Frequently Asked Questions

Any healthcare professional, researcher, educator, or student with an interest in sexual medicine may join ASSM. That includes physicians, nurses, psychologists, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals working across Africa.

ASSM has three membership types: Full, Associate, and Honorary. Full Members reside in Africa and have voting rights. Associate Members reside outside Africa and do not have voting rights. Full and Associate members may join as paid members at the current fee, or apply for free Full or Associate membership during 2026. Honorary Members access the curriculum without voting rights, with no fee and no annual renewal.

Full and paid associate signup is currently R450 (approx. $25 USD) — a 50% discount on the regular R950 / approx. $50 USD fee. That promo covers membership for the rest of 2026 and free membership for all of 2027. Free full or associate membership in 2026 is free until 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, renewals are $50 USD per year (approx. R950). Honorary membership has no fee and no annual renewal. Contact office@assmweb.org for the current fee schedule.

Join online: go to Member Signup (/register), read the membership summary, then choose Full member if you reside in Africa. Next choose paid or free Full (2026) signup. Paid: complete the registration wizard and pay with Paystack — membership activates immediately. Free Full (2026): submit the free Full membership application with the same details as paid signup, plus a short motivation; if approved you receive a one-time signup code. The ASSM office is also notified of new registrations.

Associate membership is for applicants who reside outside Africa (no voting rights). On Member Signup (/register), read the summary, choose Associate member, then choose paid or free Associate (2026). Paid: complete the wizard with a country outside Africa and pay the current fee. Free Associate (2026 only): apply on the free Associate membership application form with the same details as paid signup, plus a short motivation. You will receive an email confirming that ASSM received your request. If approved (usually within 5–7 business days), you get a second email with a one-time signup code. Use that code on the payment step of registration to activate free Associate membership until 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, renewal is $50 USD per year.

Use your one-time code on the registration payment step to activate free Full or Associate membership. Open the registration link in the approval email (or go to /register). Your application details should already be filled in. Confirm them, create a password, then apply the code on the payment step if it is not already applied. The fee should show as free — click Activate membership (no payment needed), then sign in to the member portal. If you need help, email office@assmweb.org and include your code.

Renew in the member portal when your membership is due. Open Renew, then complete payment — renewal is $50 USD per year (approx. R950) from 1 January 2027. After a successful renewal you receive a confirmation email with your new expiry date. Honorary members do not renew.

ASSM members get access to the Introductory Course (133 learning units across 24 topic modules), the Oncosexology lecture series (15 units), exclusive CPD-accredited content, invitations to scientific meetings, a professional network of Pan-African specialists, and discounted conference fees. Full Members also have voting rights at ASSM business meetings.

Update your details in the member portal profile, or email office@assmweb.org with the subject line "Member Detail Update".

Yes. If you reside in Africa, join as a Full member (paid, or free Full during 2026) or request honorary membership. If you reside outside Africa, join as an Associate member (paid, or free Associate during 2026).

Members have 2 courses with 148 learning units across 25 topic modules. The Online Introductory Course in Sexual Medicine has 133 learning units across 24 topic modules. Oncosexology is a separate 15-unit lecture series on sexual health and cancer. Those 15 lectures are not part of the 133-unit introductory count.

Oncosexology is a second member program — ISSM/SMSNA Sub-Saharan Africa training — with 15 lecture units numbered O-0 to O-14. O-0 is the introductory psychosocial and sexual care pathway (PDF). After you sign in, open Courses and choose Oncosexology. Each unit has a 20-minute unit test (80% to pass) in English and French. Completing all 15 units issues a separate Oncosexology certificate. Those lectures do not count toward the introductory Certificate of Completion.

Active ASSM members can access learning units in the member portal. After your membership is activated (paid signup, free/honorary code activation, or renewal), sign in, open Courses, and choose Introductory Sexual Medicine or Oncosexology.

ASSM issues a Certificate of Completion for each program. The introductory certificate — titled "The Online Introductory Course in Sexual Medicine" — requires all 133 introductory learning units and a pass on each required unit test (117 units) with a minimum score of 80%. The remaining 16 units — mainly recommended reading and questionnaire tools — are completed when you mark the material as complete. Oncosexology has its own certificate after you complete all 15 lecture units and pass each unit test. Individual units do not generate separate certificates.

In the Introductory Course, 117 of 133 units include a timed end-of-unit test (True/False and multiple choice). The other 16 units are completed when you mark the material as complete — no test is required. Every Oncosexology lecture has a unit test.

Yes. Units in both the Introductory Course and Oncosexology are available on-demand and can be completed at your own pace.

Yes. ASSM learning units carry CPD accreditation. Details are shown on each unit overview.

Yes. If you do not pass, you may retake the unit test. The passing score and time limit are shown before you begin.

ASSM recognises 36 distinct areas of specialisation in sexual medicine.

"Experience" means areas of active clinical practice or research. "Interest" means areas you wish to learn more about.

Yes. There is no limit to how many areas you can select under Experience and Interest.

Yes. Update your selections anytime in the member portal profile.

ASSM uses your specialisation areas to tailor communications, event invitations, and CPD recommendations to your interests.

The African Society for Sexual Medicine (ASSM) advances sexual medicine across Africa through education, research, and professional collaboration.

Contact ASSM by email at office@assmweb.org, by phone at +27 31 577 2765 (South Africa) or +254 790 897 057 (Kenya), on WhatsApp at +254 740 661445, or via the contact form on our Contact page.

Follow ASSM news and events on our News and Events pages, or keep your contact preferences up to date in your member profile.

ASSM publications are under Reports and Articles in the Publications menu. Documents can be viewed online or downloaded.