Updated 14 July 2010
The Preceptor Program provides opportunity for physicians, particularly those from outside major urban centres, to strengthen their oncology skills and enhance cancer care in their communities. Ideally, there will be at least one, preferably two, family physicians with this expertise in every BC community with 15,000 people. These physicians can then support all espects of oncology care in their community.
If you are interested in enhancing your oncology knowledge and skills, are willing to take on these responsibilities in your community, and have the support of your colleagues and other health care providers, then this is the program for you. 52 family physicians have completed the program to date from 33 different communities. (See GPO/Preceptor Map.) The Agency also trains General Practitioners in Oncology for its various sites through this program.
The BC Cancer Agency developed the Preceptor Program in 2004, with the support of the UBC's Department of Family Practice Enhanced Skills Program and with input from many family physicians. The program is offered in a flexible, modular format that can be taken in eight consecutive weeks or over a six-month period. The two-week introductory module is offered every February and September at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver focusing on medical and radiation oncology, surgery, cancer screening, oncological emergencies and diagnostic imaging. This first session also includes the opportunity to attend clinical rounds and tumour site conferences.
The remaining modules can be completed at any of the Agency’s five Cancer Centres, including the Abbotsford Centre, the Centre for the Southern Interior in Kelowna, the Fraser Valley Centre in Surrey, the Vancouver Centre or the Vancouver Island Centre in Victoria. Participants are encouraged to tailor their learning specific to their community’s needs and can select from modules focusing on chemotherapy, radiation therapy, pediatric oncology and specific tumour sites. Modules are also offered covering risk factors, genetics, prevention, screening, early diagnosis, staging, treatment modalities and management of side effects, follow-up and surveillance procedures, palliative care, future advances and methods to remain current and teach others. Special thanks are extended to the BC Cancer Agency physicians and members of the Preceptor Working Group who prepared the education materials for these modules.
Participants who complete the Preceptor Program are eligible to receive credit from the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Those who are from REAP eligible (Rural Education Plan as defined by the BC Medical Association, the Ministry of Health and the University of British Columbia) communities can apply through UBC Department of Family Medicine to receive a stipend and to have their travel and accommodation expenses covered.
If your community would benefit from having a family physician with enhanced knowledge and skills in oncology, please consider the Preceptor Program. To get a better idea of the impact of this program, have a look at the testimonials from some of our graduates. See a complete listing of all General Practitioners in Oncology/Preceptors Listed by Cancer Centre Affiliation. If you have any questions about the Preceptor Program or would like more information, please e-mail Gail Compton or call her directly at 604.707.6367.