CaRMS Match Day was this week and we at the BCCFP are thrilled to see that medical students are continuing to choose family medicine here in British Columbia!
UBC, the largest family medicine residency in Canada, filled 97.5% of their first round family medicine spots – the 2nd highest match rate in Canada (Saskatchewan matched all but one spot or 99.6% of their spots).
We extend our congratulations and warmly welcome all the medical students and international medical graduates (IMGs) who have chosen the most rewarding career in medicine!
We also take this opportunity to recognize the many family physicians who teach medical learners. 75% of family physicians teach. On average, family doctors spend about 5 hours a week teaching, in addition to patient care and all their other duties (CMA, 2019).
Medical education takes place in every part of our province – from large urban centres to the smallest of rural communities. Where medical learners train also plays a role in where and how those doctors practice after graduation. Our family physician teachers, especially those in our rural areas, are key at recruiting and retaining family doctors to rural communities.
To our family medicine teachers, we thank you for your dedication! You are role models who inspire the next generation of family physicians every day.
Family medicine is growing in BC, due in no small part to the more equitable remuneration model (LFP) that recognizes the value of teaching. We are deeply grateful for the dedicated and passionate family physician teachers who are training the next generation of skilled and compassionate family physicians, and to the medical school graduates who, looking for meaningful ways to practice medicine, have chosen family medicine.
-Dr. Katherine Bell, MD CCFP
President, BC College of Family Physicians
References
“especially with the distributed medical education movement, if we look at all the facets of teaching, more than 75% of our members are teachers.” (Lamire, 2018, CFP)
Hours per week teaching – 4.0 with direct patient care, 0.9 without direct patient care = 4.9/47.5 hour week: https://www.cma.ca/sites/default/files/2019-01/family-e.pdf, 2019 CMA Physician Workforce Survey, Canadian Medical Association
Today the SOT has more than 4,000 members. Of the CFPC’s current 38,000 members, approximately 75 per cent teach, serve as preceptors, or lead family medicine education in some way: https://www.cfpc.ca/CFPC/media/PDF/SOT-Benefits-booklet-March-2020.pdf
