A proposal for the curriculum and evaluation for training rural family physicians in enhanced surgical skills

Why Canada needs networks to provide rural surgical care, including family doctors with essential surgical skills

“…This issue of CJS presents a proposed curriculum and evaluation framework to prepare family practitioners who acquire ESS within the network model. 5 It defines thoughtful care for essential and emergent surgical prob lems in the nonpregnant and pregnant abdomen as well as nonabdominal emergencies. It is directed toward rural physicians -not those who work downtown.…”

“…Abundant evidence presented in the curriculum pub lication supports the contrary, as demonstrated by the research literature on highquality maternity anesthesia and surgical care, including operative delivery, by family practitioners in rural centres. 5 But we can do better. Building upon the network concept, there is already evi dence that multiple surgical communities in Canada, large and small alike, such as the Surgical Quality Assur ance Network of British Columbia, have examined their outcomes by peer review with the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Pro gram.…”

Winds of change in delivery of quality surgical care are not strong enough

“…The continual downgrading of resources to care for all patients in Canada has resulted in a lack of critical care coverage zones, increasing wait times for even prioritized pro cedures and rapidly rising numbers of underemployed surgeons and other physicians. The last issue of CJS included discussion of 2 options 1,2 as well as a proposed plan 3 to solve some of the issues at hand. I worry, however, about quality medical care.…”

Cross-specialty training in the era of competency-based education

“…1 We decided to publish it with accompanying com mentaries for and against the proposal in order to facilitate an informed debate. The argument for enhancing the surgical skills of family physicians is that they could provide surgical care for patients in remote locations, where surgeons may not be based.…”

“…L'apprentissage interspécialités à l'ère de la formation basée sur les compétences V ous pourrez lire dans ce numéro un article au sujet d'une proposition de programme de forma tion en chirurgie à l'intention des médecins de famille 1 . Nous avons décidé de le publié avec des com mentaires connexes pour et contre la proposition en vue de favoriser un débat éclairé.…”