Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T23:22:30.090Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pediatric Neurology Training in Canada: Current Status and Future Directions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

Asif Doja
Asif Doja*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
*
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. Email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

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.
Background:

Child neurology training in Canada has changed considerably over time, with increasing requirements for standardized teaching of the fundamentals of child neurology and the CanMEDS competencies. We sought to determine the current status of child neurology training in Canada as well future directions for training.

Method:

A web-based survey was sent to program directors (PD's) of active pediatric neurology training programs. General questions about the programs were asked, as well as about success at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) exam, breakdown of rotations, views on CanMEDS roles and questions on the future of pediatric neurology.

Results:

9/9 PD's completed the survey. 96.5% of all trainees successfully passed their RCPSC exam from 2001-2006. Breakdowns of the number and type of rotations for each year of training were provided. All CanMEDS roles were deemed to be important by PD's and programs have developed unique strategies to teach and assess these roles. 92.6% of trainees chose to go into academic practice, with the most popular subspecialty being epilepsy. All PD's favour joint training sessions particularly for neurogenetics and neuromuscular disease. Overall, PD's suggest recruitment for future child neurologists at the medical student level but are divided as to whether we are currently training too few or too many child neurologists.

Conclusions:

This survey provides a view of the current state of pediatric neurology training in Canada and suggestions for further development of postgraduate training. In particular, attention should be given to joint educational programs as well as urgently assessing the manpower needs of child neurologists.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 39 , Issue 3 , May 2012 , pp. 369 - 377
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2012

References

1Dunn, HG, Tibbles, JA.Reflections on the history of the Canadian Association for Child Neurology. Can J Neurol Sci. 1998; 25(4): 328–35.Google Scholar
2www.carms.ca [Internet]. Ottawa: Canadian Residency Matching Service. [cited 2011 Oct 6]. Available from: http://www.carms.ca.Google Scholar
3www.rpsc.edu [Internet] Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Specialty training requirements in neurology [cited 2011 Oct 6]. Available from: http://rcpsc.medical.org/information/index.php?specialty=145&submit=SelectGoogle Scholar
4Frank, JR, editor. The CanMEDS 2005 physician competency framework. Better standards. Better physicians. Better care. Ottawa: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2005.Google Scholar
5Keene, DL, Humphreys, P.Inventory of pediatric neurology “manpower” in Canada. Can J Neurol Sci. 2005; 32: 306–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6www.rcpsc.edu [Internet]. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. International medical graduates [cited 2011 Oct 6]. Available from: http://rcpsc.medical.org/residency/certification/img_e.phpGoogle Scholar
7Seidman, K.McGill University Health Centre contesting ruling abolishing 24-hour shifts for residents. Montreal Gazette. 2011 Jul 19 [cited 2011 Oct 6] Available from: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/McGill+University+Health+Centre+contesting+ruling+abolishing+hour+shifts+residents/5121551/story.html#ixzz1a1Wj9aBHGoogle Scholar
8Inglehart, KL.Revisiting duty-hour limits - IOM recommendations for patient safety and resident education. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:2633–5.Google Scholar
9Chalk, C.The academic half-day in Canadian neurology residency programs. Can J Neurol Sci. 2004; 31: 511–13.Google Scholar
10Ziv, A, Wolpe, PR, Small, SD, Glick, S.Simulation-based medical education: an ethical imperative. Simul Healthcare. 2006; 1: 252–6.Google Scholar
11Bradley, P.The history of simulation in medical education and possible future directions. Med Educ. 2006; 40: 254–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12www.rcpsc.edu [Internet]. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The CanMEDS assessment tool handbook. Ottawa. Royal College of Physicans and Surgeons of Canada [cited 2011, Oct 6]. Available from: http://www.rcpsc.edu/canmeds/resources/handbook_e.phpGoogle Scholar
13Werner, RM, Polsky, D.Comparing the supply of pediatric subspecialists and child neurologists. J Pediatr. 2005; 146: 20–5.Google Scholar
14Werner, RM, Polsky, D.Strategies to attract medical students to the specialty of child neurology. Pediatr Neurol. 2004; 30: 35–8.Google Scholar
15Polsky, D, Werner, RM.The future of child neurology: a profile of child neurology residents. J Child Neurol. 2004; 19: 6–13.Google Scholar