Happy Monday everyone!
PRP2 is over! I will be finally starting residency NEXT WEEK! Very surreal. From June 29th to July 1st we are free and then orientation begins on July 2nd. We have many days of orientation, but these are all done online. I only have to go in June 29th (today) to pick up my ID badge, name tag, pager etc. EXCITING stuff!
Due to this pandemic we, the new residents, are not able to experience “fun residency life”. Normally the orientation is done in-person, we have social get-togethers with our colleagues and peers, we develop important meaningful friendships during this period in our lives….but unfortunately everything has changed. I am not sure whether there will be any “normalcy” during the next two years of my residency training.
Ok, let’s get to the main topic of discussion PRP2!
Information about PRP1 is here.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of the program that I matched at.
PRP2 (Pre-Residency Program part 2) is to be completed specifically by CSAs & IMGs who matched into an Ontario family medicine residency program. This has to be completed before residency begins in July.
For my school, PRP2 is three weeks long, part of it is completed in clinic and the rest in the hospital. We do not get evaluated by our preceptors in PRP2 but it is more so intended for us to get an introduction to the Canadian health care system and where we would be working as a resident.
My schedule was: two weeks of family medicine clinic and the third week in hospital medicine. My colleagues had a variety in their schedules. Everyone got two weeks in family medicine clinic and then either pediatrics/geriatrics/hospital medicine.
For family medicine, we (CSAs & IMGs) were placed in our “home clinics”. This is the clinic that we would be working at for the rest of the year. This gave me the opportunity to meet my preceptors, speak to them, get to know how things are run, get a feel of their expectations and adjust mine accordingly. I also met and spoke to the senior residents (R2s) and observed how they worked and what level they were at. I was AMAZED at how competent & knowledgeable they were! I hope that when I become an R2 I would be that good! Side note: in Canada family medicine is two years long, residents are known as R1, R2 or PGY1, PGY2.
During my three weeks in PRP2, I was able to:
- independently see a variety of patients (both in-person & speak to over the phone)
- start building professional relationships with my patients because when residency begins I will be assigned as their “MRR” (Most Responsible Resident)
- present the patient to my preceptor, discuss the patient & come up with a diagnosis and plan
- type up S.O.A.P (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes, write referrals on the OSCAR EMR (I had an advantage here because OSCAR was what I used to work with as a clinical trainee in BC)
- observe procedures (I could not DO any procedures because my CMPA malpractice does not start until July)
- ask a lot of questions to my preceptors and senior residents
- ask for feedback about where I can improve myself
- every week have simulation day to practice suturing, IUD insertions, paps, injections, iv lines etc. (also, this was our time to socialize with each other!!)
I am very thankful that in Ontario FM, we CSAs/IMGs get these three weeks to ease ourselves into the system. I personally feel we have an advantage compared to those entering the same program in July. We have met our preceptors, we know the EMR, we generally know how things work in the clinic, also we had the chance to speak to everyone who is our senior to get advice! All of this makes for a smooth entry in July where we are not as nervous!
Going from a medical student/clinical trainee to resident is a BIG leap that holds a lot of responsibilities! As a medical student we are “information gatherers” and then we go relay that information to our preceptor. As a resident we have to take it one step further. Yes, we still gather information and tell our preceptor, but now we must also come up with a (S.O.A.P) Plan as to how we are going to manage/treat this patient. One of my weaknesses is that I am too nervous to confidently speak up about my treatment/management plans. My fear is that I will say something stupid. I hope to work through this and overcome it.
On my last day of PRP2, I was working with a super amazing R2 and it was his last day of residency! I asked him for words of advice. He said: “Do you know what MD stands for? Make Decisions. Have a Plan, be confident about it, and you will impress your preceptors.”
I will leave it at that. Wish me luck!
Peace, Love, Health & Happiness.
Life & Medicine 