Celebrating 35 years of excellence in family physician – led learning

2020-09-21

A letter from the Self Learning Committee Chair:

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is proud to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Self Learning Program, marking three and a half decades of supporting continuing professional development (CPD) in the family medicine community.

I joined the Self Learning Committee as a family medicine resident at Western University in 1997. It has been rewarding and exciting to watch the program grow and develop since then. The Self Learning Committee’s dedication to producing a bimonthly, fact-based, high-quality learning resource keeps me motivated to stay involved.

Keeping up with new medical research

Our committee’s goal is simple: to enhance how family physicians provide care to their patients and communities by providing top-notch, evidence-based clinical information in a simple, convenient, and cost-effective format.

As a family physician, I know it is challenging to stay current with the latest research when we’re so busy. Keeping on top of my own CPD is what first attracted me to Self Learning, even as a young family medicine resident, as it simplifies access to up-to-date information from respected, peer-reviewed medical journals.

Created by family physicians, for family physicians

The longer I am part of the Self Learning Committee, the more impressed I am by everything we can accomplish through our team of physician volunteers and with the support of the CFPC. Bringing together the different perspectives of our committee members allows us to learn from each other and join forces to curate relevant information for our peers. Over the years the CFPC has increased its support for the program, making Self Learning even better for the family physicians, residents, medical students, and physician assistants we serve.

Looking to the future of Self Learning

Even as we mark this important anniversary, we are pursuing improvements to the Self Learning Program. Our committee recognizes that the way people seek information is changing, and physicians of all ages are more tech savvy than ever. We are working on an app for smart phones and tablets to make Self Learning even more accessible and convenient for subscribers. This drive for continuous improvement is what makes me most proud to be a 23-year committee member and the current Chair of the Self Learning Committee.

Happy 35th anniversary to the Self Learning Program. I look forward to the future as it continues to meet the needs of my family medicine colleagues across Canada.

Mike Rondilla, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Chair, Self Learning Committee

Do you want to subscribe to the Self Learning Program?

Visit selflearning.cfpc.ca to learn more.