Acknowledging excellence and supporting members in meeting community needs

Dear Colleagues,

It is important, before 2013 comes to an end, to acknowledge the recipients of this year’s awards, many of whom were officially recognized during Family Medicine Forum last month. The CFPC’s Honours and Awards Program has grown substantially over the past few years. This was possible through the Research and Education Foundation (REF) of the CFPC, with donations from the corporate and private sectors, and from you, our members. An important milestone was achieved in 2012, when the REF received more than $1 million in donations in the calendar year.

Community engagement is an important underlying theme for both our award recipients and our recipients of continuing professional development or research grants and scholarships. Expansion of these activities took place soon after the creation of the REF in 1994. It coincided with the launch of the Janus Project, named after the Greek god who was famous for his ability to take stock of the past in planning the future. The spirit of Janus is very much alive today. To receive awards or scholarships, candidates applying or being considered must demonstrate that their proposed activities or their achievements meet particular community needs. All our family physicians of the year impress us with the quality and depth of their engagement in their respective communities.

The creation of every award has a story. The Calvin L. Gutkin Family Medicine Ambassador Award, one of our newest awards, was created at the time of the retirement of our past Chief Executive Officer to acknowledge the strength and extent of relationship building with other organizations that Dr Gutkin nurtured during his tenure. The Daniel Glazier Research Grant in Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Abuse was created 2 years ago by family and friends of Dr and Mrs Glazier following the death of their son from an accidental drug overdose. This award supports innovation and engagement in this important area of care. The stories of some of our awards can be found in our newsletter, Partners, at www.cfpc.ca/PartnersNewsletter.

All recipients of grants and scholarships provide us with reports of their educational experiences. Often these remind us of the extent to which the funding they received facilitated transformation and capacity building in family medicine. We have followed the recipients of research grants for 5 years; more than 50% of them have published articles on themes relevant to their areas of research—a remarkable achievement! The reports are posted on our website at www.cfpc.ca/Reports_Past_Recipients. You should really consult this excellent resource if you are interested in applying for funding.

Two important developments in the governance and functioning of the REF have taken place over the past few years. The first is the representation of each of the CFPC Chapters on the REF Board, reaffirming the important connection of the CFPC with each provincial Chapter; the REF is the fund-holder for the British Columbia College of Family Physicians, the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and the Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians, which allows them to provide awards with monetary value. The second is the creation of 2 working groups to enable the REF to be more proactive in the area of fundraising and strategic plan implementation. The Development Working Group and the Strategic Plan Working Group have just been created and are already working to take the REF to a new level of engagement with our members.

In general, more than 85% of donors support a foundation or a cause because they believe in the importance of the cause.¹ We want to assure you of our stewardship of the REF, and our ongoing engagement in supporting and recognizing members in better meeting community needs. Most of the funds collected are used to support awards, grants, and scholarships. A question regularly asked of us by the corporate sector is about the extent to which the REF is supported by our members. Consider the REF as you plan your year-end giving.

Congratulations to all recipients of awards, grants, and scholarships! The full list of recipients can be found online (www.cfpc.ca/awards). Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of your College and the 20th anniversary of the REF. Stay tuned for commemoration of our important milestones in Canadian Family Physician, on our website, and, of course, at Family Medicine Forum, which will be held in Quebec city, Que, from November 13 to 15, 2014.

I thank you for the privilege of serving the College and you, our members, over this past year. Best wishes to you and your families for this holiday season and for 2014.

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