Peer Tutors for Alternative Route to Certification

Dear Colleagues,

The College of Family Physicians of Canada is delighted to extend, through the Chapters, an invitation to all community practitioners who are interested in becoming peer tutors for the Alternative Route to Certification (ARC) program. Applications for ARC will be accepted until December 31, 2015, so we are anticipating a need for new tutors from now until the end of 2016.

Peer Tutors for ARC:

Working as a peer tutor is an extremely rewarding experience, both for currently practicing physicians and experienced retired members. Providing guidance and assistance to candidates interested in attaining Certification in Family Medicine can bring the following academic, professional, financial and personal benefits to the peer tutor:

  • Continuously improve your own practice by assisting candidates in evidence-based reviews of clinically relevant problems.
  • Gain valuable leadership and teaching experience, which will serve as an excellent foundation for various career advancements. A letter attesting to your contributions can be sent to recipients of your choice.
  • Share the benefits of your own experience with your colleagues, and stay up to date and involved as you move into the later stages of your practice career as a family physician
  • Receive up to 75 Mainpro M1 credits over a 5 year cycle, with an option to link your learning to practice for Mainpro C credits. Mainpro M2 credits may be claimed for additional hours.
  • Receive $750 per candidate that completes the program ($250 per progress report submitted to the College).

A successful ARC tutor should have the following attributes:

  • Be enthusiastic about guiding their colleagues through a critical review of their practice.
  • Be willing to become familiar with tools for self-assessment, learning and practice quality improvement, e.g. mini-Pearls, audit Pearls. No previous tutoring experience is required
  • Be able to dedicate time to regular communication with candidates and brief report writing after completion of each phase of the program (approximately once every 3 – 6 months). Candidates are expected to complete the program within an 18 month period.
  • Participate in one or two web/teleconference training sessions for tutors, depending on previous experience.
  • Be a CCFP.

All interaction with candidates is done by phone or email; there is no travel required.

If you are interested in this opportunity please let us know, by writing to [email protected]. All who write to us will be contacted and asked to submit some brief information on practice and availability, as well as related experience and some biographical details. These will be reviewed as a part of a selection process to make sure that our choices respond to both your needs and to ours.   Successful applicants will be invited to schedule a training session with resource tutors, and plans will be made for initial candidate assignments.