Resident Days and Procedural Skills

Resident Days are mandatory program-specific days that occur five times a year during each year of the program and provide opportunities to gain experience in procedural skills and develop knowledge in practice management (billing, setting up an office, insurance issues, etc.).  An annual resident research day is held where residents have the opportunity to present their research projects to their colleagues.

Procedural Skills - All graduating residents require competency in a set of procedural skills to deliver high-quality and cost-effective medical services to their communities.  Many family physicians also acquire additional procedural skills in a particular area of interest.  The Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University has developed a web-based procedural log which, when used as both a guide and a regular recording of procedural experiences, can increase the acquisition of new procedures by residents. Incoming residents participate in a procedural skills day as part of their orientation to the program.  Residents receive two more procedural skills days over the course of their residency.   

Some skill topics include:

• Joint Injection
  
• IUD insertion & endometrial biopsy
• Breast cyst aspiration
• Lesion removal
• Hemorrhoid removal
• Basic and advanced suturing techniques
• Basic and advanced vaginal repair
  
• NRP Certificate