Benedictus Philadelfo de Siqueira. Brasil


• Dr. Alejandro Cravioto. México


• Dr. Luis Nicolás Ferreira. Argentina


• Dr. Pablo Pulido M. Venezuela