A better future

Many of us have not been students in quite some time, yet flipping the calendar from August to September still signals, for me anyway, the end of summer and the start of school.

September also brings a new cohort of medical students, which has me thinking about what their future in medicine will look like.

While there is no denying there is a crisis in family medicine,¹ today’s medical students and residents should be reassured that the future will look different from—and better than—how it looks today.

Last month I wrote about the importance of finding joy in work,² for our own mental health and for the well-being of our patients and learners. Medical students and residents are learning not only what it takes to be a family doctor—the hard work and dedication, the skills in leadership and problem solving—but also what their lives will be like as family doctors. These learners are watching how we interact with our patients, how we react to day-to-day stressors, and how we manage administrative tasks and system complexity. And while we can feel frustrated and demand more from our elected officials to solve this crisis, we also need to show how rewarding it is to be a family physician.

Family medicine is an amazing career for anyone who has a penchant for curiosity; an ability to sit with uncertainty; and, most important, a willingness to take care of patients through all stages of their lives.

As preceptors, we need to remember the reasons why we chose family medicine and show residents those aspects of the profession. We can also highlight some of the positive changes to family practice that are happening across the country.

The recommendations of the CFPC’s Outcomes of Training Project³ aim to enhance residency to provide more community practice–based opportunities to better support the transition to independent practice.

When I finished residency, I did not feel prepared for maternity care. I was fortunate to get one of the coveted third-year spots in women’s health. The extra time allowed me not only to develop my clinical care, but also to enhance my teaching and leadership skills as a “senior resident.” And I used the time to learn more about practice management and administration. With the implementation of the Outcomes of Training Project recommendations over the next 4 to 6 years, this opportunity for supported transition to practice will be available to all residents.

The system is also changing for the better, driven in part by the continuing advocacy of the CFPC. The CFPC recently released “A Prescription for Primary Care,”⁴ which provides solutions to transform the Canadian health care system in ways that benefit family doctors and the patients we serve.

The CFPC’s Patient’s Medical Home⁵ vision is being rolled out in various forms across the country,⁶ compensation equity through different remuneration models is being implemented,⁷ and administrative burden is being addressed.⁸

I know it is tough right now. But I also believe things will get better. I remain optimistic that today’s students will have a better future in family medicine, with all of the rewards and far fewer of the frustrations.

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