Family Medicine Forum 2008 makes the top 10

Cal Gutkin

If we asked David Letterman for the top 10 reasons so many family doctors will attend Family Medicine Forum (FMF) 2008 from November 27 to 29 at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto, Ont, he might respond as follows:

Number 10. They hope to satisfy their need for a good laugh by going to one of the city’s many comedy clubs … or to a Toronto Maple Leafs game.

Number 9. They are sleep-deprived and hear that the beds at the Sheraton have the world’s best mattresses.

Number 8. They will breathlessly be awaiting the results of the presidential elections that week and expect it will be a nail biter among Obama, McCain, and Kredentser. (Hillary and the rest of the United States take note: Sarah Kredentser will be the College’s seventh woman president.)

Number 7. They know it will be a perfect time and place for them and their families to get their holiday shopping done.

Number 6. They want to see if it’s possible to have more than 2000 family physicians at FMF—which, based on the shortages across the country, means there will only be about 16 family doctors left to take care of all the patients in Canada.

Number 5. They are going to try to attend every one of the 200-plus sessions during FMF, so they can meet their College’s and licensing bodies’ continuing medical education (CME) requirements at one fell swoop. (It’s not possible.)

Number 4. They want to be at the Saturday night FMF celebration (featuring one of Toronto’s best bands—Slice of Life—led by a bunch of family docs) to show everyone that although surveys say physicians are getting older, they can still rock.

Number 3. They want to escape the damp, cold, and depressing November weather overtaking most parts of the country and bask in the Hawaii-esque temperatures promised during FMF (if they stay in their rooms).

Number 2. If it snows and Toronto’s streets are covered with more than 4 inches of the white stuff, they want to experience being rescued by the army.

And the number 1 reason family physicians will attend FMF in record numbers this November … They want to attend 3 days of CME, from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm, and not miss any of the fun and entertainment planned every evening—then return home, well rested!

The place to be

It is inspiring to witness hundreds of family doctors enjoying the complete FMF experience year after year. They tell us afterward that despite the busy schedule, they leave feeling energized and more prepared than ever to take on the challenges of their practices. Family Medicine Forum evaluations repeatedly include comments about how FMF is one of the best CME and continuing professional development meetings held anywhere; praise points toward the mix of large and small group sessions and practical workshops, the range of topics, and the unique blend of clinical, teaching, and research presentations. With a cross section of sessions relevant to rural, suburban, or big city practices, FMF provides registrants with opportunities to refresh and enhance their knowledge and skills according to their personal learning needs. This year—in addition to sessions on cardiac disease, stroke, asthma, mental health challenges, casting and splinting, palliative care, and cancer—there will be specific learning tracks on child and adolescent health, emergency and rural medicine, maternity and newborn care, environmental health, and interprofessional practice.

In addition to CME, FMF has become renowned as a meeting place for medical students, family medicine residents, family practice nurses, family medicine teachers, researchers, and of course hundreds of family physicians who live and practise in all parts of the country. It is a place where new friendships are made, and cherished older ones are rekindled.

If you are a family physician looking for an opportunity to take a few days away from work to learn, interact with colleagues, and have some fun, then FMF 2008 is the place to be—and that’s number 1 on anyone’s top 10 list.