An Environmental Scan of Academic Emergency Medicine at the 17 Canadian Medical Schools: Why Does this Matter to Emergency Physicians?

Authors

Ian G Stiell, University of Ottawa
Jennifer D Artz, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians,
Eddy S Lang, University of Calgary
Jonathan Sherbino, McMaster University
Laurie J Morrison, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
James Christenson, University of British Columbia
Jeffrey J Perry, University of Ottawa
Claude Topping, Université Laval
Robert Woods, University of Saskatchewan
Robert S Green, Dalhousie University
Rodrick Lim, Western University
Kirk Magee, Dalhousie University
John Foote, University of Toronto
Garth Meckler, University of British Columbia
Mark Mensour, Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Simon Field, Dalhousie University
Brian Chung, University of British Columbia
Martin Kuuskne, McGill University
James Ducharme, McMaster University
Vera Klein, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
Jill McEwen, University of British Columbia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2017

Journal

Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine

Volume

19

Issue

1

First Page

39

Last Page

46

URL with Digital Object Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1017/cem.2016.346

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We sought to conduct a major objective of the CAEP Academic Section, an environmental scan of the academic emergency medicine programs across the 17 Canadian medical schools.

METHODS: We developed an 84-question questionnaire, which was distributed to academic heads. The responses were validated by phone by the lead author to ensure that the questions were answered completely and consistently. Details of pediatric emergency medicine units were excluded from the scan.

RESULTS: At eight of 17 universities, emergency medicine has full departmental status and at two it has no official academic status. Canadian academic emergency medicine is practiced at 46 major teaching hospitals and 13 specialized pediatric hospitals. Another 69 Canadian hospital EDs regularly take clinical clerks and emergency medicine residents. There are 31 full professors of emergency medicine in Canada. Teaching programs are strong with clerkships offered at 16/17 universities, CCFP(EM) programs at 17/17, and RCPSC residency programs at 14/17. Fourteen sites have at least one physician with a Master's degree in education. There are 55 clinical researchers with salary support at 13 universities. Sixteen sites have published peer-reviewed papers in the past five years, ranging from four to 235 per site. Annual budgets range from $200,000 to $5,900,000.

CONCLUSION: This comprehensive review of academic activities in emergency medicine across Canada identifies areas of strengths as well as opportunities for improvement. CAEP and the Academic Section hope we can ultimately improve ED patient care by sharing best academic practices and becoming better teachers, educators, and researchers.