Quebec's Compulsory 2-Year Training Program: Effects on family medicine teaching

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Quebec's 1987 regulations significantly altered medical training.
• The reform aimed to increase family medicine physicians while ending rotating internships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the context and impact of Quebec's 1987 family medicine residency expansion.
• To identify challenges and solutions in implementing the new residency model.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of regulatory changes.
• Examination of challenges faced by four Quebec residency programs.
• Review of attempted solutions and anticipated outcomes.

Main Results:

• Rapid expansion of residency positions created logistical and educational hurdles.
• Programs adapted by modifying curricula and supervision structures.
• Ongoing issues related to resource allocation and training quality persist.

Conclusions:

• The 1987 reform necessitated significant adjustments in Quebec's family medicine training.
• Programmatic adaptations were crucial for managing the expansion.
• Sustained attention is required to address remaining challenges in family medicine education.