Training pediatricians

A recent item in the CMA Bulletin1discussed a proposal from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) to reduce the number of PGY-1 training programs from approximately 30 to just a few “generalist competency” training streams. This proposal has been presented as an alternative to the “common PGY-1 year,” previously discussed as a model to improve medical students' flexibility in deciding on a career path.

The Residents Section of the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS), representing over 500 pediatric residents in Canada, has a mandate to examine and ensure the quality of pediatric training in Canada. In a recent survey, members of the Residents Section expressed interest in the common PGY-1 year and emphasized the importance of retaining 4 years of pediatric training to allow proper development of the skills of Canada's pediatricians.2 Allowing for additional flexibility in residency training while encouraging residents' interests in a given specialty during their first year of training might also accomplish the goal of preventing early and later-regretted career decisions. We are therefore pleased that pediatric training will be represented in the new RCPSC model and we look forward to examining the proposal in detail. The goals already identified2 remain the same: increased flexibility for residents and medical students while maintaining the depth and quantity of pediatric residency training. We continue to oppose any move to shorten training in pediatric specialty rotations. We believe that the medical treatment of children presents unique challenges, disease processes and training goals and that few of these goals would be met during rotation through adult specialties. As such, maintaining a PGY-1 year with focused pediatric rotations and improved flexibility for those residents who wish to transfer to or from a program may represent the ideal solution.