Curriculum & Academics

Academic Program

The Family Medicine academic program consists of academic sessions, courses, and a transition to residency block. Residents regularly have protected time for virtual teaching, separate from clinical duties. Additionally, there are in person sessions at the end of blocks periodically through the year. These sessions will cover the vast majority of CFPC’s Priority Topics, along with some hands-on skills including simulations, procedural skills and other small group learning. In the first year of residency, all residents will participate in the Core Curriculum offered to all NOSM University residents, across all specialties, which will cover key topics such as the Resident as Teacher, Indigenous health, medical errors and patient safety, etc. In addition, specific sessions in second year will be tailored to preparation for CFPC examination.

The NOSM U Family Medicine Residency Program also provides financial support for residents to obtain certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). Residents are also provided with some financial support through the Resident Reimbursement Fund (RRF) which they may choose to use to attend other courses or conferences such as Family Medicine Forum (FMF) and Society of Rural Physicians Rural and Remote Medicine Conference (SRPC).

2023-2024 FM Academic Schedule

2023-2024 Academic Days – Calendar View

Professionalism Competencies

Professionalism is a core value for all health professionals and it is at the heart of your study and practice. Professionalism will be highlighted throughout your residency, in both academic and clinical settings, and embedded in the evaluation process as one of the fundamental roles in the CanMEDS framework. The following document describes the intended outcomes for a family medicine resident, specifically with regards to the development of professionalism competencies: Professionalism Competencies.

Scholarly Activities

Residents complete a number of scholarly activities during their training: presenting to their colleagues on medical topics, facilitating discussion for critiquing journal articles, presenting a research or scholarly inquiry to colleagues, and writing a scholarly report. These activities contribute to the development of effective teaching practices, formulating and investigating scholarly questions, and disseminating and communicating knowledge to professional audiences. Residents also contribute to the quality improvement of the Family medicine program by providing feedback on the clinical experiences and academic curriculum; this data is collected and utilized by the program to augment the overall program curriculum.

Clinical Curriculum

The NOSM University Family Medicine Clinical Curriculum incorporates a diversity of experience and proficiency in areas integral to community-based Family Practice. Each resident will spend significant time in the community practice of Family Medicine preceptors. Residents participate in all aspects of the practice, including provision of continuous care to their own patients within the practice and participation in the care of all in-hospital patients within the practice whenever possible. Participation in the care of the practice’s patients in multiple environments including the hospital, patient’s home and other scenarios is encouraged.

Domains of Care	Curriculum Objectives
Across the Life Cycle	Care of Children and Adolescents Care of Adults Care of Elderly Maternal and Newborn Care Men’s Health Palliative Care Women’s Health
Care of Underserved Patients	Behavioural Medicine & Mental Health Global Health & Care of Vulnerable and Underserviced
Procedural Skills	Procedural and Surgical Skills
Other Curriculum Objectives	Acute and Critical Care Professionalism Competencies

Throughout the program, elective rotations provide additional flexibility and enable residents to tailor their training to achieve competence in the domains of care and their individual learning objectives not met by immersions in the regular core rotations. Diversity of experience during elective rotations is encouraged and recognized as being extremely valuable.

**Sample PGY1 Clinical Curriculum**
Rotation	Duration
Family Medicine	12-16 weeks**
Family Medicine – inpatient	0-4 weeks
Family Medicine Rural	8 weeks
Internal Medicine	4 weeks
Emergency Medicine	4 weeks / 16 shifts
OBS/Women’s Health	4 weeks
Mental Health	4 weeks
Pediatrics	4 weeks
Electives	8 weeks
Total: 52 weeks

**Sample PGY2 Clinical Curriculum**
Rotation	Duration
Family Medicine	12-16 weeks**
Family Medicine – inpatient	0-4 weeks
Family Medicine Rural	8 weeks
Internal Medicine	4 weeks
Emergency Medicine	4 weeks / 16 shifts
OBS/Women’s Health	4 weeks
Surgical Selective	4 weeks
Electives	12 weeks
Total: 52 weeks

This is the typical Family Medicine Clinical Curriculum; however, due to the needs of the communities, some of the Family Medicine Program Streams will demonstrate slight differences in Curriculum. PGY2 variations: Obs/Women’s health rotation in PGY2 may be exchanged for a FM-OBS rotation; Emergency Medicine in PGY2 may be done in a rural community.

**Note: Family Physicians (preceptors) who do not do hospital rounds – the resident is required to do 3 additional weeks of Internal Medicine.