We applied principles of purposive, maximum variation sampling to ensure that any potentially significant gaps in the sample would be identified and addressed in the analysis. We conducted semistructured one-on-one interviews to gain insight into graduates’ experience in the program.Online survey data was collected to solicit details of consenting participants' educational background, sociodemographic characteristics, current medical practice, job satisfaction, and future plans.As this was a small total cohort, all RVH FMRP graduates from 2011 to 2016 (N=45) were invited to participate. The U of T Research Ethics Board approved the study. We undertook a multimethods study to explore the experiences of RVH graduates, with the aim of identifying the program’s strengths, distinctive features, and opportunities for improvement. Our research aimed to answer the question “What do the experiences of RVH FMRP graduates suggest for the successful expansion of community-based residency programs in an underserviced community?” 2-6 Therefore, U of T and RVH viewed the FMRP and the city’s participation in residency training as a strategy for the community to address local physician recruitment needs. Research has shown that physicians are more likely to settle in communities where they are educated and trained. Today, RVH provides core family medicine training to 18 residents and 9 to 12 undergraduate clinical clerks per year. Prior to establishment of the FMRP, RVH provided elective opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate medical learners. RVH is part of one of the largest interprofessional family health teams in Ontario, providing primary health care to the community, with 93 family physicians and a roster of approximately 150,000 patients. ![]() RVH also serves the nearly half million people of the surrounding Simcoe Muskoka region. In 2007, prior to establishing the FMRP, the city estimated that 30,000 of its approximately 145,000 residents did not have a family physician. RVH is a regional health center located 60 miles north of Toronto. RVH was one of five community hospitals where the DFCM opened new FMRPs, a process supported by rigorous academic research, affiliation agreements, and strong community investment and engagement. In response to a government request to address physician shortages in underserved communities, the University of Toronto (U of T) Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) established a community-based Family Medicine Residency Program (FMRP) at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie, Ontario, Canada in 2009. Training in this setting provided excellent educational experiences to residents, who felt prepared to enter independent practice upon completion of training. Tracking data demonstrated that two-thirds of graduates continued to work in the RVH region after graduation.Ĭonclusions: The successful establishment of a new university-affiliated FMRP in an underserved community provides a strong mechanism to recruit physicians. They perceived that the program added value to the local community by increasing capacity to provide care to an underserved patient population. Participants noted the wide range of hands-on training opportunities as a strength of the program. Results: Analysis of qualitative data provided insights into an overwhelmingly positive educational experience that contributed to graduates choosing to stay and work in Barrie. We determined current practice location using a government-funded data set and the public registry of the provincial licensing body. ![]() We collected online survey data to gather demographic information. Semistructured one-on-one interviews sought insight into graduates’ experience in the program. Methods: RVH graduates from 2011-2016 (N=45) were invited to participate. This study investigated residents’ training experiences, strengths and opportunities for improvement of a community FMRP, reasons why graduates choose to work in Barrie after graduation, and graduates’ practice setting and location. Prior to establishing the FMRP, approximately 21% of Barrie residents did not have a family physician. Introduction: In response to a government request to address physician shortages in underserved communities, the University of Toronto (U of T) established the Family Medicine Residency Program (FMRP) at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.
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