23
Dr. Karen Shaw EDITORIAL LAUNCH of new services NAC PRA UPDATE Blueprint project UPDATE DSM-5 CCME / Ottawa Conference IMG Symposium MARCOM Award Dr. Jacques Des Marchais BITS & BYTES The Medical Council of Canada newsletter 2 4 6 10 13 15 17 19 21 14 20 JUNE 2014 The Echo’s new clickable digital format makes it fun and easy to stay informed and up-to-date on MCC activities and stories. Packed with highlights, progress updates and news stories, the newsletter provides a comprehensive account of the last few months all packaged up in a convenient and quick read. Happy reading! click interactive icons [double click if on a mobile device] click page to zoom click side arrows OR swipe page to advance or return

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Page 1: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

Dr. Karen Shaw EDITORIAL

LAUNCH of new services

NAC PRA UPDATE

Blueprint project UPDATE

DSM-5

CCME / Ottawa Conference

IMG Symposium

MARCOM Award

Dr. Jacques Des Marchais

BITS & BYTES

The Med i ca l Counc i l o f Canada

news le t te r

246

1013151719211420

JUNE 2014

The Echo’s new clickable digital format makes it fun and easy to stay informed and up-to-date on MCC activities and stories. Packed with highlights, progress updates and news stories, the newsletter provides a comprehensive account of the last few months all packaged up in a convenient and quick read.

Happy reading!

c l i c k i n t e r a c t i v e i c o n s [ d o ub l e c l i c k i f o n a mob i l e d e v i c e ]

c l i c k p a g e t o z o o m

c l i c k s i d e a r r o w s O R s w i p e p a g e t o a d v a n c e o r r e t u r n

Page 2: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) rolled out the Application for Medical Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration was developed to help medical regulators meet our labour mobility obligations under the Agreement on Internal Trade. Once all jurisdictions have adopted the process, physicians will be able to apply for registration to any or all provinces and territories through one integrated system.

The provinces of Alberta and Nova Scotia are currently receiving applications through the system. The medical regulatory authorities of other provinces and territories, including the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS), are working over the next 18 months towards enabling our own candidates to use this process to complete and submit an application for registration.

The design of the physiciansapply.ca portal will make it more convenient for our applicants. The use of standardized questions across jurisdictions will allow physicians to respond to the common questions only once in order to complete their applications to all the provinces and

territories of their choosing. They will also be able to support their applications by submitting verified and translated documents stored in their account.

Candidates will benefit from quicker turn-around times as well. One of the main inefficiencies with our current application system is the time spent processing a high number of incomplete—or incorrectly completed—application packages. physiciansapply.ca addresses this issue directly by asking questions in a straightforward and standardized way, and by preventing candidates from moving ahead with the application until all the fields are filled out.

National Application for Medical Registration has huge benefits for smaller MRAs

2

EDIT

OR

IAL

Dr.

Kar

en S

haw

Page 3: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

For the CPSS, the transition to the new system represents the opportunity to introduce an electronic process for initial registration applications. The collective wisdom from the multi-jurisdictional technical working group was vital to developing such a strong program. A small college like ours would simply not have the resources to adopt an electronic process with such a high level of sophistication on our own.

The transition to physiciansapply.ca will not only allow us to move away from a paper-based process but also to collect additional information on our applicants, such as exam information and translated documents, from a single, reliable, consolidated source. Previously,

this information was retrieved from multiple sources. As this information will be presented in a consistent and coherent manner, it will greatly facilitate our quality improvement efforts.

While the system will package the information for us, the CPSS and the other regulators will retain our discretion in reviewing the applications and determining whether to award medical registration. For us, this means closely examining the information provided to see if our registration criteria have been met. We then provide final rulings of eligibility to our applicants and invite those who qualify for registration for an interview. Only once they have passed through these steps successfully can physicians be awarded a licence in Saskatchewan.

We are looking forward to implementing the national Application for Medical Registration at the CPSS in the next year or so. As we work

with the MCC to prepare for the transition, we are fortunate to draw on the experiences of the Colleges of Alberta and Nova Scotia. Thanks to the guidance from these colleges, our preparations to date have unfolded remarkably smoothly. We are well on our way to reaping the benefits of this state-of-the-art system and improving service for our physicians.

National Application for Medical Registration has huge benefits for smaller MRAs

3

Page 4: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

National application portal for medical registration

open for business

New services offered through

Since its launch in May 2013, physiciansapply.ca has become a key point of contact between thousands of Canadian and internationally trained physicians, and health-care organizations. With each system release, physiciansapply.ca expands its ever-growing

Candidates can now use physiciansapply.ca to complete and submit an application for medical registration (licensure) in Alberta and/or Nova Scotia. Other medical regulatory authorities (MRAs) will gradually adopt the new application process in 2014 and 2015. When each has signed on, physicians will be able to apply for registration simply and securely to any number of provinces and territories through a single, harmonized electronic system.

This central portal was realized thanks to the collaboration of Employment and Social Development Canada (formerly Human Resources and Skills Development Canada), the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada and its members, and the MCC. The project, announced in 2010, received funding from the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program.

Since the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia adopted the medical registration functionality in physiciansapply.ca in February and March, over 400 candidates have made use of this service to submit an application.

list of service offerings.

4

Page 5: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

As of February 2014, the MCC offers, in partnership with the Translation Bureau of Public Works and Government Services Canada, a secure and trustworthy translation service for its candidates. Candidates creating a source verification request (SVR) for a medical credential in a language other than English or French can request to have their document translated to English and/or French directly through their physiciansapply.ca account. By opting for this service, candidates can be confident

that their documents will meet all of the MCC’s translation requirements.

New translation

serviceConsistent, yet independent

While the new process is transparent and streamlined, the review of the applications remains the responsibility of the provincial or territorial MRA. Each retains the autonomy to follow a process based on its specific and rigorous eligibility requirements, and to issue medical licences or practice permits for its jurisdiction only to those candidates who meet those specific requirements. In all cases, MRAs will only see applications to their jurisdictions and will not know whether a candidate submitted applications elsewhere.

Applications made easy

Candidates who already make use of the new portal and then use it to apply for medical registration will save time and effort by having their forms prepopulated with the examination results and credentials currently stored in physiciansapply.ca.

5

Page 6: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

The National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) is developing a pan-Canadian practice-ready assessment (PRA) process for international medical graduates (IMGs). This pathway will be available to IMGs seeking a provisional licence to enter medical practice.

Several provinces already offer a PRA process locally. The NAC PRA initiative is proposing standards for all programs to adopt. The project also involves working with program partners to develop and adopt common material. These activities will further support the programs to build on best practices, leverage their resources and potentially reduce duplication.

Another important goal of the NAC PRA initiative is improving physician mobility. Once the standards have been fully adopted, a candidate who is successful at a PRA will find it easier to be awarded a licence in another jurisdiction, given that the PRA programs will follow a process that is consistent and comparable across all Canadian jurisdictions.

Health Canada has provided funding to the NAC PRA for design and development activities.NAC PRA UPDATE

6

Internal Medicine Standards Development Workshop

N ollaboration

ationalssessment

Page 7: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

N ollaboration

ationalssessment

At the start of the project, the NAC PRA Steering Committee decided to develop pan-Canadian PRA standards for Family Medicine. It decided to focus on Family Medicine first since this specialty represented the area of greatest physician need in rural/remote communities across the country.

The standards, which were published in May 2013, encompass initial screening and selection, context and competencies, over-time assessments, decision making, and IMG orientation. Provincial PRA programs have agreed to adapt their processes by March 2015 to meet these new standards.

The NAC PRA team launched in October 2013 a Clinical Assessor Training Program (CATP) subproject led by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. The CATP will propose common competency training curriculum and supports for Family Medicine PRA assessors.

Pan-Canadian PRA process for Family Medicine

Pan-Canadian PRA processes for Psychiatry

and Internal Medicine

Following the publication of Family Medicine standards, the project team began working with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to develop PRA standards for the specialties of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine. These specialties were selected for a variety of reasons, including their identification as needed by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Health Workforce. The team is building on the tools and processes previously developed for Family

Medicine, and adapting them to Psychiatry and Internal Medicine competencies.

In January and March, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) hosted standards development workshops for Psychiatry and Internal Medicine.

Representatives in attendance from medical regulatory authorities, PRA programs, Royal College specialty committees, and MCC staff worked together to refine the standards.

7

Page 8: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

Candidate orientation

The MCC Research and Development team is spearheading a number of research studies to support the NAC PRA:

The project team is developing a PRA orientation strategy. Since January, a working group of orientation experts has been reviewing communication and cultural competency online orientation modules. This material was also translated and adapted into French.

Working group members shared classroom-based orientation material, to see what could be used across programs.

In May 2014, Health Canada approved a funding request for the NAC PRA candidate orientation, which will ensure that these review and development activities continue throughout 2014 and 2015.

Research activities

In collaboration with Alberta’s Provincial Physicians Assessment Program (PPAP), the Research and Development team will examine the use of e-CBAS (Electronic Competency Based Achievement System) within a PRA context. E-CBAS is a competency assessment framework that integrates all of the essential skills, clinical domains, sentinel habits and roles that define a competent family physician in Canada. The e-CBAS system aggregates completed field notes and associated achievement levels that are based on observations of a candidate’s performance in multiple clinical settings.

» MCCEE/MCCQE Part I scores and program-specific selection examinations

» NAC examination results and performance on the Clinician Assessment for Practice Program (CAPP) Objective Structured Clinical Examination

» MCCEE/MCCQE Part I scores and successful completion of individual PRA programs

» Program-specific selection assessments and successful completion of PRA as well as attainment of Certification

• Piloting an adapted multisource feedback tool to validate its inclusion in the PRA assessment toolkit

• Exploring the validity and relationship between:

8

N ollaboration

ationalssessment

Page 9: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

To support a pan-Canadian business model, the NAC PRA project team has developed a stakeholder engagement strategy to discuss common principles and desired outcomes with jurisdictional stakeholders. It will plan a series of visits in the fall and winter with the Ministries of Health, PRA programs and medical regulatory authorities. During these sessions, participants will explore the context of PRA, program costing, outreach and long-term support and funding options for a pan-Canadian PRA.

Sustainable engagement strategy

Looking to expand your PRA knowledge? The new NAC PRA Newsletter is your source for comprehensive information on the project.

N ollaboration

ationalssessment

Psychiatry Standards Development Workshop

9

Page 10: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

Research and analysis of possible skills and competencies required for the MCCQE Part I and Part II

► Production of four reports:• Report of the National Survey of the Physicians, Pharmacists,

Nurses, and Public in Canada: 2013• Report of Incidence and Prevalence of Diseases and Other Health

Related Issues in Canada• Report on the Supervision of New PGY-1 Residents: A Case Report

of Supervisors’ Expectations vs. Residents’ Perceptions project• Report to the Medical Council of Canada on Current Issues in

Health Professional and Health Professional Trainee Assessment

► Consultations with stakeholders

· TIMEL

IN

E AT A GLANCE

PHASE 1 : DATA COLLECTIONMay 2012 to September 2014

► Transitioning the MCCQE Part I and Part II to the new blueprint:

• Gap analysis and creation of items to ensure full coverage of blueprint areas

• Potential format innovations and piloting strategy of novel item types

PHASE 2: DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSITION TO THE NEW BLUEPRINT December 2013 to 2017

► Meeting the overall blueprint:• Exploration of ways to work with stakeholders

to ensure the blueprint dimensions can be appropriately assessed in the future

10

BLUE

PRIN

T PR

OJEC

T

Empowered by a recommendation from the Assessment Review Task Force, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) has undertaken a review of its examinations. The Blueprint project will ensure that critical fundamental physician

TIMELINEPR

EFA

CE core competencies,

knowledge, skills and behaviours are being appropriately identified and assessed. This initiative will lead to the adoption of a new examination blueprint for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE).

The blueprint is a critical design framework that defines specific competencies to assess in an examination.

The following timeline offers an overview of the blueprinting activities that have taken place until now and insight into the work that remains to be completed.

PRO

JEC

T PH

ASE

S

Page 11: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

BLUEPRINT PROJECT

Proposed Qualifying Examinations Blueprint and Test Specifications Stakeholder ConsultationsJune-November 2013

DRAFT

October 2011

RECALIBRATING FOR

THE 21ST CENTURY:

REPORT OF THE

ASSESSMENT REVIEW TASK FORCE OF THE

MEDICAL COUNCIL

OF CANADA

11

JUN

E '1

2

OC

TOB

ER '

11

FEB

RU

AR

Y '1

3

MAY

'13

May 2012 - September 2014 PHASE 1: DATA COLLECTION

May 2013 - January 2014

BLUE

PRIN

TThe Medical Council of Canada (MCC) released comprehensive report detailing the proposed vision for the MCC and its exams. The Report of the Assessment Review Task Force (ARTF) outlined a series of recommendations including one addressing MCC examination blueprints.

The MCC established a governance model for the Blueprint project. Council appointed a Board of Governance to set policy and ensure oversight of the project. A Steering Committee was formed to provide ongoing guidance and advice throughout the blueprinting exercise.

Project structure begins to take shape

MCC releases ARTF Report: Mission assigned

Over 40,000 individuals were invited to provide feedback on the importance of various physician skills and competencies through an online national survey. The results from the survey were used to develop the blueprint and draft test specifications.

A group of subject matter experts reviewed the current MCC blueprint as well as the reports and inputs developed throughout the project. The panel developed a two-dimensional blueprint to assess Dimensions of Care and Physicians Activities leading up to two decision points: entry into residency and entry into independent practice. The panel concluded that the blueprint should be identical for both decision points, although it developed different test specifications (i.e., weightings) for each.

National survey on physician skills and competencies

Experts propose an evidence-based blueprint and specs

TIMELINE

Page 12: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

June 16 -18, 2014

at the Medical Council of Canada o�ces

2283 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa

�e Executive Director DR. M. IAN BOWMER and

the Chief Medical Education Advisor DR. CLAIRE TOUCHIE

CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO A

CLASSIFICATION WORKSHOP

RSVP at your earliest convenience,

but no later than January 6, 2014, as participation is limited

Anna Di Medio: [email protected]

Taking the pulse of our stakeholders

December 2013 - 2017 PHASE 2: DEVELOPMENT + TRANSITION

Stakeholders from across the health-care community were invited to review the Proposed Qualifying Examinations Blueprint report and provide their feedback. These comments were used to fine-tune the report’s descriptions and definitions.

SEPT

EMB

ER '

13

12

MAY

'14

JUN

E '1

4

SEPT

EMB

ER '

14 '17

Participants at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Medical Council of Canada had the opportunity to provide feedback on the new MCC blueprint. Before the meeting wrapped up, Council approved the process the Blueprint project team had presented.

Council hones in on blueprint

The Executive Board approved in principle the new blueprint and test specifi-cations.

Executive Board gives its approval

At a three-day item-classification session, members of MCC test committees will examine active MCCQE items and align them with the new blueprint.

Categorizing exam questions

The MCC is scheduled to vote on the approval of the blueprint and test specifications at its 2014 Annual Meeting. The report’s approval will formally conclude the first phase of the project.

Presenting blueprint for final approval

The MCC plans to launch MCCQE examinations based on the new blueprint in 2017.

Going live with new blueprintD

ECEM

BER

'13

Following extensive consultation with stakeholders, the Central Examination Committee approved the proposed Blueprint and the new item (exam question) classification scheme.

CEC endorses proposed Blueprint

Page 13: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

MCCQE Part I

• The spring 2014 MCCQE Part I was the first of our examinations to include some of the updated terminology.

MCCEE

• We expect that the first MCCEE administration to include updated terminology will be the November 2014 session.

Cl in ica l sk i l l s assessment – MCCQE Part I I and NAC examinat ion

• Candidates answering questions asked by a physician examiner or providing written answers on the patient-encounter probe (for the MCCQE Part II) can use either DSM-5 or DSM-IV-TR terminology, where appropriate.

After a transition period during which candidates will see both DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR terminology, the MCC will eventually move to using only DSM-5 language.

The faculties of medicine will be consulted on the timing of the eventual phase-out of the DSM-IV-TR language.

13

DSM-5 language to be phased into MCC exams

The American Psychiatric Association, in May 2013, published the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) will incorporate the new DSM-5 language into its examinations over a period of two years.

To give MCC candidates time to familiarize themselves with the change, the exam questions will include both the DSM-5 and DSM-IV-TR language.

For addit ional information, see

Medical Counci l of Canada transi t ion to DSM-5

Page 14: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) has forged a community partnership with Queen Elizabeth Public School, a nearby elementary school with a large concentration of disadvantaged children. In the past year, MCC employees have lent a hand at a number of extracurricular activities, including a track meet and a pumpkin-carving event.

$ 2,

170.

00

Staff also rallied to raise more than $2,000 to purchase school supports. The MCC’s Social Committee organized a student art auction, selling off original pieces created by QE School pupils. A group of employees hosted a pan-Asian New Year themed fundraising lunch for the school featuring traditional Asian dishes and tea.

MCC employees

help out local school

BITS&BYTES

14

Page 15: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

MCC delegation shines at the Canadian Conference on Medical Education and the Ottawa Conference

MCC HIGHLIGHTS

Fourteen Medical Council of Canada (MCC) researchers shared their findings at the joint meeting of the Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME) and the Ottawa Conference from April 25 to 29 in Ottawa. This exclusive event under the theme Transforming Healthcare through Excellence in Assessment and Evaluation brought together the who’s who in the fields of medical education and assessment from Canada and around the world.

EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAM PLANNING• The MCC is a founding sponsor and partner

of the CCME

• MCC Executive Director Dr. Ian Bowmer and Chief Medical Education Advisor Dr. Claire Touchie were members of the Ottawa Conference/CCME Oversight Committee

• Dr. Ian Bowmer chaired the CCME Scientific Program Committee

• MCC Medical Education Researcher Dr. Marguerite Roy served on the CCME Abstract Selection Committee

POSTERS, TALKS, WORKSHOPS AND COURSESMCC employees offered an impressive lineup of research activities including:

• 12 oral presentations• 2 workshops• 1 poster

The 2,788 attendees were treated to a selective and fully integrated program that leveraged the expertise of two first-class scientific conferences:

• 1 assessment course• 1 symposium

◦ The CCME – Canada’s premiere gathering of medical educators

◦ The Ottawa Conference on the Assessment of Competence in Medicine – The leading international forum for excellence in assessment and evaluation

15

Page 16: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

POSTERS, TALKS, WORKSHOPS AND COURSES

Dr. Ian Bowmer was the discussant at a symposium entitled Bridging the Gap: How Medical Education and Measurement Science can Better Collaborate to Meet the Growing and Broadening Assessment Needs. The MCC’s Acting Director of Research & Development, Dr. André F. De Champlain, was a presenter at the session.

Examination Analyst Yousef Mousavi presenting his poster Eliciting professionalism related feedback from OSCE examiners.

All photos are courtesy of

the Canadian Conference on

Medical Education/Ottawa Conference

Cindy Streefkerk, a consultant for the MCC who is leading the NAC PRA project, presented her talk entitled The Pan-Canadian Practice Ready Assessment for International Medical Graduate Physicians: A competency-based assessment for provisional licensure in Family Medicine.

Dr. Claire Touchie delivered two oral presentations: Defining entrustable professional activities: Reaching consensus using a nominal group process and Putting the pieces together to create a defensible blueprint: A subject matter expert-based process.

16

MCC HIGHLIGHTS

MCC delegation shines at the Canadian Conference on Medical Education and the Ottawa Conference

Page 17: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) was again this year one of the key sponsors and exhibitors of the CaRMS International Medical Graduate (IMG) Information Symposium, held Jan. 14, 2014 in Toronto. The Symposium offers IMGs a one-stop knowledge shop for info on navigating Canada’s intricate pathways to assessment and licensure. More than 250 registrants took advantage of this opportunity to learn directly from key health-care organizations.

Over the course of the day, a steady stream of participants checked out the MCC’s corporate booth to learn more about our examinations and services. Senior staff members also presented talks on their respective areas of expertise.

The plenary session on the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) examination was a hit with the Symposium participants. In this live simulation of an exam station, MCC staff demonstrated what candidates could expect during an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and gave insight into what would be assessed by the physician examiners.

Ingrid De Vries, Manager, Clinical Skills Assessment

Group, plays the role of a NAC examination

candidate in the plenary session

demo of an OSCE station.

MCC provides IMGs with useful information at annual symposium

17

Page 18: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

MCC Executive Director

Dr. Ian Bowmer presented a very

popular information session on the MCCEE and the MCCQE Part I.

In addition to detailing how to prepare for

the assessments, the presentation outlined

what candidates could expect on exam day.

In a breakout session, Michelle Lemieux, Associate Director of the Repository and Registration Centre, gave an orientation to the MCC’s online services, including the exam application process and the Physician Credentials Repository.

International Medical Graduate (IMG) Information Symposium

“Examination Day: Al l You Need to Know About the MCCEE and the MCCQE Part I "

“Getting Started: An Overview of MCC Appl icat ions,

Credent ia l ing and El ig ib i l i ty”

All photos are courtesy of the

Canadian Resident Matching Service

(CaRMS).

18

Page 19: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

In conjunction with the launch of the Medical Council of Canada’s new online portal, physiciansapply.ca, an informational video was developed to highlight the system’s features. “We were looking for something fun, creative and engaging,” said Jessica Hertzog-Grenier, Director of Communications. The members of the video planning team put their creative minds together to come up with a three-and-a-half-minute clip that describes the functionality and effectiveness of the new system through the use of white board illustrations.

The resulting video was submitted to the international MARCOM AWARDS competition (for 2013). The MCC is pleased to report that the physiciansapply.ca video received a platinum award in the digital video creation/white board video category. MarCom Awards is a creative competition that recognizes the innovative work of communications, marketing, advertising and design firms. With approximately 6,000 entries per year, the MCC and its staff are proud to have received such recognition for their work!

physiciansapply.ca launch video

19

Page 20: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

Theme of the plenary talks: BEYOND THE POINT-IN-TIME ASSESSMENTS FOR HIGH-STAKES DECISION MAKING

The Medical Council of Canada has been selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers for 2014! We are pleased to have been recognized as a top employer in Ottawa for a third year in a row. This special designation recognizes Ottawa-based employers that offer exceptional places to work. Employers are evaluated based on criteria in eight different categories such as health, financial and family benefits, training and skills development, work atmosphere and community involvement.

Catch all the highlights on our SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS

We are honoured to have been recognized amongst employers of choice!

S

AVE

THE D

ATE: MCC Annual Meeting

to take place Sept. 14 to 16, 2014 in OTTAWA

The MCC – a top employer in the National

Capital Region

20

BITS&BYTES

Page 21: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

It is with sadness that the Medical Council of Canada has learned of the passing of Dr. Jacques Étienne Des Marchais on Nov. 27, 2013. Dr. Des Marchais was a dedicated professor and orthopedic surgeon who remained in the vanguard of medical education in Canada throughout his 40-year career. He was extensively involved with the Medical Council of Canada (MCC), serving as Member of Council, Council President and, for almost a decade, as Chair of the Central Examination Committee. In 2007, he was presented with the Dr. Louis Levasseur Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contributions to the mission and vision of Council.

Dr. Des Marchais completed his orthopedic surgery training in Montreal in 1972, and obtained a Master of Education degree from Michigan State University in 1974. His involvement with Council began in 1978, when he was appointed representative of the Université de Montréal. Over the next 25 years, he served in many capacities, including as Council President for the 1988-1989 term, a role he assumed with diligence and dedication. “It is my firm belief that we, as the Medical Council of Canada, are moving in the right direction because we are facing the major challenges in measuring the product of medical education,” Dr. Des Marchais said upon his election in 1988.

21

In Memoriam: Dr. Jacques Étienne Des Marchais

Dr. Jacques Des Marchais MCC President 1988-1989, CEC Chair 1995-2004 Deceased November 2013

Page 22: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

In 1995, he was appointed Chair of the Central Examination Committee (CEC). During his nine-year tenure in this capacity, he oversaw many important changes to MCC examinations. In 1998, he toured all of the faculties of medicine to facilitate the introduction of the computer-administered Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I. In 2000, the MCCQE blueprints were expanded to include the assessment of communication skills and cultural awareness.

His accomplishments extended beyond his activities with Council. Dr. Des Marchais has contributed to more than 100 publications, and has authored five books and 19 book chapters.

After founding the Club de pédagogie médicale du Québec [Quebec medical education club] and the Unité de recherche et de développement en éducation médicale [unit for research and development in medical education] at the Université de Montréal, Dr. Des Marchais became an Associate Dean at the Université de Sherbrooke.

For 10 years, he headed a major reform of the pre-med program and contributed extensively to the development of medical education in Canada. He sat on the Board of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for over 20 years. Dr. Des Marchais received numerous awards in recognition of his 30 years of experience as a medical educator, including the Royal College’s Duncan Graham Award and James H. Graham Award. In 2006, the Université de Montréal presented him with an honorary doctorate for his founding work in medical education in Quebec. In 2004-2006, he served as Chair of the Canadian Association of French-Speaking Physicians.

In the report he presented as outgoing President of the 1989 Medical Council of Canada, Dr. Des Marchais expressed an appreciation for his colleagues and collaborators: “Only by attracting good people and creating a climate of confidence can an organization forge ahead, adapting to new social needs.” We could not agree more. The MCC was fortunate to have counted among its ranks someone as dedicated and engaged as Dr. Jacques Étienne Des Marchais.

22

In Memoriam: Dr. Jacques Étienne Des Marchais

Page 23: JUNE 2014 updates and news stories, - Medical Council of ... · Registration (licensure) through physiciansapply.ca in February 2014. The national Application for Medical Registration

ECHO | JUNE 2014

2283 ST. LAURENT BLVD., SUITE 100OTTAWA ON CANADA K1G 5A2

613-521-6012 | MCC.CA