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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The Foundation for Medical Practice Education
Group Matters
Facilitator
CME Credits/Receipts/Administrative Matters
Modules
Log Sheets
The Foundation for Medical Practice Education 1. What is your affiliation with The College of Family Physicians of Canada (The College)? We have a sound relationship with The College - collaborating with them to produce modules and participate in research projects. Also, the various programs within the Practice Based Learning Program of The Foundation for Medical Practice Education are accredited by The College for the awarding of study credits. We are not subsidized by The College or by any other organization. We are a self-sustaining non-profit organization that relies on its members and research projects for its success. 2. It has been my understanding that the programs of The Foundation are group-based. What, then, is the Individual Program and how does it fit in with the original philosophy of The Foundation? Family physicians who are unable to, or prefer not to, meet in a group setting are encouraged to register in the Practice Based Individual Learning (PBIL) program. This might be particularly attractive to family physicians practising in rural or isolated areas. Yes, The Foundation's original program was group-based, but the natural growth of the program and our experience with it have demonstrated that practice-based learning can also take place when modules are studied reflectively on an individual basis. Group Matters 3. What are Practice Based Small Groups? Practice Based Small Groups were established in 1992 to assist family physicians to develop a supportive network in which group members could discuss problem cases in a way that would facilitate a change in knowledge, attitude, and skills. 4. What are your recommendations regarding pharmaceutical companies sponsoring meals and providing medical/surgical specialists for PBSG sessions? For more information on this subject, please refer to the September 1999 Special Edition newsletter entitled "Some Clarifications Concerning PBSG and MAINPRO-C credits". For a copy of this newsletter, please visit our website at http://www.fmpe.org/en/services/clarifications.html. Facilitator A facilitator is a family physician or nurse practitioner who is a current member of an ongoing practice-based small group and who has chosen to be trained by the Foundation for Medical Practice Education as a peer, small group learning facilitator. All peer facilitators attend a workshop focused on providing them with the skills necessary for facilitating the group learning process by using evidence-based modules. 6. Why use a peer facilitator to facilitate a workshop and not a content expert? The modules are developed around an identified family medicine practice gap. The aim of the modules is to provide evidence-based information that could bridge the gap between current practice and ideal practice. The facilitator is a peer with practice challenges similar to other group members. 7. How do family physicians benefit from this type of learning versus a presentation by a content expert? Many studies have demonstrated that traditional continuing medical education strategies, including lectures by specialist colleagues, are unlikely to change the behaviour of family physicians. There has also been research support for many of the components used in small practice-based learning groups as a means of changing physician behaviour. These components include a trusted source of information, discussion with colleagues, assistance with practice implementation, provision of practice aids and feedback on clinical performance. In addition, there is now direct research evidence that physicians who participate in this type of program increase their knowledge base and subsequently change their clinical behaviour. 8. I am the facilitator of a PBSG. I have 7 group members, including myself, but have only received 5 modules. Why is this? There are two usual reasons to account for the missing modules: either we made an error with the count, or someone in your group has not completed registration and paid the membership dues. Only paid members are eligible to receive modules, and photocopying of modules is not permitted. If this happens, please contact us. We can assess your problem immediately. 9. Why, as a facilitator, do I need to send in attendance records annually, at the end of each academic year? We need to keep a record of each member's attendance, in order that we may offer members study credit letters. You can find blank attendance records posted on our website at www.fmpe.org/en/services/admin_forms.html; simply click on either the January start date or September start date of Blank Attendance Records. If you are unsure about how to complete these forms, call our office and we can send you a completed sample. CME Credits/Receipts/Administrative Matters 10. I am interested in being a member of two PBSGs. Is this possible? Yes, it is possible. Please contact The Foundation office for more information. 11. I am presently participating in a PBSG group. If I do not require MAINPRO credits, do I still need to register and pay membership dues? Yes. The PBSG Learning Program is a CME program that started before MAINPRO, and the annual registration fee is necessary to cover the costs of preparing facilitators and developing the modules/materials. Group facilitators are under copyright obligation not to reproduce modules for non-paying group members. 12. How soon after I pay my membership dues do I receive a receipt? What about a study credit letter? A receipt is mailed no later than one month after membership payment has been received. Study credit letters are mailed out once we have received a completed attendance record from the facilitator of the group. Please keep in mind that study credit letters may be submitted to the CFPC at any time prior to the end of the five-year cycle. Interim Attendance Certificates, to report annual MAINPRO credits on the birth date, are no longer required by the CFPC. 13. The facilitator of my group has had to miss several sessions due to illness. May I still collect MAINPRO credits for the meetings? Yes, you may still collect MAINPRO credits as long as someone else in the group has served as a substitute facilitator. If this happens on a regular basis, your back-up facilitator may benefit from taking the workshop for replacement facilitators. 14. I have not received my MAINPRO study credits for my participation in the PBSG sessions this year. Why not? Although we strive to release credits within one month of receiving the group attendance record, our ability to release credits is dependent on the facilitator's submission of that record. We suggest you contact your facilitator so that the issuing of your credits can be expedited. 15. I received a request from The College of Family Physicians of Canada informing me that I have not submitted my MAINPRO credits for my five-year cycle. I have attended PBSG sessions for the past 4 years. Why have I not received an official record of my study credits? How does this work? The PBSG Learning Program has been accredited by The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to issue MAINPRO-C credits. PBSG members are eligible for one (1) MAINPRO-C credit per hour of group session. The facilitator of the group is responsible for recording attendance at every group meeting on an attendance record. This record is then submitted at the end of the academic year, i.e., September 1 through August 31 or January 1 through December 31, depending on the start date of the group. We then issue study credit letters, through the facilitator, to all paid members. Each individual member is responsible for submitting these study credit letters to the CFPC office . We can only issue credits to group members if the facilitator submits an annual attendance record to The Foundation office. Modules Modules are printed, medical information booklets on particular topics that include family practice cases, evidence-based summaries of key information points, and relevant patient information sheets. 17. How does The Foundation determine what topics will be covered in new modules? The Foundation's team, when reviewing completed log sheets, pays attention to suggestions for future module topics, for which a space is left at the bottom of the group log sheet. These suggestions are compiled, and topics which are repeatedly requested are noted. Occasionally, we ask members directly if they have suggestions for topics, as we have done in some issues of our newsletter, and are now doing in a separate fax-back reply form with selected mailings during the year. We are always interested in your requests for module topics. 18. How can I access copies of patient handouts and chart aids? Patient handouts (or "patient information sheets") and chart aids which appear in printed form in modules can be found in electronic form in both English and French on our website at www.fmpe.org . Simply choose the Member Services tab, then Modules and Log Sheets tab. Then just make your selection! 19. Why are the modules designed with the Case Commentaries after the Information Section, rather than right after the Cases? This format of the modules uses the Cases to raise important clinical questions and stimulate recall of similar cases from the practice experience of the physicians in the group. Encouraging groups to ask these questions, and then try to provide their own explanations/answers, facilitates understanding and subsequent recall of "new knowledge". If discussion about potential solutions and exploration of alternatives is "short-circuited" by the prompt provision of an "answer" (i.e., Case Commentary), we may not build the necessary "networks" between patient examples and relevant information that we need in order to apply it to subsequent patients seen in practice. Log Sheets 20. Why do the log sheets ask us to report if we intend to change practice as a result of reviewing a module? The most important purpose of the log sheet is to promote personal reflection and "transfer" to practice. A considerable number of studies in continuing education suggest that, if we attempt to visualize what change might look like in our practices and explicitly commit to make a change, we are much more likely to follow through. Discussion of this within the group also permits sharing of thoughts about "how" to actually make some changes and overcome potential barriers. If there are significant barriers (e.g., time is limited, new skill is needed, etc.), the group may actually spend some very productive time outlining possible implementation strategies. For example, after the module on Benign Breast Lumps, several groups did a follow-up session with a local surgeon-to learn and practice the aspiration of breast cysts. Other groups have commented about how they would make best use of some of the patient handouts or the chart aids (e.g., Otitis Media, Post-Menopausal Women's Health, CHF, Healthy Hearts). After discussion and reflection, groups may decide that their current practice is confirmed or that watchful waiting is in order. Change is not always the desired outcome! However, when a change is desired, this process can help us be more successful. 21. Why is it important to fill out log sheets completely and in detail? The Foundation recognizes that carefully conducted evaluation is the key to program improvement. Log sheets assist us in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the modules in question, and they help you in identifying gaps in your current practice. Fully completed log sheets which contain your reflections help us to improve the modules in future revisions, and they also help you to summarize and consolidate your learning experience. 22. Can I submit my log sheets on-line? For all Practice Based Individual Learning (PBIL) Program members and Practice Based Small Group (PBSG) Learning Program facilitators, you can access the log sheet forms in 2 ways:
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Tuesday, July 3, 2007 10:52 AM
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