Chair's Message
As I write this chair’s message, our Postgraduate residency training program is undergoing an accreditation visit from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). The accreditation process is a quality improvement exercise based on the standards for residency training as set by the Royal College for the specialty training programs and the CFPC. This process now extends to the institution, specifically the Postgraduate Education Office, so it is a significant process for the whole medical school at this time.
I particularly want to commend our Postgraduate program leaders, site directors, teachers and staff for their preparation and commitment to the accreditation exercise.
As the Department of Family Medicine has prepared for accreditation I found it hard not to focus on what are the potential shortcomings of our department and program. At the same time, we should recognize that there is a lot in the Department and Postgraduate Program that is going well, and as we approach this Christmas season it is appropriate for me to point this out, and to say "Thank You."
I am thankful for all of the hard working family doctors in our region, from Windsor to Ingersoll, from St. Thomas to Tobermory, who daily practice excellent clinical care, while teaching and role modelling for our medical students and family medicine residents. I am thankful for the family doctors with special interests and focussed practices that fill gaps in our system in palliative care, sports medicine, emergency care, anesthesia, care of the elderly and many other domains, and who provide teaching to our residents in these areas of special competence. I am thankful for the clinicians and PhD researchers in our department and across the region who search for new knowledge in primary care and health systems and disseminate their work. I was impressed with the contribution of Department of Family Medicine researchers at recent symposia and conferences, like the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) meeting. I am thankful for the dedication of Department of Family Medicine administrative staff in their various roles whose daily work is the foundation for all of our educational and research activities.
As a Department we may have some things to improve, and the accreditation process will help us to identify those. This will only strengthen the underlying fact that we are a strong department of dedicated people, and I am so proud to be your Chair. Thank you to all, and please enjoy the upcoming holiday season.
As always I welcome your feedback at swetmore@uwo.ca or Twitter @DOCSJW.
