Practice Based Small Group (PBSG) Facilitators
What is PBSG?
PBSG is a case-based approach to learning. About once every other month, during an hour of Academic Half Day, groups of 8-10 residents review a certain topic - e.g. chronic kidney disease, lyme disease, medical marijuana. Materials for PBSG are sent the week prior and all students are encouraged to read the content prior to the session.
Your role as a facilitator: To engage students in the group to explore the finer details of the cases; to encourage people to consider personal cases they have seen and to ask provoking questions to facilitate open discussion. Your role is to direct conversation (thus, expert knowledge in that topic is not required). You will be provided training to gain more techniques and strategies as a facilitator. Truly a great opportunity for those who are interested in teaching.
Commitment: 3-4 sessions during the year
Number of positions available: Ideally we would have at least 4 R1's and 4 R2's involved (we like to have at least one rural resident trained so they can facilitate groups remotely at the rural sites)
Training: Friday August 23, 2024 from 1-4pm with Dr. Risa Bordman in Classroom D, behind cafeteria (please ask for this afternoon off of clinical duties)
Wellness Representatives
What does this entail?
NYGH has become a leader in resident wellness. Wellness encompasses many areas including intellectual, emotional, spiritual, interpersonal, physical and environmental realms. We created the GRIT wellness curriculum a few years ago - Gaining Resilience in Training - which involved the establishment of wellness initiatives within each of these areas of wellness including:
Mentorship programs, AHD lectures on stigma/mental health resources, creation of wellness advisor
Wellness retreat planning, peer-small group sharing, team building exercises
Mindfulness, yoga, physical activities and more
Balint groups are facilitated peer small group discussions around the emotional impact of patient care and being a resident - shown to reduce burnout rates.
Wellness reps will work with our faculty wellness leads and independently, as well as with the social reps to organize wellness activities throughout the year.
Number of positions: 2 R1's
Social Representatives
What does this entail?
Planning social events for R1's and R2's. At NYGH, we work hard, play hard. The types of events that are hosted are completely up to you! The main events that need to be planned are:
(1) Fall Retreat - a weekend getaway for all R1's and R2's.
(2) Holiday party - with both staff and residents +/- a guest, a great way to get everyone together to celebrate the holidays. This past year, we had a 3-course meal at the Shops at Don Mills.
(3) Wellness days - a few mornings during AHD, time is set aside for resident socials - e.g. a breakfast outing, axe-throwing, trampoline dodgeball, etc.
(4) Athletic activities - events for both faculty and staff including F45 classes, etc.
(5) Random get-togethers - dinner/drinks after long core days, great time to connect and relax!
Number of positions: 2 R1's (or more)
Quality Improvement (QI) Representatives
What is QI?
Quality improvement is a systematic approach to analyzing a specific clinical problem and directing efforts towards improving it. As part of the U of T program, all R1's are required to complete a QI project in groups of 2-3 residents, together with their FM preceptors and inter-professional team, to address a specific need within Family Medicine. Project should fit with MOH priorities (e.g. access to care, patient-centeredness, patient safety, Choose Wisely). This project may be a new initiative or a continuation of a previous project from prior years.
Examples of past projects include:
Say No to Benzo?s! Deprescribing benzodiazepines in an academic family health team
Eliciting Advanced Care Plan Documentation Amongst High Risk Patients in Primary Care
Increasing Pneumococcal Vaccination in Diabetic Populations
The Use of E-mail for the Dissemination of Information in Family Practice
Your roles as QI rep:
(1) Assisting residents in tracking timelines for project development
(2) Checking in with residents re: projects and report any difficulties to QI leads
(3) Liaising with QI Education leads, i.e. Drs. Florindo, Taglione and Stulberg and disseminating information to residents
(4) Solicit resident feedback and relay this information to them
(5) In R2 year, QI reps mentor R1s in their QI projects and participate in check-in meetings and provide feedback on their progress
(6) Providing Resident representation for QI strategies at the hospital level by attending (alternate) monthly meetings of the NYGH Quality of Care Committee (optional)
Number of Positions: 2 R1's
Research Representatives
What is this role for?
Resident representative on the North York General Hospital Research Ethics Board. This role is suitable for anyone interested in research and/or bioethics. Why should I care about research? All R2?s are required to complete a research project of their choice during the duration of their R2 year. Projects are often completed in groups of 2-3 and the type and content of the research project is flexible. This may include Research, Education Scholarship or QI methodology.
Role of a Research Representative:
This is a great opportunity to become involved in the hospital's Research Ethics Board (REB). You will have two primary roles:
(1) Act as the resident representative working with REB, reviewing submissions and attending monthly meetings held on the third Tuesday of every month from 9-11am. Some research experience is beneficial but not mandatory for this position.
(2) Act as a member-at-large of the REB, implementing and refining policies to assist residents with REB submission and support for the PGY2 resident research project.
Number of Positions: 1 R1
PGY-1 Representative
What does this entail?
One PGY-1 representative from NYGH who will represent our residents on FRAT council. Family Resident Association of Toronto is a resident body from representatives from each site at UofT. Meeting occur monthly to bimonthly to discuss university wide residency issues. They will also assist in planning and organizing academic half day. They will liaise with NYGH chiefs, program director, and curriculum lead to find speakers. Great opportunity to network with faculty speakers.
Role of a PGY-1 Representative:
Attend monthly FRAT meetings
Liaise with FRAT council and NYGH residents
Assist in planning and organizing Academic Half Day
Number of Positions: 1 R1
Medical Education Representatives
Role: To liaise between students and administration (NYGH Centre for Education) to address goals and concerns for specific rotations and the curriculum. Join site RPC to discuss evaluation of the medical training program, expanding interprofessional education and supporting scholarship in health professional education.
Help coordinate with administration to identify and inform residents of teaching opportunities, such as ICE clinical skills teaching, clerkship seminars, and portfolio.
These representatives will be responsible for organizing monthly to bimonthly exam study groups in their R2 year.
Attend hospital wide Medical Education Committee meetings to represent family medicine residents. Meetings will be split between R1s and R2 chief residents.
Number of Positions: 1 R1