Distributed Learning and Rural InitiativesDLRI RepoRt 2008-2009

2 • DLRl Report 2008/09

3 TEAMING UP TO FACE OUR CHALLENGES | Message from the Dean

4 BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS TO BETTER OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES | Distributed Learning & Rural Initiatives

5 FAMILY & RURAL MEDICINE INTEREST GROUP

6 GROWING TO MEET THE NEED OF STUDENTS AND ALBERTANS | Undergraduate Medical education

8 RURAL MEDICINE LEARNER WEEKS

10 REDISCOVERING OUR ROOTS | Family Medicine

12 MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING QUALITY DURING EXPANSION | postgraduate Medical education

14 OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE OUR STRENGTH | Continuing Medical education

15 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT

CONTENTS

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 3

Improving rural medicine and meeting the need for more rural and generalist practitioners in Alberta is a task that falls on more than one university or government ministry. to achieve the goals that we’ve established, collaboration between several key stakeholders is crucial–an important point we focused on last year that remains true today.

The best example of this continued collaboration is the creation of the Rural Joint Coordinating Committee. By bringing together key members from the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, the Alberta Rural physician Action plan (RpAp), and recently Alberta Health Services, the committee is able to identify and address the significant challenges we face advancing rural medicine in our province.

one of these challenges came from the creation of Alberta Health Services (AHS). The committee has worked closely with AHS since its inception on several rural initiatives, and I’m confident we have been able to meet this initial task of merging concepts and ideas between the stakeholder groups. Stephen Duckett, chief executive officer of Alberta Health Services, met with the Rural Joint Coordinating Committee recently and we look forward to a close working relationship.

In just our second year, the Rural Integrated Community Clerkship (RICC) program has expanded in both the number of students and locations in which we serve. The program, originally conceived by Dr. Doug Myhre,

associate dean, Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives and Dr. Jill Konkin, associate dean, Rural and Regional Health at the University of Alberta, is already benefitting rural communities and quickly gaining enthusiasm among students.

of course, the RICC’s success–and the success of all our rural medicine endeavours–is supported greatly by several key organizations. The funding provided by Rural Alberta’s Development Fund ensured the RICC program became a reality, and the continued support by RpAp has allowed the program to flourish. earlier this year Alberta Health and Wellness also contributed funding for a three year period, which will help facilitate further expansion of the RICC program. As the success of this program continues, so do our rural medicine initiatives for the province–something all of us are excited to be a part of.

Dr. tom Feasby Dean Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary

TEamiNg up TO faCE Our ChallENgESmessage from the Dean, faculty of medicine

mESSagE frOm ThE DEaN

riCC TargETS

Target: 80%ofRICCgraduateswillchoosea generalistcareer2009 Results: 89%(8/9)choseageneralistcareer (7familymedicineand1pediatrics)

Target: 60%ofRICCgraduateswillchosea familymedicinecareer2009 Results: 78%(7/9)chosefamilymedicine

4 • DLRI Report 2008/09

Alberta’s rural and regional communities play a critical role in providing education for our expanding undergraduate and postgraduate classes. At the same time, these communities

are aware that education of these young physicians is the best way to support their existing doctors and provide increased service to Albertans. The strong relationship between the preceptors and Alberta’s rural and regional communities–whether it is in care provision or education, or the recognition of mutual expertise–is the foundation of our distributed medical education network. to emphasize this focus, the portfolio of the associate dean, rural/regional affairs has been expanded and redefined. This is the first annual report of the office of the associate dean, Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives (DLRI).

Undergraduate, postgraduate and Continuing Medical education departments all have existing or expanding rural/regional programs. The Faculty of Medicine features both recently developed and well established rural/regional programs such as Rural Alberta South in the Department of Family Medicine, core postgraduate curriculum rotations in Internal Medicine, the pilot for Hematology oncology residents in Medicine Hat, and the continuing success of the annual emergency Medicine for Rural Hospitals conference.

Growing our rural and regional education network is a key priority for the future, and it is in this regard that I applaud the continued development of undergraduate programs. our Undergraduate Medical education department has seized the opportunity in clerkship to expand beyond a program solely delivered in the metro area, and has the potential to expand further in delivering the first two years of the curriculum. The undergraduate program offers rural electives, rural/regional clerkship rotations throughout the disciplines, as well as the Rural Integrated Community Clerkship. This growing preclinical education network allows us to prepare greater numbers of medical students in a manner that best meets the needs of Albertans.

Dr. W. Cochrane, founding dean of the University of Calgary Medical School stated, “It is imperative that reasonable experimentation in medical education be implemented.” We have the potential to deliver curriculum well beyond traditional limits as we appropriately access and develop educational technology to allow learners at many levels to interact and build their knowledge.

By expanding beyond our current teaching sites we expose our learners to the complete breadth of our discipline while delivering our accredited curriculum. What better way to ensure we respond to our social accountability mandate than by expanding our community experiences in both the preclinical and the clerkship years?

Dr. Doug Myhre Associate Dean Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives

BuilDiNg rElaTiONShipS TO BETTEr Our rural COmmuNiTiESmessage from the associate Dean, Distributed learning and rural initiatives

DiSTriBuTED lEarNiNg aND rural iNiTiaTivES

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 5

The Family and Rural Medicine Interest Group (FMIG/RMIG) is a student group at the University of Calgary which is dedicated to the promotion of family and rural medicine. The group provides opportunities for students to build contacts, attend conferences, learn clinical skills and experience practice through a variety of events, speakers and shadowing opportunities.

Some events held in past years include a Family Medicine Wine and Cheese Night, Rural Specialists Night, and both Rural and Urban Skills Days. These events are extremely popular, with over 50 first year students attending each one. In a recent survey of participants, 60% indicated these events either strongly

or somewhat encouraged them to consider a career in family/rural medicine. We plan on continuing these events as well as many others this year!

The group also organizes an Urban Shadowing program, which matches interested students with family physicians in the city. This program has been extremely well received, and in the last two years they have matched over 100 students with preceptors. Surveys are completed regularly by preceptors and students, both of whom rank the program highly.

The FMIG/RMIG continues to enjoy enormous support from the Faculty of Medicine. During our biweekly meetings, both Dr.

Doug Myhre, associate dean, Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives, and Dr. David Keegan, undergraduate education director, Department of Family Medicine, regularly offer their assistance. This year two FMIG/RMIG members sat on a pioneering task Force, which made recommendations directly to the associate dean on how to increase family medicine matching from the school.

As the only interest group that combines both rural and family medicine, the FMIG/RMIG is unique to medical schools in Canada. With an expanded executive committee and a larger funding pool, they have been able to work efficiently and effectively in their efforts to promote family and rural medicine.

WOrkiNg TOgEThEr TO prOmOTE family aND rural mEDiCiNE

family & rural mEDiCiNE iNTErEST grOup

The FMIG/RMIG executive, from left: Pascaline De Caigny, Jonathan Somerville, Robert Pomerleau, Amber Jorgensen, Lindsay Connelly

Rosemary Burness, Medical Students’ Initiatives Coordinator, RPAP

The University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine is excited to announce its expansion from 150 students to our first class of 180 students. The

Class of 2012 is our largest to date and the challenge of ensuring a top rate education remains our priority. We have also increased the number of students involved in the Rural Integrated Community Clerkship (RICC) this year to 12, and 16 students will enter the program next year.

Dr. pam Veale and Dr. Ron Spice have begun work on piloting an educational model whereby medical students in the pre-clerkship years can receive their didactic teaching via the internet, and their small group and clinical exposure remotely. The Alberta government has funded this initiative and we look forward to piloting this exciting concept. The University’s

clerkship curriculum is already being delivered in a distributed fashion and has received very good reviews from our RICC students. Lectures, podcasts, access to curricula materials

and clinical examinations in medical centers are all available for our students in rural locations.

to help accommodate the rise in student numbers, we have also expanded our master teacher program. today we have 30 master teachers whose roles in both the curriculum and the RICC program have been increased. In addition to their regular tasks, master teachers are assisting with preceptor duties in academic sessions with our rural students via the internet.

The RICC program is an important venue to promote family medicine at the University of Calgary. Students in the RICC program are in a key position to take up rural family medicine placements, and it provides a meaningful exposure to rural medicine and rural life. The success of the RICC program is due to the tireless input from master teachers, faculty members, preceptors, administrative staff, the undergraduate medical education e-learning team, and most importantly from the students themselves.

Dr. Bruce Wright Associate Dean Undergraduate Medical education

grOWiNg TO mEET ThE NEEDS Of STuDENTS aND alBErTaNSMessage from the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education

uNDErgraDuaTE mEDiCal EDuCaTiON

As soon as I found out about the RICC, I couldn’t picture doing my clerkship any other way. I grew up on a farm and being able to train, live, and practice in a rural setting has been one of my goals since I began learning medicine. High River is a great town, with a unique blend of lifestyle–a foundation of farming families and country

tradition with a contemporary undertone from its proximity to Calgary. I very quickly felt at home.

Learning medicine here in High River is enriched by the experience of getting to know its people. I regularly see patients in several different settings over time–one day in clinic for routine health

6 • DLRI Report 2008/09

haNDS-ON iN high rivEr As one clerkship student found out, studying medicine in a rural setting is a rewarding experience.

iDENTifyiNg ChallENgES aND BuilDiNg ON Our SuCCESSMessage from Program Director, Rural Integrated Community Clerkship

uNDErgraDuaTE mEDiCal EDuCaTiON

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 7

The UCalgary Rural Integrated Community Clerkship (RICC) ) became real in April 2008, as the first group of the class of 2009 arrived at their assigned rural sites. Their arrival was preceded by much research and prepara-tion as similar programs around the world were evaluated and funding models arranged. Despite the successes of programs around the world, many questions arose during this period. Could students in Alberta be adequately taught basic principles of medicine in rural locations? Would they be able to pass exams? Could they integrate into the local communities and become part of the health care team there? Would this experience encourage the students to choose a career in primary health care, espe-cially in a rural setting?

The University of Calgary faced a unique chal-lenge in that it was the only institution in the world with a three-year curriculum that was implementing this program. All other programs ran in the third of four years and were designed to allow any deficiencies to be addressed in the final year. Could students spend nine of their final twelve months in medical school in

a rural setting and be adequately prepared for residency?

With the first year now complete and the sec-ond year underway, the answer to all of these questions seems to be a resounding ‘yes’! All nine students involved in the inaugural class were convinced the training they received not only matched, but exceeded their expectations. All exams taken by the class of 2009–including the Licensure for Medical Council of Canada–were written and passed by all nine RICC students. each student was matched to their first choice of discipline, with seven of the nine students choosing family medicine as a career and most planning to practice in a rural loca-tion. All were involved in the rural communi-ties and found it difficult to leave at the end of their nine months.

Dedicated students, preceptors and admin-istrative staff who are keen to explore new avenues in distributed education have made the program successful to this point. We continue to learn how best to improve the RICC as it has grown to twelve students and six communities

this year and looks to expand even more in the future. Challenges still remain but as we con-tinue to be flexible and innovative, the future looks bright.

Dr. Wes Jacksonprogram DirectorRural Integrated Community ClerkshipFaculty of MedicineUniversity of Calgary

maintenance, weeks later for an acute problem in emergency, and perhaps again in a specialist clinic or the operating room. every week I get to participate in a full spectrum of care, from prenatal visits and deliveries to palliative care. The human depth of medicine is apparent here, and I feel incredibly lucky and humbled to be a small part of the most important events in people’s lives. These experiences are offered and guided by a wonderful group of enthusiastic and knowledgeable physicians who act as preceptors, mentors, and friends.

The RICC experience is amazing not only because of the continuity of care and variety of practice, but because of the huge amount of opportunity. My clerkship has been very hands-on–I’m amazed at how many ways I’m already confidently and competently independent. There are so many learning opportunities in a rural setting, and I know that I and my RICC colleagues have been taking ample advantage of them!

every day I learn something new, and every week I do something that I never thought I would be able to. I can’t wait to begin my own practice as a rural family physician, and even though there is still much to learn, I feel like my future has already begun.

Katie HermanutzClass of 2010Clinical Clerk

8 • DLRI Report 2008/09

rural mEDiCiNE lEarNEr WEEkS

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION TARGETS Target: 50%ofcommunitieswillteachbothstudentsandresidents 2009 Results: 48%(21/44)ofcommunitiestaughtbothstudentsandresidents 62%(21/34)ofcommunitieswith2ormorelearnerstookbothstudentsandresidents Target: 50%ofcommunitieswillhavelearnersforsixmonthsormoreperyear2009 Results: 50%(22/44)ofcommunitieshavelearnersforsixormoremonthsperyear 65%(22/34)ofcommunitieswithtwoormorelearnerstookslearnersforsixmonthsormore

Banff 24 10 34

Bassano 16 16 32

Black Diamond 84 2 86

Bow Island 32 32

Brooks 56 12 68

Camrose 4 4

Canmore 16 72 88

Cardston 8 8

Chestermere 2 2

Claresholm 32 24 56

Crossfield 8 8

Location Resident Weeks

Student Weeks

Total Weeks

Crowsnest Pass 48 8 56

Drumheller 36 75 111

Fort Macleod 24 4 28

Fort McMurray 6 6

Grande Prairie 12 12

Hanna 22 22

High River 96 84 180

Innisfail 2 2

Lac La Biche 2 2

Lacombe 4 2 6

Lethbridge 302 60 362

Location Resident Weeks

Student Weeks

Total Weeks

rural mEDiCiNE lEarNEr WEEkS

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 9

Medicine Hat 232 128 360

Okotoks 14 14

Olds 36 2 38

Oyen 8 8

Peace River 6 6

Pincher Creek 72 81 153

Raymond 24 18 42

Red Deer 40 52 92

Rocky Mountain

House

20 20

Stettler 4 4

LEARNER SATISFACTION TARGETS

Target: 80%ofalllearnerswillbesatisfiedwiththeirrural/regionalrotation 2009 Results: Clerks 92%(80/87)ofallrural/regionalrotationsevaluatedbyclerksreceivedapostitiverating Residents 87%(74/85)ofallrural/regionalrotationsevaluatedbyresidentsreceivedapositiverating

Location Resident Weeks

Student Weeks

Total Weeks

Location Resident Weeks

Student Weeks

Total Weeks

Strathmore 68 16 84

Sundre 40 95 135

Sylvan Lake 2 2

Taber 40 74 114

Three Hills 8 8

Vermilion 10 10

Viking 8 8

Vulcan 8 8

Wainwright 8 8

Westlock 4 4

Whitehorse 56 56

Yellowknife 104 4 108

2008-09 Total Weeks

1534 953 2487

2007-08Total Weeks

1366 537 1903

The University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine was founded in 1968 upon a system-based approach to curriculum, a three-year structure, and an emphasis on family medicine. Yet over the years and for many different reasons, the role of family medicine in our medical school has diminished. In 2008, only 18.4% of our graduating class chose family medicine as their first choice of specialty in the CaRMS match. This led to the creation of a task force chaired by Dr. Keith Brownell to make specific recommendations that would lead to increased numbers choosing family medicine as a specialty.

The task force submitted its final report in May of this

year. At first, many of its recommendations—which were based upon the best evidence and practices known to the task force—seemed to be forging a bold new path for the medical

school in which family physicians serve integral roles in curriculum development and governance, and students engage in earlier and more learning in family medicine clinical settings.

Reflecting on our school’s past, it is clear that these recommendations are doing much more: they are bringing us back to our roots, where these things were the norm. Stay tuned for our future—our rediscovered past—in which all students have a direct meaningful exposure to family medicine.

Dr. David KeeganUndergraduate DirectorDepartment of Family Medicine

family mEDiCiNE

10 • DLRI Report 2008/09

rEDiSCOvEriNg Our rOOTSMessage from the Undergraduate Director, Department of Family Medicine

Typical schedules for two residents in the rural alberta South family medicine residency Training program

Want to know more?

Check out this article: Cochrane Wa. philosophy and program for medical education at the university of

Calgary faculty of medicine. Can med ass J. 1968

Medicine Hat

Resident

Lethbridge

Resident

I’m a prairie girl, born and raised on a cattle ranch in southwestern Saskatchewan. Though living in large centers for school had its perks, I couldn’t wait to return to my small town roots for the Rural Alberta South program. I was not disappointed!

I spent time in taber, Crowsnest pass and Drumheller during my rural rotations and Medicine Hat for my specialty rotations. each community was a slightly different flavor–a mix of Hutterites, Mexican Mennonites, farmers, miners, and salt-of-the-earth type people. No day was the same, and no day was ever boring.

Residency, especially rural residency, is a blur of travel, adventure and challenges. I think rural residency in Alberta breeds a spirit of independence, level headedness and camaraderie with rurally-based preceptors, residents, and medical students. Most of all, rural residency can be tailored to fit the needs of the individual.

During my training I was also able to research how to set up my own clinic. I spent time with support staff to understand the administration

side of their clinics, and with primary care network team members to see their programs. This provided me an invaluable opportunity to learn how a clinic functions–something that helped a great deal when I set up my own clinic after residency!

Dr. Meghan elkinkFormer Rural Alberta South ResidentFaculty of Medicine

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 11

family mEDiCiNE

WhaT aN ExpEriENCE!Spending her residency in four different rural locations meant plenty of travel, adventure and challenges for Dr. Meghan Elkink

As of July 1, 2009 postgraduate expansion at the University of Calgary has begun!

The 2009-10 academic year started with 45 additional residents over the previous year. pGMe growth will continue over the next several years gradually taking us to a doubling of the 2008 resident numbers.

programs are managing this expansion in a number of innovative ways, but at the forefront will be distribution of clinical learning sites. The contacts, experience, expertise, and commitment of the office of Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives will be a tremendous asset throughout this process.

Although the move to distributed learning for pGMe has been

accelerated by our expansion, this model of training holds many other advantages and is therefore already in place for several programs. Family Medicine has led the way with a fully rural stream of training. The quality of this program is evident by its popularity in the CaRMS match and the success of its residents. In addition, Core Internal Medicine, General Surgery and pediatrics all have regional rotations in place. While the large generalist programs such as these are expected to account for most of the expansion outside of the urban environment, the advantages of distributed learning can also be applied to the more specialized programs. For example, a Hematology oncology rotation was recently

developed in Medicine Hat. Diagnostic Radiology, Anatomical pathology, and others are exploring similar options.

Throughout the expansion and distribution of our programs we are committed to providing high-quality residency education in settings that offer a rich clinical experience. our preceptors will continue to be well supported by urban academic and administrative resources. There is already a strong foundation of teaching expertise in our distributed sites, fostered by workshops offered by the office of Faculty Development and programs such as “Cabin Fever”(see page 15). We have learned the mere presence of medical students and residents–at different levels of training at a given site–enriches the educational experience for all members of the health care team and promotes collaboration between the Faculty and community. We look forward to building these relationships further as a key element of our expansion.

Dr. Joanne todesco Associate Dean postgraduate Medical education

pOSTgraDuaTE mEDiCal EDuCaTiON

12 • DLRI Report 2008/09

maiNTaiNiNg aND ENhaNCiNg QualiTy DuriNg ExpaNSiON message from the associate Dean, postgraduate medical Education (pgmE) medical Education

5

10

15

20

2008-2009

2007-2008

2006-2007

Anesthesia

Emergency M

edicine

Diagnostic I

maging

General Surg

ery

Internal M

edicine

Orthopedics

Otolaryngology

Pathology

Pediatrics

Phys Med & Rehab

Psych

iatry

Radiation O

ncology

I recently had the opportunity to complete a community surgical rotation in Red Deer. Upon arriving at the hospital I was immediately able to appreciate the familiar, friendly atmosphere of community medicine. The staff throughout the hospital was friendly and inviting, and instantly made an effort to get to know me. Moreover, I was struck by the way all of the physicians knew each other on a personal level, regardless of their specialty. This fostered a collegial relationship between all of the various services.

During my three months, I was exposed to an incredibly high volume and wide variety of surgical cases, and was encouraged to participate extensively in these. Being the only general surgery resident in the hospital, I was often able to select those cases that interested me most and that I felt were of greatest benefit to my training. A typical week might involve a day of colorectal procedures, a day of basic general surgery cases, vascular and breast procedures, and a day of endoscopy. I was also

fortunate to learn new laparoscopic techniques and some bariatric procedures.

overall, I consider my rotation in Red Deer a fantastic experience. My preceptors were all patient, enthusiastic instructors who were eager to share their experiences as surgeons, both in the hospital and in the community. Through the excellent instruction and vast operating opportunities, I was able to hone my skills and at the same time gain significant insight into life as a community surgeon. This brief exposure has led me to seriously consider community surgery as a future career.

Dr. Scott CassieSurgery Resident

OppOrTuNiTy kNOCkS iN rED DEEr for Dr. Scott Cassie, no two days were the same during his surgery residency at the red Deer regional hospital

pOSTgraDuaTE TrENDresidents per year

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 13

pOSTgraDuaTE mEDiCal EDuCaTiON

annual Totals 2006-2007 22

2007-2008 29

2008-2009 39

*Does not include family medicine

14 • DLRI Report 2008/09

CONTiNuiNg mEDiCal EDuCaTiON

Developing a CMe course takes hard work and dedication. It’s a process that includes a number of meetings and discussions, and requires the commitment of everyone involved— especially our physicians as they are at the core of the development of all CMe courses.

Course accreditation (College of Family physicians of Canada or Royal College of physicians and Surgeons of Canada) requires a planning committee be formed, which must include physicians in the specialty that we are developing the course for. At CMe, our planning committees generally have between four and eight members (including staff) to ensure diversity of input and ideas, and each course will require between three to eight meetings to develop, depending on

the complexity (e.g., numbers of workshops and speakers, length of the course, new vs. old course).

The support we have received from the physicians who help plan and teach our courses is immeasurable, and has been sustained over many years. Most of this work is done pro bono with nominal or no remuneration, and similarly, our teachers receive nominal or no stipends for their work. They are without a doubt the key to our continued success, and we are forever grateful for their efforts.

The emergency Medicine for Rural Hospitals (eR) Course is one example of a program whose phenomenal success rests on the support provided by volunteers. two physicians in pincher Creek (Dr. tony Irving and Dr. Juan teran) initiated the course and hosted it twice before it moved to Banff, which offered a more centralized location with easier access for physicians across the province. In 2009, the course had 14 physicians and nurses on the

planning committee and 51 teachers delivering workshops. This commitment enabled us to offer 30 different break-out sessions on topics ranging from practical workshops involving simulators, splinting, arrhythmia management and ophthalmology procedures, to topics that were more discussion based focusing on team approaches, cases, and belly pain. More than 325 physicians and nurses attended the program, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009.

This only tells part of the story about our flagship course. over the years, the eR course has become a meeting place for rural professionals and their families. This year, both the Rural Anesthesia Course for Gp Anesthesiologists and eCG Interpretation for Nurses course were held at the same time as the eR program. The Alberta Section of Rural Medicine, the Society of Rural physicians of Canada and the Rural emergency Nurse Interest Group have meetings in conjunction with this course as well.

We are equally proud of our other offerings for rural physicians—the weekly videoconference program as well as the examination preparation courses for the Medical Council of Canada part II exam and the College of Family physicians of Canada certification examinations. offerings of increasing interest to rural physicians include the hospitalist, pediatric and urgent care courses, eCG interpretation, and the regional visiting speaker conferences.

Dr. Jocelyn LockyerAssociate DeanContinuing Medical education

Our vOluNTEErS arE Our STrENgTh message from the associate Dean, Continuing medical Education (CmE)

faCulTy DEvElOpmENT

Cabin Fever is the flagship of the Rural Faculty Development activity of the Faculty. The program consists of three half-day sessions, and includes a wide array of workshops serving the needs of rural/regional clinical faculty (preceptors) who are new to teaching as well as those with extensive experience. While the workshops vary from year to year, the core practicum has helped preceptors develop skills related to teaching, evaluating and providing feedback to students and residents, as well as using newer technologies.

We are now approaching the 10th anniversary of this popular and well-attended event, and while the first nine years have been extremely successful, it was decided the format, location and effectiveness of the meeting needed re-evaluation. With that in mind, focus groups were formed and a “Commitment to Change” research project implemented.

16 preceptors participated in two focus groups, and their feedback centred on three points: they value the opportunity to learn new approaches to teaching and assessment; they appreciate the chance to validate their current approaches; and they enjoy networking with colleagues. Key subject matter for the physicians included learning expectations for programs, how to give feedback, and how to work with difficult learners. physicians reported gaining practical information including how to incorporate teaching into practice, how to organize the office for teaching and how to teach learners at different levels of training.

We asked physicians at the end of the course to identify changes they planned to make in their practices. At three months, we contacted the physicians to determine the outcomes of their intent. The 28 doctors indentified 75 desired changes. of these, 73.7% were fully or partially implemented. Those who couldn’t make the

changes either had not had learners since or lacked the time to develop a plan. The changes the physicians described making included how they assess students and residents and provide feedback; new approaches to teaching that incorporated some of the key concepts taught (e.g., SNAppS, RIMe); how they role model, particularly around family medicine; and the use of electronic resources for teaching.

physicians who participate in Cabin Fever 2010 will be asked to share their new knowledge and skills formally with their colleagues with the support of the office of Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives and Faculty Development. In this way we create a unique mix of faculty development delivered by local clinical faculty with support from the academic faculty. High River is eager to be the pilot site.

CaBiN fEvEr: fEB 6-9, 2009Delta lodge at kananaskis

DLRI Report 2008/09 • 15

From left: Dr Charlotte Haig, Lethbridgeand Dr Shirley Schipper, Edmonton

The Delta Lodge at Kananaskis

EDITOR: KyleGlenniePHOTOGRAPHY: DeanLack,GlennaLee,TrudieLeeDESIGN:ImagineCreativeCONTRIBUTORS: Dr.TomFeasby,Dr.DougMyrhe,Dr.BruceWright,Dr.WesJackson,Dr.DavidKeegan,Dr.JoanneTodesco,Dr.JocelynLockyer,KyleGlennie,KatieHermanutz,Dr.MeghanElkink,Dr.ScottCassie

Funding for this publication was provided by The Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Alberta Rural Physician Action Plan or Alberta Health and Wellness.

CONTACT USDLRI program T: 403.220.42573330 Hospital Drive NW E: ruralmed@ucalgary.caCalgary, Alberta t2N 4N1 W: www.ucalgary.ca/ruralmedicine

Dlri prOgram

Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary3330 Hospital Drive NWCalgary, Alberta T2N 4N1

T: 403.220.4257f: 403.210.3986Toll free: 1.877.466.4257E: ruralmed@ucalgary.caW: www.ucalgary.ca/ruralmedicine

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