Medical Education in Gastroenterology
GI RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAM
All information for the GI Residency Program can be found at www.tinyurl.com/giresidents. Please note you need to be logged in with your CCID to access the site and should you not already have access you can request it by emailing gi.education@ualberta.ca.
OTHER SITES FOR ROTATING/ELECTIVE GI TRAINEES
Information for rotating trainees can be found at the following sites:
Internal (UofA) IM Residents:
https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/cim-gi-rotation/
External IM Elective Residents:
https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/gastroenterology-internal-medicine-elective/
Undergrad Elective/Selective Students:
HOW DOES MEDICAL EDUCATION WORK?
These are the steps someone must take to become a gastroenterologist:
Medical Student (4 Year Degree Program)
Internal Medicine Residency (3 Year Residency Program)
Gastroenterology Residency (2 Year Residency Program)
Optional Fellowship (1-3 Year Fellowship)
Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy
Hepatology
IBD
Nutrition
DEFINITIONS
Resident
A resident is a post-M.D. trainee registered in an approved postgraduate training program whose training for that contract term is creditable toward certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Fellow
A fellow is a post-M.D. and post-Residency trainee registered with the Postgraduate Medical Office and is pursuing supervised clinical and/or research training which is not creditable toward fulfilling certification eligibility requirements of existing residency programs recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
ELECTIVES
An elective is any kind of rotation not required for completion of the program.
What kind of electives are there?
Medical Student Electives (Years 3 and 4 only, U of A and external)
Internal Medicine Electives (U of A and external)
External (non-U of A) Gastroenterology Subspecialty Resident Electives (typically for a specific rotation such as Nutrition or Hepatology)
Who can do an elective?
Any medical student from any medical school in Canada
Any resident from any residency program in Canada
WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE CONTACTS A PHYSICIAN DIRECTLY REQUESTING AN ELECTIVE?
All elective requests must go through the the Gastroenterology Medical Education Office (MEPC). The program coordinator is responsible for organizing, arranging, and managing all electives in the Division of Gastroenterology.
If someone contacts you directly requesting an elective, they should instead be directed immediately to gi.education@ualberta.ca.
The medical education office does the following with elective requests:
Ensures that the service has capacity for an additional learner
Ensures that the request does not interfere with any of the GI Residency Program rotations
Ensures that all required paperwork by the Postgraduate Medical Office (PGME) has been submitted and is in place
Ensures all steps are taken for licensing
Schedules the elective
FELLOWSHIPS
Basic information for fellowships can be found on the "Fellowship Training" page.
OBSERVERSHIPS
Observerships are strictly for medical students who are in 1st or 2nd year, current University students, or for out-of-country residents/medical professionals who cannot receive an elective designation in Canada due to credentialing complications. Due to the complex nature of observerships, you should always contact the GI MEPC to organize these.
Please note: An observer is not allowed to interact directly with patients, order labs/test, perform procedures, etc. They are only allowed to observe the physician with whom they are scheduled.
FAQs
Q: I had a student/resident contact me/my physician for an elective/observership. How should I proceed?
A: Forward the email to gi.education@ualberta.ca. The MEPC will determine whether or not the services have the capacity to take on the elective/observership.
Q: I was the preceptor for a student/resident on service, but I haven't received an evaluation for them/I cannot access their evaluation. What should I do?
A: Contact gi.education@ualberta.ca. The MEPC will be able to tell you when you will receive the evaluation and where to find the evaluation. Evaluations are typically based on two platforms: One45 WebEval for residents and MedSIS for medical students. On the odd occassion you may receive a paper evaluation. If this occurs, please return it to the GI MEPC.
Q: I need a letter confirming my CME credits for Monday Rounds/Journal Club. Where can I get this?
A: These are mailed out by the GI MEPC in December of each year. If you have not received a letter, please contact gi.education@ualberta.ca.
Q: I was given a leave request to sign. How do I know if I should approve it or not?
A: The leave requests for signatures are mainly a formality. Prior to giving you a leave request, the MEPC has already checked to make sure no other residents have already requested that date off. Typically only one resident/day is allowed leave unless there is an exam or other extenuating circumstance.
Q: Annual reporting time is looming. Where do I get my educational activity/participation information from all the teaching I did?
A: The MEPC will send out all this information to both you and your secretaries prior to October 30. Please note that you can access most of the information here. The remaining information (Academic Commitments Tally, Resident Evaluations of Staff, Rounds Evaluations, and CME Letters) will be circulated via email.