Enhanced Skills Program: Care of the Elderly
The Care of the Elderly (COE) Program at the University of Toronto is a twelve month PGY3 program designed to provide family physicians with comprehensive clinical assessment and management skills related to care of the older adult, including assessment of mental function, atypical presentation of illness and the management of common geriatric and psychogeriatric problems. The goal of the program is to provide trainees with the knowledge and skills to become leaders in the primary care of the elderly within their communities. A variety of sites from across the university are used including Baycrest, NYGH, TRI, Mount Sinai and others.
Program Director:
Dr. Amy Freedman, MD CCFP, FCFP
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baycrest Centre
3560 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1
Tel: (416) 785-2500 Ext. 2682
Length of Program: One Year (52 weeks) – Full Time
Program and Application Eligibility
Applicants who are enrolled as a PGY2 in a Canadian Family Medicine Residency at the time of application OR are a Canadian family physician in clinical practice with Ministry of Health Re-entry funding OR IMG residents with independent funding from their country/University.
For funding eligibility, please see the main Enhanced Skills Program Admissions page.
N.B.: Those enrolled in a PGY3 Enhanced Skills program nationally at the time of application are not eligible to apply for a second PGY3 Enhanced Skills position.
Not eligible to apply through CaRMS:
- International Sponsored Visa Trainees: This program accepts sponsored trainee applicants* from countries with a training agreement with the University of Toronto Post MD Education Office (i.e. Bahrain, Dominica, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). However, due to capacity limitations, the Care of the Elderly program will not consider applications from international trainees until further notice.
- *Selection determined by application program review and program capacity
- Practicing Family Physicians are not eligible for the PGY3 FM Care of the elderly Match but may access PGY3 FM Care of the Elderly training via the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's Re-Entry program. Re-Entry Program information is available at the following website: MOHLTC Re-Entry Program Information
Curriculum Competencies
The COE Residency Program adheres to CanMEDS-FM goals and objectives to achieve the following competencies in the care of the elderly:
- Medical Expert
- Communicator
- Collaborator
- Manager
- Scholar
- Health Advocate
- Professional
For complete details, please read the goals and objectives.
Sample Rotation
Block rotations include:
- Acute Care of the Elderly (North York General Hospital) - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Chronic Non-Malignant Palliative Care - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Cognition and Memory - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Emergency - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- In-patient (Baycrest) and Home-Based (Mount Sinai Temmy Latner Palliative Care Centre) Palliative Care
- Geriatric Rehabilitation (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute) - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Movement Disorders (Baycrest) - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- One month of elective time is available - Rotation Goals & Objectives
Horizontal rotations include:
- Family Medicine - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Geriatric Assessment Clinic - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Team - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Frail elderly home visit team - Rotation Goals & Objectives
- Long-term care - Rotation Goals & Objectives
Unique Program Requirements
Seminars include a weekly seminar series held conjointly with U of T PGY4/5 geriatric medicine residents, geriatric journal club, and Baycrest family medicine rounds.