Capitalizing on opportunities for progress

I write my columns several weeks ahead of publication. So, when I sat down to write this article, I found myself reflecting on the first half of my year as CFPC President.

My term as President started at a difficult time for the College, and we continue to face substantial challenges in family medicine. However, I am hopeful that progress is being made both within the CFPC and in the practice environment.

In March 2024 the CFPC launched its comprehensive governance review project, with the first phase expected to wrap up in early fall. During this period we will engage with a range of interested parties to address some urgent issues, scope out the parameters of the review, and reinvigorate our Governance Advisory Committee, which will play an important role in the next phases of the project.

As of this column’s print deadline, we had not yet announced the selection of the CFPC’s new chief executive officer; however, this is anticipated prior to the time it will be published. I am certain that this person has the right attributes to lead the College through this period of reflection and transition while also moving forward on necessary changes to address the CFPC’s fiscal realities, and I look forward to working with them for the remainder of my term as President and beyond.

In a Commonwealth Fund survey looking at access to primary health care, Canada ranked last in a comparison of 10 high-income countries,¹ and there is no question that we need to train more family doctors in this country.

Expansion of training positions has brought the number of available family medicine residency spots to an all-time high,² but more needs to be done if we want family medicine to be the specialty of choice for applicants from Canadian medical schools as well as for those who have trained abroad.

We also need to ensure that those we train have access to practice models that support them in practising comprehensive family medicine in a range of settings.

We continue to support our Chapters and family doctors in each province and territory as they work toward fair and adequate remuneration models. We have seen some positive movement on this front^3,4 as well as on support for the teams^5,6 and infrastructure needed to support the Patient’s Medical Home vision of care⁷ in some provinces.

As a national organization, the CFPC has been focusing on working with the federal government to link increased health care funding for the provinces and territories to investments in family medicine and to address issues such as federal forms that contribute to administrative burden on the front lines of care.

With the right kinds of support in place, family medicine can be a great career. I am glad I chose it, despite current challenges.

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