Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T12:38:13.077Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Emergency medicine training in Canada: a survey of medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and preferences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2015

Morgan Hillier ,
Shelley McLeod ,
Danny Mendelsohn ,
Bradley Moffat ,
Audra Smallfield ,
Akram Arab ,
Ashley Brown  and
Robert Sedran
Morgan Hillier
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Shelley McLeod
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Danny Mendelsohn
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Bradley Moffat
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Audra Smallfield
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Akram Arab
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Ashley Brown
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
Robert Sedran*
Affiliation:
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON Division of Emergency Medicine, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON
*
Room E1-100 Westminster Tower, 800 Commissioners Road, London, ON N6A 5W9; [email protected]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objectives:

The objective of this study was to assess medical students' knowledge of and attitudes toward the two Canadian emergency medicine (EM) residency programs (Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada [FRCPC] and Certificant of the College of Family Physicians-Emergency Medicine [CCFP-EM]). Additionally, medical students interested in EM were asked to select factors affecting their preferred choice of residency training program and their intended future practice.

Methods:

Medical students enrolled at The University of Western Ontario for the 2008–2009 academic year were invited to complete an online 47-item questionnaire pertaining to their knowledge, opinions, and attitudes toward EM residency training.

Results:

Of the 563 students invited to participate, 406 (72.1%) completed the survey. Of the respondents, 178 (43.8%) expressed an interest in applying to an EM residency training program, with 85 (47.8%) most interested in applying to the CCFP-EM program.

The majority of respondents (54.1%) interested in EM believed that there should be two streams to EM certification, whereas 18.0% disagreed. Family life and control over work schedule appeared to be common priorities seen as benefits of any career in EM. Other high-ranking factors influencing career choice differed between the groups interested in CCFP-EM and FRCPC. The majority of students interested in the CCFP-EM residency program (78%) reported that they intend to blend their EM with their family medicine practice. Only 2% of students planned to practice only EM with no family medicine.

Conclusions:

This is the first survey of Canadian medical students to describe disparities in factors influencing choice of EM residency stream, perceptions of postgraduate work life, and anticipated practice environment.

Keywords

career choiceemergency medicinemedical studentresidency
Type
Education • Enseignement
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , July 2011 , pp. 251 - 258
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2011

References

REFERENCES

1.Ducharme, J. Preparing emergency physicians for the future. CMAJ 2003;168:1548–9.Google ScholarPubMed
2.Rutledge, T.Emergency medicine training in Canada: learning from the past to prepare for the future. CJEM 2008;10:108–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Abu-Laban, RB. Emergency medicine certification in Canada: the years march on but the questions remain the same. CJEM 2008;10:101–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Ovens, H.EM training in Canada: two is better than one. CJEM 2008;10:319.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Drummond, A.Is this really the right time for an identity crisis? CJEM 2008;10:320–1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Langhan, T.Emergency medicine certification in Canada. CJEM 2008;10:321–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Green, R. EM dual training impacts the advancement of the specialty. CJEM 2008;10:322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Chan, BT. Do family physicians with emergency medicine certification actually practice family medicine? CMAJ 2002;167:869–70.Google Scholar
9.Steiner, IP. Emergency medicine practice and training in Canada. CMAJ 2003;168:1549–50.Google Scholar
10.Campbell, S.CCFP-EM versus FRCP [letter]. CJEM 2003;5:80.Google Scholar
11.Moore, K, Lucky, C. Emergency medicine training in Canada. CJEM 1999;1:51–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Scott, I, Gowans, M, Wright, B, et al. Why medical students switch careers. Can Fani Physician 2007;53:94–5.Google ScholarPubMed
13.Scott, I, Abu-Laban, R, Gowans, M, et al. Emergency medicine as a career choice: a descriptive study of Canadian medical students. CJEM 2009;11:196–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Kazzi, AA, Langdorf, MI, Ghadishah, D, et al. Motivations for a career in emergency medicine: a profile of the 1996 US applicant pool. CJEM 2001;3:99–104.Google Scholar
15.Chisholm, C, Heyborne, R, Short, T, et al. Reflections about “burn-out.” Acad Emerg Med 2009;16:567–71, doi:10.1111/ j.1553-2712.2009.00425.x.Google Scholar
16.Cydulka, RK, Korte, R. Career satisfaction in emergency medicine: the ABEM longitudinal study of emergency physicians. Ann Emerg Med 2008;51:714–22.e1. [Epub 2008 Apr 8], doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2008.01.005.Google Scholar
17.Gendreau, M. Career satisfaction in emergencymedicine and burnout: all is not well. Ann Emerg Med 2008;52:557, doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2008.06.470.Google Scholar
18.LeBlanc, C, Heyworth, J. Emergency physicians: “burned out” or “fired up”? CJEM 2007;9:121–3.Google Scholar
19.Shepherd, LG, Burden, JK. A survey of one CCFP-EM program’s graduates: their background, intended type of practice and actual practice. CJEM 2005;7:315–20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed