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Practicum in Family Community Medicine

Course Number
CHL5620Y
Series
5600 (Clinical Public Health)
Format
Practicum

Course Description

Participants will have an opportunity to observe, analyze and implement a full range of medical education from undergraduate to residency level. They will participate in the educational assessment, curriculum design and implementation planning for short and long term education projects in their home base unit. Undergraduate education assignments may include ASCM (Art and Science of Clinical Medicine), HIC (Health, Illness and the Community), and Foundations of Medical Practice. These are primarily small-group tutorials and problem-based learning within the first three years of the undergraduate curriculum. Clerkship assignments will include opportunities to participate in the medical education of both third and fourth year clerks while they are doing their clinical rotations in Family Medicine. This usually includes education in one-on-one supervision of patient care activities, seminar work and self-directed learning. Residency training assignments include one-on-one participation in supervision of postgraduate trainees during block and regular day-back sessions. Ideally, the practicum includes exposure to the same one or two residents on a regular basis spread over twelve months. This is particularly important to conceptualize the developmental issues involve in this form of a practitioner’s training. It will enable the practicum participant to evaluate the importance of the teaching Relationship and to implement a variety of strategies including the use of learning contracts.

Half days weekly for twelve months, plus regular practicum participants seminar. Assignment to Family Medicare teaching locations within the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine teaching hospitals, Family Medicine teaching units, community based practices and community health centres. There are 11 teaching hospitals, 5 health centres and 27 teaching practices associated with the Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Course Objectives

The objective of the practicum is to provide experience in the role of a medical educator in a variety of settings, e.g., medical education committees, medical teachers meetings, undergraduate small group teaching, seminar presentations, resident one to one clinical training, health promotion and continuing professional education.

General Requirements

  • Core courses in MPH (Family and Community Medicine) presenting principles and practices of Teaching and Learning in Health Professional Education must be taken concurrently with the practicum or before starting the practicum.