Dear Members,
The start of the academic year is always an eventful time. We find ourselves settling back into our routines and schedules, hopefully feeling recharged and reinvigorated from the summer. As the fall season commences, now may be a good time to set new goals and seek out fresh opportunities for learning and growth.
CPD and Skills Training
Going ‘back to school’ looks a little different for us, however, this time of year is a great opportunity as lifelong learners to consider what continuing professional development (CPD) and medical education (CME) opportunities you wish to carve out time for. Thank you for taking the time to respond to our CPD Needs Assessment. Your feedback will help inform upcoming CPD programming. The 2023-2024 Thursday Evening Webinar series kicks off mid-October and planning is well underway for the ACFP’s annual Family Medicine Summit happening March 1-3, 2024. Both offerings will provide attendees with various options to learn about timely topics in primary care. Stay up to date with our programs and other opportunities through the CPD Calendar of Events.
Relevant Resources
The arrival of fall brings with it the season for flu as well. As family physicians, we strive to underscore the importance of preventive health measures against respiratory illnesses. As the trusted first point of contact for their health needs, now is the time to encourage patients to be proactive and explain the benefits of getting influenza immunization, COVID vaccines, and routine childhood immunizations for their families. The Alberta Health Services (AHS) website is a great resource for the latest developments on influenza immunization.
In addition, September 30th is National Truth and Reconciliation Day – a time for reflection. In the spirit of reconciliation, delve into tools and resources that promote equity, health and well-being of all.
Leadership and Advocacy
Our Executive Director Terri Potter and I continue to meet with politicians and bureaucrats to discuss ways of supporting family physicians and creating a better future for comprehensive family medicine. We are advocating for every Albertan to have a family physician, funding for teams at the point of care, for primary care to have a robust system and resources to support it, and real-time access to data for system-level planning and clinical decision making. We are anticipating announcements and action resulting from our recommendations that have been submitted through the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) Initiative.
If you are interested in becoming more engaged in the College’s advocacy initiatives and the advancement of family medicine, please be reminded that the ACFP is still recruiting volunteers for its Board, Governance, and Operational Committees. Deadline for submission of applications is October 6th.
Whether you aim for continuing education, having access to resources to broaden your knowledge and perspectives, or engaging in our leadership and advocacy initiatives, the ACFP is here to support your passions and professional journey.
Thank you and we look forward to your active engagement in our programs and activities.
Sincerely,
Noel DaCunha, MBBS, CCFP
President
Alberta College of Family Physicians
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