No abstract

ObjectivesTo identify the perceived strengths that international medical graduate (IMG) family medicine residents possess and the challenges they are perceived to encounter in integrating into Canadian family practice.MethodsThis was a qualitative, exploratory study employing focus groups and interviews with 27 participants - 10 family physicians, 13 health care professionals, and 4 family medicine residents. Focus group/interview questions addressed the strengths that IMGs possess and the challenges they face in becoming culturally competent within the Canadian medico-cultural context. Qualitative data were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. ResultsParticipants identified that IMG residents brought multiple strengths to Canadian practice including strong clinical knowledge and experience, high education level, the richness of varied cultural perspectives, and positive personal strengths.  At the same time, IMG residents appeared to experience challenges in the areas of:  (1) communication skills (language nuances, unfamiliar accents, speech volume/tone, eye contact, directness of communication); (2) clinical practice (uncommon diagnoses, lack of familiarity with care of the opposite sex and mental health conditions); (3) learning challenges (limited knowledge of Canada’s health care system, patient-centered care and ethical principles, unfamiliarity with self-directed learning,  unease with receiving feedback); (4) cultural differences (gender roles, gender equality, personal space, boundary issues; and (5) personal struggles.   ConclusionsResidency programs must recognize the challenges that can occur during the cultural transition to Canadian family practice and incorporate medico-cultural education into the curriculum.  IMG residents also need to be aware of cultural differences and be open to different perspectives and new learning.

The “technological singularity” is forecasted to occur in the mid-21st century and is defined as the point when machines will become smarter than humans and thus trigger the merging of humans and machines. It is hypothesized that this will have a profound influence on medicine and population health. This paper describes a new course entitled “Technology and the Future of Medicine” developed by a multi-disciplinary group of experts. The course began as a continuing medical education course and then transitioned to an accredited graduate-level course. We describe the philosophy of the course and the innovative solutions to the barriers that were encountered, with a focus on YouTube audience retention analytics. Our experience may provide a useful template for others.

Critical thinking encompasses a broad set of skills and dispositions, including cognitive skills (such as analysis, inference, and self regulation); approaches to specific questions or problems (orderliness, diligence, and Key points Many flawed assumptions or beliefs persist about the value of preventive health care interventions. It is essential to promote critical thinking to improve learning outcomes and clinical decision making. The Prevention in Practice series of articles in Canadian Family Physician is a resource for educators who want guidance on what to teach medical students or residents. Key questions and learning objectives can be developed for themes arising from this series of articles.