Family Practice + Anesthetics

[artistintheambulance]

I'm currently working in Australia and curious to how the FP-A accreditation works in Canada. I am currently doing an ACRRM fellowship (Australia College of Rural and Remote Medicine) which is essentially rural generalist with a mandatory +1 (in either EM, Anesthetics, ObsGyn, surgery, etc). Interested in coming back home after.

1. Do any Canadian provinces recognize out of country enhanced skills training? For example, if someone had +1 anesthetics equivalent training in Australia, would that be recognized, or would you have to redo that training in a Canadian FP-A program? (I am aware that CPFC has a reciprocity agreement with RACGP and ACRRM for general practice - unclear of how the advanced skills apply).

2. Can you practice rural anesthesia without the FP-A?

3 How competitive are FP-A residency spots? I see there are quite a few going unfilled every year. Would there be any prejudice against applying as an IMG (with CFPC fellowship)?

4. I understand that most FP-As practice rurally, which is what I'd be after. How competitive are these jobs? 

Cheers

[icewine]

1. No formal recognition in the present time but the CPFC is developing an "In-Practice Certification Route" for FP-A which will be ready next year. This certification route looks like it is framed as the EM practice eligible route is framed, where applicants need to do four hundred hours per year for four years before they can get the certificate

https://www.cfpc.ca/en/education-professional-development/examinations-and-certification/certificates-of-added-competence-in-family-medicin

 

2. I believe this is region specific. Unlike Australia the use of rural generalist anesthetics is not as common nationwide and is moreso common in the central and western areas of Canada and not so in Quebec and the eastern provinces https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/health-care-doctors-family-practice-anesthesiologists-1.6704376

 

Having said that, if you have your ACRRM rural generalist and your +1 anesthetics equivalent (the DRGA) and you get your CPFC reciprocity license I foresee no difficulties getting a job practicing rural anesthesia in the aforementioned areas above. You would then be able to work towards the FP-A through the certification route.

 

3. I do not know how competitive the FP-A residency spots are but if you have your DRGA my opinion is that the training is equivalent and there would be no need to apply. If the choice is between doing the FP-A and the DRGA then I would say do the DRGA. You are paid really well as a junior doctor in Australia, in comparison to Canada. 

[artistintheambulance]

Thank you for the detailed reply, I really appreciate it. I agree that the DRGA is the way to go if it allows you to get an FPA job.