The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC needs to hear from you!
The proposed amendments to Section 7-4 of the College bylaws allow a certified family physician practicing in BC to call themselves a “specialist in family medicine” or a “family medicine specialist.” Yet the term “specialist” remains reserved for those certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Modernization of the College bylaws is a step towards supporting family medicine in BC, but we need to go further. We are calling for clearer language to better protect the public and promote collaborative patient care:
1. Identify all physicians by their specialty
- Identifying the particular specialty of all physicians (e.g., specialist in internal medicine or specialist in cardiology) enables patients to clearly identify the knowledge, expertise and training of the physicians caring for them.
- This also ensures that the bylaws are clear, equitable, and applied consistently across specialties.
2. Recognize all family doctors as specialists in family medicine
- Family physicians who are not certificants of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, such as those who did a rotating internship or other non-CCFP certification prior to 1994, are expert physicians, teachers and mentors with 30 years of experience.
- They play a critical role in BC’s healthcare system and need to be recognized as specialists in family medicine.
We are all specialists in family medicine.
Take action. Let the College know your thoughts about the proposed bylaw changes.
UPCOMING DEADLINE: Submit your comments by January 15, 2022 to bylaw10@cpsbc.ca and proregadmin@gov.bc.ca.
Please review the College website for more information about the proposed bylaw change.