Education Sessions
Join the Department of Family Medicine for virtual faculty development sessions designed for all University of Alberta clinical teachers. Whether you are brand-new to teaching or looking to refine your skills, these sessions offer practical tools to help you set up your practice for a learner, deliver effective feedback, prepare residents for SOO exams, and navigate progress expectations.
2026/2027 CLINICAL TEACHER SERIES
Sessions have been approved for 1.0 Mainpro credit per session
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
Tips and Tricks For Teaching Family Medicine Clerkship Students
Presenter: Priyanka Hansraj
This orientation and clerkship update is intended for all urban and rural preceptors (novice and experienced) who teach Year 3 MD Program medical students in Family Medicine Clerkship.
The learning objectives for this session are as follows:
- Discuss clerkship structural and educational requirements and pertinent MD Program policies
- Review assessment of students and required clinical encounters
- Develop an approach to assessing and supporting a learner facing difficulty
Monday, Sept. 14, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
Undergraduate Preceptor Orientation for LCE & FM Electives
Presenters: Lillian Au, David Pickle, Jordan Bekkema
This presentation is targeted to all clinical preceptors who teach medical students in their practice, particularly those who are thinking of starting to teach, and those who already teach LCE and family medicine elective students. A high level overview of the MD Program and how to set up your practice for clinical learners will be provided.
Introduction to having a learner in your practice (30 min)
Presenter: Lillian Au
Objectives
- Provide an overview of the Clinical Teacher Series & MD Program
- Discuss how to prepare your practice for a learner (orientation, learning plan, scheduling, managing your clinical encounter)
Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE) Orientation (15 min)
Presenter: David Pickle
Objectives
- Review objectives of LCE-FM
- Review the expectations of preceptors and students for the course.
- Allow an opportunity for questions and feedback from preceptors.
Preceptor Orientation to Family Medicine Electives (15 min)
Presenter: Jordan Bekkema
Objectives
- Provide preceptors with an overview of current elective offerings showcasing Family Medicine
- Review learning objectives and what to expect if having a learner for a family medicine elective
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
Managing the Clinical Encounter with Your Learner
Facilitator: Lillian Au
This presentation is targeted for all clinical teachers who are interested in optimizing their teaching of a medical student or resident while running a busy clinical practice.
Objectives:
- Review how to run your typical clinic day while incorporating clinical teaching and direct observation
- Discuss how to utilize effective questioning as a teaching tool
- Discuss how to incorporate clinical reasoning using SNAPPS in your teaching
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
From One-Time FIFE to Everyday Life: A Preceptor’s Approach to SOO Preparation
Presenter: Michael Yan
The Simulated Office Oral (SOO) examination is one half of the CFPC’s Certification Examination in Family Medicine, which graduating residents must pass before independently practicing family medicine in Canada. Practice and feedback are essential for ensuring success. As mock examiners, faculty advisors and preceptors can provide valuable coaching to residents. Faculty members who have not previously volunteered as examiners for the CCFP examination, or who would appreciate a refresher on the structure and marking of the SOO in its current virtual format, will gather insights and pointers on how to effectively coach their residents. Additionally, the workshop will encourage faculty to use the SOO as a tool for teaching patient centered clinical method starting in early residency.
Objectives:
- Discuss the background and purpose of the SOO examination
- Describe the structure and marking scheme of the SOO
- Apply elements of the SOO to teach patient centered clinical method starting in early residency rather than solely for exam preparation.
Wed, Nov. 18, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
Giving (and receiving) feedback
Presenter: Lillian Au
Feedback is foundational in helping learners reach their learning goals. However, giving effective feedback can be challenging even for the most experienced preceptor and requires practice and skill.
Objectives:
- Define feedback and describe its importance in educating your learners in clinical practice
- Discuss challenges of giving and receiving feedback
- Develop strategies for providing effective feedback to your learner
Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026
6 - 7 p.m.
Learner Assessment
Presenters: Ann Lee, Sam Horvey
Assessment should guide learning and support fair, defensible decisions. This interactive session explores formative and summative assessment, effective narrative comments, common sources of bias, and practical strategies for assessing learners with greater clarity and confidence.
Objectives:
- Differentiate between formative and summative assessment
- Construct effective narrative comments to support learning and decision making
- Identify common types of bias in assessment
Thusday, Jan. 14, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
Scribes & Safe Practice: Demystifying AI in Family Medicine Education
Presenter: Dr. Marco Mannarino
This session will provide an overview of AI Scribe use in the Family Medicine setting. There will be a focus on the Canadian regulatory landscape, as well as practical evaluation of AI Scribe services and tools. Participants will explore the critical requirement of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and identify resources to help with completion of the PIA. Participants will also learn potential issues with AI Scribe use, and learn to apply risk mitigation strategies.
By the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
- Summarize the regulatory framework governing the utilization of AI Scribe technology within Canada
- Evaluate an AI Scribe service to determine its suitability for your clinical practice, and its compliance with all regulatory requirements
- Describe the essential components of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and identify relevant resources to assist with its completion
- Explain the potential pitfalls of AI Scribe deployment and implement strategies to mitigate associated risks
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
Medical Learner in Difficulty
Presenters: Sam Horvey, Joanne Baergen, Lindsay Richier
Learners in difficulty require timely, structured, and compassionate approaches to ensure both learner success and patient safety. Through interactive case work and facilitated problem-solving, participants will practice diagnosing learner challenges, framing feedback, and creating action plans for clinical settings.
Objectives:
- Identify and diagnose possible reasons why medical learners may experience difficulty
- Discuss how to communicate in difficult learner situations
- Discuss action plans that can be done in your clinical practice
Tuesday, March 23, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
A Field Guide for FieldNotes
Presenter: Nathan Turner
Have you ever stared at a blank feedback box in a FieldNote form and wondered "What am I supposed to write in here?" FieldNotes are the most common form of assessment in the family medicine residency program, but sometimes they can be intimidating. This session will help preceptors navigate the assessment jungle, cut through the jargon and successfully hunt down the elusive "simple and effective FieldNote".
Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the purposes of FieldNotes in resident assessment
- Explain how FieldNotes are used in the U of A family medicine program
- Demonstrate effective feedback delivery and FieldNote writing using case examples
Thursday, April 15, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
Utilizing Program Expectation Tool for your FM Resident
Presenters: Sam Horvey, Michelle Morros, Joanne Baergen
The program expectations tool was created to support family medicine teachers and residents. Given the short duration of family medicine residency, it is important that learners are given progressing responsibility in order to be prepared for independent practice. The program expectation tool was designed to help with this progression. This session will explain the tool and demonstrate how it can be used in a clinical setting. This session is intended for those who are currently teaching, or plan to teach, at the postgraduate family medicine level.
Objectives:
- Identify the responsibilities of preceptors and learners at the various stages of residency
- Understand the clinical progression residents should demonstrate at different levels of training
- Apply the program expectation tool to case scenarios
Tuesday, May 11, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
Teaching Clinical Reasoning in the Office (besides saying ‘keep reading around your cases’
Presenter: Dr. Michelle Morros
Objectives:
- Discuss why we need to intentionally teach Clinical Reasoning.
- Review what Clinical Reasoning is using Nigel Flook’s CLINICAL REASONING MODEL.
- Discuss how to teach Clinical Reasoning skills including tips for observing, giving feedback and assessing your learner.
Monday, June 14, 2027
6 - 7 p.m.
Precepting 2SLGBTQ+ Care: Coaching Clinical Teachers in Inclusive & Affirming Patient Care
Presenter: Dr. Julia Chronopoulos
Pivoting medical learner education to clinical preceptor modeling focusing on mutual respect, non-judgemental inquiry, and learning from our trainees & patients.
Objectives:
- Discuss how to create a collaborative and inclusive clinical learning environment while navigating knowledge gaps regarding sexual & gender diversity.
- Discuss methods of building inclusive. communication in the clinic & EMR including utilization of pronoun checks and modeling of precise clinical language.
- Model trauma-informed practice in history taking & physical examinations.
- Discuss the anatomical modifications arising from gender-affirming surgeries and review the preventive screening guidelines from an organ-based & gender-neutral perspective.
Additional Faculty Development Resources
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (University of Alberta) Faculty Development Workplace/Classroom based teaching workshops
- Fundamentals Teaching Activities in Family Medicine: A Framework for Faculty Development
- College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC): For Teachers (undergraduate and postgraduate teaching resources)