Podcasts on the 99 priority topics for family medicine residents

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) provides family medicine residents with a list of 99 priority topics and associated specific objectives to help prepare them for CFPC Certification examinations (ie, short-answer management problems and simulated office orals).¹

A 2013 reflection by a family medicine preceptor supports the notion that the CFPC examination is of high calibre and demands an active learning approach.² Although residents have access to traditional examination preparation resources,³ there are currently no CFPC-endorsed audio podcasts available—which was a topic of discussion at a CFPC Section of Residents meeting in 2015. However, a number of relevant family medicine podcasts do exist in Canada, each with a different style and goal. Recently, Dr Brady Bouchard and his team started a podcast series called 99 Topics for the CCFP (99topics.drbouchard.ca), with the specific goal of efficiently and effectively covering the examination objectives.

Audio podcasts have been well received in North America^4–6 and are deemed an efficient way to learn and keep up to date while in various daily-life settings.^7,8 However, quality indicators are needed for such resources,⁹ particularly around credibility, content, and design.¹⁰ Furthermore, the evidence is lacking on how podcasts should be designed to optimize learning effectiveness.¹¹

Other countries with family practice education comparable to ours (eg, the United Kingdom,¹² Australia,¹³ and the United States¹⁴) have podcast series that are endorsed by their regulating bodies. Communication with the CFPC suggests that peer review by more than 1 physician and availability in both English and French could open the doors for CFPC endorsement of Canadian podcasts.

Based on a recent survey, a substantial number of family medicine residents in Canada would appreciate a podcast series addressing the 99 topics for CFPC Certification (R.A.O. and F.S., unpublished data, 2016). If a podcast were produced, residents would have high expectations for both the content and the technical quality. Podcasts should be concise (between 10 and 30 minutes long) and case based, and should also cover national guidelines and address the 99 topic objectives. High-yield topics should be addressed first. Table 1 summarizes recommendations for podcast designers based on the results of the survey (R.A.O and F.S., unpublished data, 2016).

There are opportunities for the CFPC to identify current examination preparation needs of Canadian family medicine residents by asking the question as part of an ongoing communication strategy and needs assessment. This in turn could allow for a more targeted development of resources, potentially making use of current technology where appropriate.

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