COLLEGE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS OF CANADA

By Ali Ghahary

DR. ALI GHAHARY

Dr. Ali Ghahary, a general practitioner licensed by the Medical Council of Canada, is also a member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

DR. ALI GHAHARY

Like Dr. Ghahary, physicians in the field of Family Medicine understand all specialties and possible complications of various conditions; along with understand how to build rapport with their patients to keep their practice going.

DR. ALI GHAHARY

Family Medicine was in decline before the creation of the College of Family Physicians of Canada in 1954 with the field becoming an official specialty in 2007.

Up until the mid-90’s, all medical school graduates had to do an internship with general medicine so that they could all be general practitioners (GP), which was a field they could claim, or continue on to another specialty.

Most medical students chose further study, and family medicine was becoming less of a choice for students.

Family Medicine has a shorter training or residency program than other specialties (2 years), which may have played a role in the decline of the field.

Many may not agree that this is an adequate amount of time for residency, but most will see that the best training and learning opportunities come when one has their own practice and patients.

This is where the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) plays a role in ensuring high-quality health care by providing professional development and advanced training in family medicine.

Currently with over 35,000 members across Canada, the CFPC is the most comprehensive professional organization with which a family practitioner could be involved.

In a sense, the organization saved the face of family medicine by giving it prestige and a voice once again.

Family Medicine is an important and respected position. There are four main principles in the College of Family Physicians of Canada that solidify that fact:

These physicians have a wide range of knowledge and understanding of disease. They are responsible for integrating a sensitive, accurate, and skillful search for disease.

1. THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN IS A SKILLED PRACTITIONER.

The family physician is a member of the community, responds to the changing needs of the people, and must be able to adapt to changes quickly.

2. FAMILY MEDICINE IS COMMUNITY-BASED.

A family physician is responsible for their patient population even outside the office, so they must take every aspect of their practices into consideration to ensure the best overall health of their patients.

3. THE PHYSICIAN SERVES AS A RESOURCE TO A DEFINED POPULATION.

Family practitioners understand and are sympathetic to the human condition, especially in respect to suffering patients.

4. THE CENTRAL ROLE TO THE FAMILY PRACTITIONER IS THE PATIENT-PHYSICIAN

RELATIONSHIP.