Know some outstanding rural colleagues?
Here's how to recognize them
July 28, 2014
Students, patients, staff and colleagues now have a new way to show their appreciation for their rural physician educators, or preceptors.
The University of Calgary (U of C) is seeking nominations for the Rural Medicine Recognition Awards.
“Rural docs are not given the recognition of the work
they do,” says Dr. Douglas L. Myhre, U of C’s Associate Dean, Distributed Learning & Rural Initiatives (DLRI).
“We hope that these awards recognize our long-standing rural teaching docs and their legacy.”
That legacy is bound up in the future physicians these preceptors have influenced as well as the people in the communities where they practiced. In fact, the idea for the awards began with an initiative from one such rural community.
When Sundre family physician Dr. Hal S. Irvine retired, the town contacted the faculty to ask for a brief presentation on his work in teaching.
“His legacy deserved to be recognized going forward,”
Dr. Myhre says. “That’s where it started.”
Along with an award named for Dr. Irvine, there are four other categories of awards to recognize various aspects of rural practice and teaching, as well as physicians in various stages of their careers.
Early Educator Award
This award will recognize U of C preceptors from any discipline in the first three years of teaching practice, located in communities outside of Calgary, who demonstrate a commitment to and enthusiasm for medical education.
Nominations will be accepted from colleagues, residents and/or administration.
Deadline: November 30 for presentation in February of the following year.
Dr. Hal Irvine Community Focus Award
Named for the Sundre physician and former U of C Department of Family Medicine Associate Professor, this award is to honor physician preceptors in practice for a minimum of five years that have demonstrated dedication, through service and personal commitment, to improving quality of life in their community.
Nominations will be accepted from community members and/or preceptor colleagues.
Deadline: December 31 for presentation in May of the following year.
Dr. Ian Bennett Meritorious Service Award
Dr. Ian Bennett was a long-serving family physician in Fort Macleod. Following his retirement, he continued to share his knowledge and experience with the medical community through the Alberta Medical Association’s Physician and Family Support Program, until he passed away in 2013. This award in his honor recognizes preceptors with demonstrated educational focus of over 10 years, or a single extraordinary demonstration of dedication to medical education.
Nominations will be accepted from preceptor colleagues, administration, community members and/or allied health care practitioners.
Deadline: November 30 for presentation in February of the following year.
Interprofessional Education Award
This award is for physician preceptors or allied health care practitioners in practice for a minimum of five years in one community who have demonstrated respect and educational efforts across professions/disciplines.
Nominations will be accepted from preceptor colleagues and/or allied health care practitioners.
Deadline: December 31 for presentation in May of the following year.
Dr. Spencer R. McLean Peer-to-Peer Teaching Award
Dr. McLean was a young orthopedic surgeon who lost his life to kidney cancer in 2013. He was a highly regarded peer teacher whose communication style was based on empathy and a sincere respect for others. This award in his honor recognizes residents in any discipline at the second year level or greater, who are nominated by other residents or family medicine based students for recognition of both educational efforts across disciplines and by demonstrating the qualities of a caring and compassionate mentor.
Nominations will be accepted from resident colleagues.
Deadline: November 30 for presentation in February of the following year.
How to submit a nomination
Please forward a letter outlining the merits of the nominee and how they meet the stated criteria for the chosen award to Dr. Myhre by email dmyhre@ucalgary.ca. Supporting letters should accompany the nomination reflecting different perspectives.
“Hopefully the awards program encourages rural and regional physicians to continue this important work or encourages them to come forward,” Dr. Myhre says. “We can never pay them enough, so this is a way to try and recognize and honor them for their commitment.”
For more information on the Rural Medicine Recognition Awards, visit the U of C DLRI website at www.ucalgary.ca/ruralmedicine.
