Join an Existing PBLP Small Group
You may already have colleagues participating in PBLP, and you can ask to join their existing group. New members are allowed to attend one group meeting to see if it would be a good fit before signing up. If all group members agree that you are a good fit for that group, sign up by filling out this registration form and emailing it as directed on the form. Once the registration form is received, you can begin attending meetings with your new group, and we will be in touch to help you get started with receiving modules and using our Members’ Online resources.
Form a New PBLP Small Group
To form a new group, 4 – 10 members must commit to practicing small group learning together, and one member of the group must volunteer to become the facilitator (see below regarding becoming a facilitator).
Consider a few questions to ensure your group members are a good fit:
- Will you meet virtually, at your place of work, or outside of work at group members’ homes or somewhere in your community?
- How often, for how long, when and on what days will your group meet?
- Would you prefer to learn with a group who is practicing in a variety of different areas of family medicine, or would it be helpful to you if the members of your group worked in similar settings?
- Would you prefer to learn with others at your stage in practice, or would it be interesting to you to have a mix of ages and stages of practice in your group?
- Does the mix of group members being proposed have the potential to form a trusting, collegial bond over time?
Many groups form from existing relationships between colleagues, friends, or mentors. However, if you are starting from scratch, remember that if you find one person, and they find one person and that person finds one person, you have a group! Here are some ideas to help you find group members:
- Post on your local social media group, such as Canadian Physician Moms Group on Facebook, or the First Five Years in Family Practice Group on Facebook.
- Send out an email on one of your interest group list serves asking if anyone is interested.
- At the next CME event you attend, keep PBLP in mind and use it as a networking opportunity to form or join a group.
If you are struggling to form a group, contact Heather Haywood, the Small Group PBLP Assistant, at haywood@mcmaster.ca for guidance.
Once you have established your group, one group member fills out this Form a New Group contact form and submits it online.
Your new group will need a Facilitator. Read more about facilitators, including how to become a facilitator here.
Membership Fees
As a not-for-profit organization, we work hard to keep our membership fees as low as possible. Fees go towards administration of the program, development of modules, and research into best practices to ensure we continue to bring you the highest quality continuing medical education.
It is easy to obtain all of the Mainpro+ credits required by the College of Family Physicians of Canada if your small group meets regularly.
$450 per year
The membership fee is waived for trained facilitators currently facilitating.
Registration Forms
New members: fill out this registration form. Note: this form should only be filled after the group you are joining is established.
New groups (only required if forming a new group, not required if joining an existing group): fill out this Form a New Group contact form and submit it online.
New facilitators: fill out this workshop registration form and email it in as directed on the form.
Questions? Contact us at 1-800-661-3249 Option 1, or email Heather Haywood at haywood@mcmaster.ca.