Rural Alberta physicians can upgrade skills or acquire new ones through RhPAP Enrichment Programs
RhPAP continuing professional development programs enable practising rural Alberta physicians to upgrade existing skills or gain new skills in order to meet the medical needs of their community.
Courses, programs, and services for rural Alberta Physicians
- Physician Skills Enrichment Grant Program
Since 1997, the Physician Skills Enrichment Grant Program has offered rural physicians the opportunity to upgrade their skills or develop new ones in order to meet the medical needs of their community and surrounding area. Through the program, physicians are able to identify their own training needs and develop learning opportunities to meet those needs. - Rural Education Fund
Rural teams consisting of at least two regulated health professionals can apply for funding to host a training event in their rural community. The training must support a skill or enhance knowledge within the participants’ scope(s) of practice; benefit all participants’ personal practice; be intended to improve healthcare provided by participants; and benefit the rural community in which participants practise. - Emergency Department Echo (EDE) Point-of-Care Ultrasound Course
Since 2001, the EDE Course has been taught over to more than 15,000 health-care providers. Its use has become the standard of care in large trauma centres, remote settings, and everything in between. RhPAP is partnering with Dr. Ray Wiss, creator of the EDE Course, to bring this course to physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, and other allied health professionals in rural Alberta communities. - General Emergency Medicine Skills (GEMS) Course
GEMS is an online, multimedia emergency-skills training experience with a hands-on component provided via a STARS Human Patient Simulation Session that enables rural physicians to upgrade emergency medical skills at work or at home. - Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Aided by RhPAP funding, the Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development at the University of Calgary (the Office of CME&PD) works with rural physicians to provide high-quality CME that meets the needs of rural Alberta. The Office of CME&PD offers a range of rural-focused conferences, courses, and education series. - Rural Physician Locum Services
RhPAP provides funding that allows AMA Physician Locum Services® to offer short-term locum service for family physicians in rural areas.