Purpose
Since 1997, the Physician Skills Enrichment Grant Program has provided rural physicians with financial support to pursue continuing medical education (CME) and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to meet the needs of their communities. This grant program allows physicians to identify established training programs or develop learning opportunities with a preceptor/mentor to upgrade their skills or learn new ones. The grant covers training costs and expenses while the physician is away from practice. RhPAP also compensates physician preceptors for coaching experiences when a preceptor is a required part of the learning.
Training
RhPAP supports learning opportunities ranging from a minimum of one day to a maximum of 52 weeks of study or training. Eligible training opportunities range from informal coaching with a specialist to formal education programs. Past RhPAP physician enrichment funding has supported:
- Oncology training
- Foundation Course in Occupational Medicine
- Cardiac Stress Testing training
- Rural Ultrasound Fellowship
- Family Practice Anesthesia (FPA) Enhanced Skills Residency Programs (University of Alberta and University of Calgary)
- Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
- Emergency Department Echo (EDE)
- Diploma in Practical Dermatology
- Other approved programs
Eligibility
Physicians eligible for funding through the Physician Skills Enrichment Grant Program include:
- Rural physicians who have lived and practiced in a community that meets the definition of rural Alberta community for at least 12 consecutive months. A rural community is defined as a community with fewer than 15,000 people and outside the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) boundaries of Calgary or Edmonton.
- Locum tenens physicians who have practiced in the same rural Alberta community for at least 24 consecutive months will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Community-based rural physicians who have lived and practiced in a rural Alberta community for at least 12 consecutive months will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Application Requirements
- The physician must be licensed in Alberta through their applicable professional regulatory body.
- The physician must be willing to sign a return of service agreement for a specified timeframe after completing the training.
- The training can range from one day to no more than twelve months, depending on the physician’s background and the agreed-upon learning objectives.
- Physicians applying for a year-long program will be required to upload an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
- Physicians may be asked to upload a letter of support from their Zone Medical Director outlining the need for training and confirming the Authority’s willingness to provide the necessary resources (staff, equipment, OR time, etc.) to allow them to practise the new skills to serve the medical needs of the region.
Applications will not be considered if the course or training has already started. Physicians are responsible for applying and registering for their training program, along with arranging any logistical support (including preceptors) needed to pursue the training.
If you have questions about applying for a Physician Skills Enrichment grant or identifying suitable training opportunities, please email physicians@rhpap.ca.
The Physician Skills Enrichment Grant Program was formerly known as the Peter K. Lindsay Physician Skills Enrichment Training Program.
Note: If your training has a start date of April 1, 2025 or later, please wait to submit your application on or after April 1 to ensure accurate and timely processing.