Enhanced Skills Program: Global Health and Vulnerable Populations
The Global Health and Vulnerable Populations Program at the University of Toronto is a 52-week Enhanced Skills Residency Program designed to provide family physicians with the knowledge and skills to address global health issues both locally and abroad, and to learn ways in which to lower the barriers for access to care for the communities which they choose to serve.
The objectives of the program are to enhance the skills and knowledge of Canadian family physicians in the areas relevant to global health and vulnerable populations, to enable them to work more effectively in underserved settings, and to foster the development of collaborative relationships to support primary health care in these settings locally, nationally and internationally.
Program Director: Dr. Leila Makhani, MD, CFPC
List of Faculty Program Committee:
- Dr. Katherine Rouleau
- Dr. Praseedha Janakiram
- Dr. Eileen Nicolle
Length of Program: One Year (52 Weeks) - Full Time
Program and Application Eligibility
Applicant must be a Canadian Citizen. Applicant must be currently enrolled as a PGY2 in a Canadian Family Medicine Residency at the time of application. N.B.: Those enrolled in a PGY3 Enhanced Skills Program at the time of application are NOT eligible to apply to another PGY3 Enhanced Skills position.
For funding eligibility, please see the main Enhanced Skills Program Admissions page.
Curriculum Competencies
The Global Health and Vulnerable Populations Residency Program adheres to CanMEDS-FM goals and objectives to achieve the following competencies:
- Medical Expert
- Communicator
- Collaborator
- Leader
- Scholar
- Health Advocate
- Professional
For complete details, please read the goals and objectives.
Sample Rotation
The first 6 months of this program consists of selectives, which are determined by the resident based on their individual goals and objectives. Common selectives include:
- Refugee Health*
- Inner City Health*
- Tropical Medicine*
- Global Health Learning Experiences*
- Health Systems/Palliative Care and Education for the Homeless (PEACH)*
- Rural Medicine*
- HIV Care (Goals and Objectives)
- Women's health
- Pediatrics
- Emergency Medicine
- Tuberculosis (Goals and Objectives)
- Sexual Health (Goals and Objectives)
- Addictions Medicine
*core/recommended
Residents can choose to have a half-day back in family medicine at the clinic of their choosing in order to maintain/enhance their primary care skills. Residents can also choose to organize longitudinal experience, for example in a sub-specialty area or in research, if it meets their program goals and objectives.
The global health learning opportunity includes time with the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration in Family Medicine (TAAAC-FM), which usually takes place on the ground in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (TAAAC FM - Goals and Objectives), as well the opportunity to work with some of the other longstanding global health partnerships within the Department of Family and Community Medicine at University of Toronto, depending on what programs are active for the given year of training
Residents are encouraged to devote time towards a scholarly activity while engaged in the program (Scholar Rotation Goals and Objectives), which can include teaching, research and/or advocacy activities.
Unique Program Requirements
- Consider attendance at the Family Medicine Forum
- Consider attendance at the Besrour Global Health Conference, if accepted
- Participate in mentorship events
- Participate in global health journal clubs
- Attendance at DFCM activities related to global health and vulnerable populations
- Presentation of scholarly work at one conference/seminar and/or engagement in teaching activities
Unique Program Requirements
- Attendance at the Family Medicine Forum
- Attendance at the Besrour Global Health Conference if accepted
- 2 Mentorship nights
- 2 Journal clubs
- Attendance at the Global Health Summer Primer in Toronto, as offered.
- Presentation of scholarly work at one conference/seminar
Please refer to the Enhanced Skills Admissions page for more details on the application timeline and requirements.