Skills and Training Program 

Funding for the National Advanced Skills and Training Program for Rural Practice is currently unavailable. Stay tuned for updates as we work towards securing funding to continue this valuable program.

Enhancing access

This project will allow for the delivery of training to improve skills in areas such as addiction, diagnostic procedures, emergency medicine, general surgery, obstetrical care, and anesthesia.

The intention is to attract, develop, and retain physicians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, enhancing equity in access to care for the populations they serve.

 

The purposes of this initiative are to: 

  • Reimburse practicing rural physicians for the cost of advanced training and skill enhancement in order to meet the medical needs of their community,
  • Reimburse the cost of a preceptor and short-term locum service (if needed) so that physicians in rural areas can receive advanced training, and
  • Foster a network of opportunities and/or collaborations to mentor rural physicians in addition to the enhancement of skills.

Enhancing access

NOTE: Rural physicians will be reimbursed based on the amount approved in the application budget submitted.

  • Income reimbursement: $1,000 per day stipend to cover rural physician’s income loss up to 30 days.  
  • Travel: up to $2,000. Additional funding may be available for physicians practicing in northern and remote communities.
  • Economy air, car rental, taxi, or ferry receipts are required.
  • Land travel: mileage reimbursed at $0.55 per km.
  • Accommodation: up to $200 per day receipts required ($75 per day if staying with family/friends; no receipts are required).
  • Preceptor payment: $250 per day to be paid to the primary preceptor; the participant will be responsible for paying the preceptor.

Locum payment or backfill physician: up to $1,000 per day.

  • Overhead: costs may be paid depending on the type of practice (e.g. rent, EMR, admin staff).
  • Course Cost
  • Equipment Cost: will only be funded if it is a requirement for a course. 
  • The maximum funding available to each physician is up to $35,000 including HST.

Eligibility criteria

  • Rural physicians will identify their own training needs and identify or develop learning opportunities to meet their needs.
  • Training may be from one to 30 days in length.
  • Education must be relevant to the approved training plan and may include courses that directly relate to this plan. Course information must include course date, course link and number of days. 
  • Training will typically be based on small-group or one-on-one training with a preceptor(s). 
  • Training must occur in Canada, and applicants are encouraged to seek opportunities within their referral region.
  • Training must not be funded by another source.
  • Training will commence after approval of application.
  • When appropriate, training may be virtual or hybrid given it is difficult for many physicians to leave their rural communities.

Application process

  • Rural physicians will complete the National Advanced Skills and Training Program for Rural Practice application, including the primary preceptor contact information.
  • The application must be accompanied by a letter of support from the hospital chief of staff or regional medical director confirming the skill is needed in the community.
  • The program funding will be first-come, first-served.
  • Applications will be reviewed by the SRPC, and physicians will be notified as quickly as possible.
  • Physicians must complete a Claim Form and submit receipts for reimbursement once training is completed.
  • Eligible expenses directly incurred by the physician will be reimbursed. The funding is a taxable benefit.

Online application form instructions

To make sure you have everything you need to submit your application, have the following on hand:

  • CV 
  • signed letter of support from your local hospital chief of staff or regional medical director confirming you have been practicing in a rural community for at least six months within the past year and confirming the need for the stated training in your community

Please note, you will not be able to save the information so you will need to complete the entire application in one sitting. It will take approximately 20 minutes to complete the application.

The project funder, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), requires inclusion of questions related to equity-deserving groups. ESDC is only interested in the raw number and they will roll-up the data we provide (with some assumptions) to report internally.

  • The reporting is 100% voluntary and people have the right to refuse to answer any or all of the questions.
  • The data will be destroyed after the final report has been submitted.
  • ESDC is particularly interested in the people participating in skills development and employers involved in hiring the trained individual.

Training must be completed by March 15, 2024

Application process

To be successful, the National Advanced Skills and Training Program needs physicians to act as preceptors for rural family physicians and specialists. If you have skills in areas of interest to rural physicians, e.g., emergency department, obstetrics, minor surgery, diagnostic imaging, treatment of addiction, and are interested in becoming a preceptor, we invite you to register. 

Accreditation

Mainpro+ Accreditation

Mainpro+ Accreditation

  • Linking Learning Exercises
  • Participants can complete Linking Learning Exercises (found in the Certified Assessment category of the Mainpro+ platform) to reflect on the impact to practice on any aspect of the program.
  • You can earn five certified Assessment credits per exercise completed.
  • Preceptors can also use these to earn credit by reflecting on the impact to their own practice
Formal Clinical Traineeship/Fellowship
  • The time you spend working with a preceptor can be claimed under a Formal Clinical Traineeship/Fellowship in the Mainpro+ platform.
  • This time is self-claimed by participants in the Certified Self-Learning category.
  • You can earn up to 50 credits.
Non-certified Assessment Credits
  • Preceptors can claim non-certified Assessment credits for the time they spend being a preceptor.
Formal Clinical Traineeship/Fellowship
MOC Accreditation

Specialists involved in traineeships can claim 2 credits per hour under Section 2 Self-Learning of the MOC Program (Framework of Continuing Professional Development Activities: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada).

SRPC's National Advanced Skills and Training Program for Rural Practice Expert Advisory Committee

Jennifer Barr
SRPC Chief Operating Officer
Shawville, Quebec

Dr. Elaine Blau
SRPC Member
Tobermory, Ontario

Dr. Isabelle Cochrane
Member
Baie-St-Paul, Quebec 

Dr. Brian Geller
SRPC Member
Regina, Saskatchewan

Lisa Hetu
Administrative Manager, Rural Education Action Plan
Vancouver, British Columbia

Dr. Stuart Iglesias
SRPC Member
McDougall, Ontario

Dr. Sivaruban (Ruban) Kanagaratnam 
SRPC Member
Swift Current, Saskatchewan

Kristen Kluke
SRPC Project Coordinator
Campbell’s Bay, Quebec

Dr. Sarah Lespérance
SRPC President, Chair
Petitcodiac, New Brunswick

Kàh enti:ne Maracle
SRPC Resident Member & Indigenous Representative
Tobermory, Ontario

Dr.  Gavin Parker
SRPC Treasurer
Pincher Creek, Alberta

Daria Parsons
SRPC Project Manager
Toronto, Ontario

Dr. Sonja Poole
SRPC Resident Member
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Dr. James Wiedrick
SRPC Member
Nelson, British Columbia

Partners

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program.
Financé par le Programme de solutions pour la main d’œuvre sectorielle du gouvernement du Canada.

Contact us

Email: SRPCtraining@srpc.ca
Phone: 1 877-276-1949 

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