CPSO Consults Public on Updates to Four Key Policies: #2 Professional Responsibilities in Medical Education

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is currently asking for feedback on the following four policies and their accompanying advice documents: Delegation of Controlled Acts; Professional Responsibilities in Medical Education; Third Party Medical Reports; and Telemedicine. The consultations were announced on September 17, 2020 and the deadline for providing feedback on the new draft policies is November 16, 2020.

Professional Responsibilities in Medical Education

The CPSO has combined its current policies regarding Undergraduate and Postgraduate medical education into a single policy which sets out the expectations for medical students, trainees and physicians involved in medical education. The draft also includes several new provisions which address the need to protect and support medical students from violence, harassment and discrimination, boundary violations, and other unprofessional behaviour in the learning environment. Physicians are accordingly required not to engage in such behaviour and to take reasonable steps to stop it when it occurs. Physicians in administrative roles in medical education are further required to encourage reporting unprofessional behaviour by physicians within their programs.

The draft policy also proposes that physicians be required to obtain the express consent of patients before medical students or trainees observe or participate in care, with some exceptions for trainees, as appropriate to their level of experience and competence.

You can review the draft policy and provide your feedback here.