The year that was

Education and accreditation

The popularity of family medicine continues to rebound, with 34% of Canadian medical school graduates selecting family medicine first.

Joint Future of Medical Education in Canada project: Recommendations for undergraduate medical education are being implemented, and a report on postgraduate education is being circulated for feedback.

Triple C Competency-based Curriculum: A CFPC working group was established to implement the new family medicine residency curriculum. Triple C (comprehensive, continuous care and education, centred in family medicine) incorporates the CanMEDS–Family Medicine roles.

Examinations: The Medical Council of Canada Part II and CFPC Certification examinations have been harmonized and will be offered together to candidates eligible for Certification in family medicine (CCFP) beginning in 2013.

In 2011, the number of CCFP examination centres was increased from 12 to 18, and we delivered our first computer-based written examination.

International accreditation and certification: The Board has approved granting CCFP without further examination for international medical graduates who have been accepted for registration by a Canadian medical regulatory authority and who have successfully completed accredited training and achieved certification in family medicine in jurisdictions with CFPC-approved training and certification processes (US, Australia, Ireland, and UK). The CFPC is open to reviewing the standards in any nation, but requires the cooperation of the training and certifying bodies.

Alternative route to Certification: A nonexamination route to Certification will be offered until December 31, 2012, to experienced, non-Certified family physicians in active practice in Canada who have held full, unrestricted licences to practise in a province or territory for the 5 years immediately preceding the date of application.

Continuing professional development (CPD): The Board has approved a requirement for members to submit a minimum of 25 credits annually and mandatory online submission of Mainpro credits beginning January 1, 2013. A working group is revisiting the criteria for Certification and Fellowship. The CFPC and Royal College have each approved programs to enable non-members to participate in their CPD programs in order to meet CPD requirements from medical regulatory authorities.

Section of Family Physicians with Special Interests or Focused Practices (SIFP)

The SIFP was established to strengthen comprehensive, continuing care and to provide a “home” in the CFPC for family physicians with special interests or focuses. Fifteen SIFP programs have been approved so far. Each program’s mandate includes enhancing networking and communications, CPD, and advocacy.

Patient’s Medical Home

The CFPC vision of the Patient’s Medical Home builds on the strengths of current family practices and on primary care renewal initiatives to ensure the best possible access to care and the best health outcomes. In every practice, each patient will have a personal family physician and access to other health professional team members (on site, nearby, or via virtual connections); timely access to appointments and coordination for referrals; comprehensive, continuous care; chronic disease management; preventive care and health promotion; links between primary care and public health; electronic medical records; and quality improvement programs.

Collaborative projects

The CFPC-CMA–Royal College committee reviewing the roles and relationships of family physicians and other specialists, and the referral-consultation process, developed recommendations for accreditation standards for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs; the CFPC Board approved the CFPCCPA report, The Evolution of Collaborative Mental Health Care in Canada: A Shared Vision for the Future; and results of the 2010 National Physician Survey were released.

The Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network, a Pan-Canadian project led by the CFPC that conducts standardized surveillance on selected chronic diseases among family physician practices using electronic medical records, received $11.7 million in funding for the next 5 years from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Family Medicine Forum (FMF)

In 2011, FMF in Montreal, Que, shattered all attendance records with more than 3500 registrants. In 2012, FMF will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Ontario from November 15 to 17.

I am grateful to our Board, committee members, and National and Chapter staff, whose dedicated work made all this—and more—possible. In particular, I congratulate and thank our National President, Rob Boulay, for his outstanding leadership, advice, support, and friendship. He has done us proud as the lead voice for family medicine. From my family to yours—may the holiday season and the New Year be filled with peace, love, health, and happiness.