Practical ideas you can use to enhance your program/curriculum.

M Ladhani with thanks to Adelle Atkinson, Tara Baron, Sarah

Manos, Hilary Writer and the CPPD

Objectives:

•  Identify some of the common pitfalls faced by program directors

•  Describe some practical ways to overcome pitfalls or challenges in residency education

•  Apply 10 tips on how to survive and

make your own program better.

2

Pearls and Pitfalls of a Program Director

Top 10 Things I would advise

#1 Every time you ask a question, make a change, deal with an important issue, do it in a scholarly way.

1.  Participating in scholarly activity is important, fun and

keeps the work interesting 2.  Other people will find it useful, so try to get it out there

#2 Rely on your RPC

1.  There are multiple daily decisions to be made 2.  Some decisions have significant consequences/

impact 3.  The RPC provides support, consultation, great

ideas and represents all aspects of your program 4.  Example: Program evaluation – resident retreat

reports

#3 Ask the residents, they often have innovative solutions to problems

1.  Residents should be engaged at each stage of any

process of decision-making and change 2.  Engaged residents feel an ownership of the

program 3.  Example: academic ½ day attendance

#4 Collaborate with the Program Directors in your specialty across the country, get on the listserv!

1.  We all have the similar issues, some are specialty specific. 2.  Important to know what is being done across the country from a

program delivery point of view. 3.  You will get ideas for our own program 4.  Example: STACER format, 4th year on call survey (Chiefs and program

directors)

#5 Create a culture of transparency

1.  Context is important 2.  Keep residents up to date with changes, even

while in progress 3.  Include residents in the changes

#6 Take advantage of some CE in medical education if you have the opportunity.

1.  Provides you with really useful tools. 2.  Networking 3.  Value added for the PD job

#7 If you have a resident in difficulty, get onto the issues immediately and ask for help.

1.  Residents in difficulty often get picked up later in training

2.  Remediation plans take time and resources 3.  Example: in-house remediation

#8 Use the resources around you, locally at your site, the PG office and the RCPSC, College of Family Practice.

1.  Have a number of people on speed-dial from the

PG office, they can answer pretty much any question within seconds.

#9 Think about how to best balance the roles of resident advocate and being supportive of and working with faculty who teach the residents

1.  Need credibility in both arenas 2.  Sometimes have to have difficult conversations

both with faculty and residents

#10 Choose your Chief Residents carefully and provide them with mentorship.

1.  They are your right/left hands.