Canadian journal of rural medicine : the official journal of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada = Journal canadien de la médecine rurale : le journal officiel de la Société de médecine rurale du Canada
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Comparative Study
A comparative analysis of the perceived continuing medical education needs of a cohort of rural and urban Canadian family physicians.
To assess the perceived continuing medical education (CME) needs of a cohort of Canadian family physicians. ⋯ Self-reported CME needs and preferences for CME delivery methods differ on the basis of region of practice and size of the community in which family physicians' practise.
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The Weeneebayko Health Ahtuskaywin (WHA) is an Aboriginal regional health authority serving a large remote region on the west coast of James Bay. The physicians are all paid on a non-fee-for-service basis. There are periods of acute shortage, periods of relative stability and periods when much of the care is provided by locum physicians. As a closed system, it is ideal for the investigation of physician response to periods of acute increases in demand for service. ⋯ During periods of decreased staffing, physicians saw more patients per clinic and ED shift, despite the lack of financial incentives. The study also clearly demonstrates the increased intensity of the workloads carried by rural physicians in times of staffing shortages as noted by increased numbers of ED shifts, increased numbers of medevacs per ED shift and the lack of a decline in inpatient numbers. This highlights the need for ongoing recruitment and retention efforts in rural and remote locations to ensure adequate physician staffing levels, if burnout is to be avoided.
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The aim of this research was to determine the educational needs of Australian rural and remote doctors for intermediate obstetric ultrasound and emergency medicine ultrasound. The main research questions were: what educational topics would rural and remote doctors prefer to learn about in intermediate obstetric ultrasound and emergency medicine ultrasound, and what were those doctors' preferred methods of delivery for an ultrasound education program. ⋯ Australian rural and remote doctors are using ultrasound technology to improve the clinical investigation and diagnosis of a large variety of clinical conditions in their family medical practices. This paper describes the results of research into the educational needs of this target group of doctors.
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During the initial Partners Meeting of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME), the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), the Medical Council of Canada (MCC), and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) in May 2005, a plenary discussion and debate focused on the tensions that exist between generalist and subspecialty education within both the undergraduate and postgraduate educational programs in Canadian medical schools. Key issues identified in the debate included medical student selection, generalist representation on medical school faculty and in learning experiences, and the need for a greater teaching role and respect for generalism to be developed.