Since 2008, RPAP | Health Workforce for Alberta has hosted an annual rural Alberta Community Physician Attraction and Retention (CPAR) conference. The CPAR conference is an opportunity for representatives of rural community physician attraction and retention committees, as well as interested community members from around Alberta, to come together and share experiences, learn about new initiatives and discuss best practices related to physician attraction, retention and recruitment.
In March 2015, 120 rural community representatives from across Alberta gathered in Edmonton to learn and to share success stories at the RPAP Rural Alberta Community Physician Attraction and Retention Conference. The conference theme was “Shift Happens”, and included a banquet and celebration of the 2014 RPAP Award recipients, as well as presentations and breakout sessions pertaining to issues impacting rural physician attraction and retention.
Based on feedback from previous years’ events, we have decided to hold the next Community Physician Attraction and Retention conference in the fall of 2016 in a rural Alberta community. As a result, we are pleased to announce a call for proposals for rural Alberta communities with or without community physician attraction and retention committees in place to host the conference. The 2016 conference will be held in a Central Zone / Central Alberta community on either September 29-30, 2016 or October 13-14, 2016 (both are Tuesday & Wednesday). Based on an evaluation of the conference, a decision will be made on what part of the province to consider for 2017 conference.
Community Selection Criteria
A selection committee will be compiled to evaluate each application based the following criteria:
- Accessibility for North & South drivers
- Host venue includes accommodations for 120+ participants, conference facilities with A/V options, auxiliary rooms for concurrent break-out sessions
- Municipal / Community Physician Attraction & Retention committee or community representative member to be part of conference planning committee
- Planned activities for evening entertainment
Consideration may also be given to:
- Host venue has lounge, fitness area and/or pool
- Community within 100 kms of airport with bus/shuttle service options
As a community interested in hosting, it is asked that you please consider and explain why your community would be a good place to hold the Fall 2016 rural Alberta Community Physician Attraction and Retention (CPAR) conference.
To assist in the rationale, here are a few possibilities:
- Perhaps your community has a unique healthcare facility, offers an example of successful International Medical Graduate (IMG) integration, provides a unique geographical setting, etc.
- You may also have a unique venue for an evening event which you might like to profile, such as a large hall or hay shed for a barn dance, etc.
Please submit your application covering the information above by November 1, 2015 to recruitmentconsultants@rpap.ab.ca.
If you have any questions relating to this event, please contact Rebekah Seidel at rebekah.seidel@rpap.ab.ca, or 780-423-9911 ext. 117.
A decision will be made by December 1, 2015, and all applicants notified the week thereof.
> Click here to download the PDF Call For Proposals Document