By Dr. Tyler Hunter Now that you have left academic half days behind in residency, obtaining continuing medical education (CME) can be another burden on your already busy schedule. The minimum CME requirements set by the CFPC are: Instead of slogging through entering 250 UpToDate credits, below are a few ideas of how to reach…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog – “Spooky Situations in the Office”
By Dr. Charissa Ho It is spooky season! With that, let’s talk about the scary situations we can encounter in our family medicine offices and how we can deal with them. Spooky Situation 1: Upset patient in the clinic. You’re going about your day when one of the MOAs knocks on your door. Knock, knock….
Read MoreA Week in the Life – First Five Years in Family Practice
Introduction by Dr. Charissa Ho, Chair, ACFP FFYFP Committee So, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) applications have already started. Those who are considering their specialty of choice may be thinking “Why should I apply to family medicine programs?” Well, the First Five Years in Family Practice (FFYFP) Committee has come together to provide you…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: “Hello from the other side” – Teaching tips for the new grad
By Dr. Kristina Quan When I first finished residency, I found myself asking “how am I supposed to teach when I was the student yesterday?” Taking on learners early in your career can seem intimidating and daunting but it can also be very rewarding. Below are some helpful tips and reasons to teach that I…
Read MoreThe Time Has Come to Make Birth Control Free in Canada
Why you should get behind the campaign for one of the most progressive policies for reproductive rights and gender equity in Canadian history By Dr. Rupinder Toor, BSc MD CCFP FCFP Medical Director & Founder, The IUD & NE Women’s Clinic Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Project EmpowHer “Girls like us, we don’t dare to…
Read MoreA Final Message from CMN Medical Director Dr. Cathy Scrimshaw
Dear Colleagues, On behalf of the Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) and our Executive Director Terri Potter, I would like to thank you for your participation, wisdom, and contributions to the Collaborative Mentorship Network for Chronic Pain and Addiction (CMN). Achievements With the CMN’s Health Canada funding coming to an end next month, we…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: Family Medicine – First Point of Contact and Last Line of Defence
Written by: Dr. Nathan Turner It seems an unwritten rule of life that often the things that bring us the most fulfillment and joy are also the things that can cause us the most stress and pain (looking at you, children). During my first years in practice, I have noted both the struggles of being…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: Fill Your Cup in Your Community
Written by: Dr. Jovita Beyer Hello, my name is Jovita Beyer and I am a full service family physician who works out of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and the Misericordia Hospital. Recently, like most of us in family medicine, I have been feeling the moral distress of our profession. Demand from patients, the government, and…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: Big Bucks: Better Billing
Written by: Dr. Tyler Hunter You’re already taking time with every patient, phoning that family member on your lunch break and checking your labs on weekends. Money doesn’t solve everything, but you might as well get paid appropriately for your hard work. BILLING TIPS I want to start out with a few general billing tips that…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: Medicine for the Gender Spectrum
Written by: Dr. Charissa Ho For most of us, there was very little (if any) exposure to transgender medicine or people who identify as gender diverse during our training. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to locum for Dr. James Makokis in Edmonton, who guided me through my introduction to caring for people who…
Read MoreFFYFP Blog: June Tip on Wellness
Written by: Sierra Tamminen BSc, MD, CCFP I’ve recently spent a lot more time at home and focusing on wellness because I had a complicated foot injury that had me sitting on the couch for a while! For June’s tip, I thought I would share what I’ve been doing to work on wellness, and I’m…
Read MoreEarly Careers, Family Medicine: How to Manage Charting & Labs
Your early years in practice can feel overwhelming for different reasons: diving into your practice, keeping a schedule, and practising without supervision to name a few. This article aims to tackle some of those overwhelming aspects you might experience, and suggest strategies for mitigating them. One potentially blindsiding aspect can be Charting & Lab Follow-up. Maybe…
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