Dr. Dana McKay is a family physician with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice, medical education, and public health. She currently serves as Director of the Practice-Based Learning Program at the Foundation for Medical Practice Education and works as a Surgical Assistant at the Waterloo Regional Health Network. Dr. McKay previously spent many years at the University of Waterloo’s Student Health Services, with a focus on student mental health, and contributed to the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Mental Health. She has also worked in public health, supporting sexual health and harm reduction programs in the Region of Waterloo.
Q: When did you first become a member of FMPE?
I joined FMPE right after finishing my family medicine residency in 2005. At the time, a group of us—new moms and recent grads—came together to form a learning group. We were all in different stages of settling into practice, and it was such a collegial environment. We’d bring snacks and sometimes even babies to our meetings! One of the members had trained at McMaster, where small group learning was emphasized, so she introduced us to the program. I had gone to U of T, where it wasn’t as prominent, so I was excited to learn more.
It was a great way to meet other physicians and create a sense of community in a new city. More than that, it helped me stay current and talk through the real-life questions that came up in practice, especially things I hadn’t learned in residency.
Q: How did being part of a small group support you in your early years of practice?
Meeting regularly helped me feel less isolated. We could bring questions and talk through them in a way that felt safe and supportive. That was huge. I didn’t feel like I had to pretend I knew everything.
One thing that really stood out was realizing how much more there was to learn—not just about clinical guidelines, but about everyday practice, like how to manage running behind in clinic, how to set boundaries with patients, or what to do when something just felt off in an encounter. These were things we didn’t really cover in residency.
It was also a place to figure out how to apply evidence in the real world. Sometimes, what we were taught didn’t align with current guidelines or best practices. That was humbling, but also empowering. It helped me shift from relying solely on what I’d been taught to actively updating my knowledge and questioning my assumptions. That mindset has stayed with me ever since.
Q: What inspired you to take on a leadership role in FMPE later on?
It started with becoming a facilitator trainer, which I really enjoyed. I loved the discussions and getting to know physicians and nurse practitioners from across Ontario. Everyone brought different perspectives and learning styles—some preferred podcasts, others liked reading, and some wanted hands-on tools. That sharing of knowledge energized me.
Over time, I was invited to join the team as an Associate Director. Dr. Melissa Vyvey and I had a wonderful conversation about the role, and I was excited by the opportunity. Education has always been a passion of mine, and this felt like a natural extension—supporting the program I loved so much while staying engaged myself.
Q: What were your first responsibilities as Associate Director?
I initially supported projects led by Dr. Vyvey and Stephanie Derka, working about half a day a week. It was manageable with my clinical work and a great way to learn the ropes. One of the key projects I got involved in was the online Interactive Module, which Dr. Tom Elmslie and Stephanie Derka were just starting to develop at the time.
Eventually, I became Director of the Individual Practice-Based Learning Program (PBLP) and helped develop more content, shape our Interactive Module launch, and look at how we could meet the needs of members who couldn’t attend groups, or who just preferred to learn on their own.
As the Individual learning program grew, we began to see opportunities to integrate it with the small group program. That led to the development of what’s now the Practice-Based Learning Program (PBLP). It’s been exciting to see how the two programs can work together to offer more flexibility and value to our members.
Q: What were the benefits of merging the small group and individual learning programs?
Before the merger, participants had to choose—either they joined a group or they completed modules on their own. There wasn’t a way to mix and match.
Now, everyone is part of the same program. You can join a group and also complete modules individually when it works better for you. For example, if your group skips a module you’re interested in, you don’t have to miss out. You can complete it on your own for Mainpro+ credits. If you’re away and miss a meeting, you can still do the learning independently and stay connected.
This structure better reflects how physicians actually learn. People’s needs change—some might be in a rural area without a group nearby, others might have schedule constraints, and some might just prefer solo study for specific topics. By integrating both formats, we’re giving members the flexibility to learn in a way that works for them.
Q: Did you notice any impact on group participation after the programs merged?
That was something we wanted to monitor closely. We ran a pilot to test the new combined program model, and we were happy to find that participation in groups stayed strong. Members still valued the group experience—it’s such a meaningful way to reflect, share, and learn. Completing modules as an individual just gave them more tools and options.
Q: What was it like presenting at the Family Medicine Forum (FMF) last year?
It was such a proud moment. We shared insights from our top five modules and the kinds of practice changes members were reporting. Stephanie Roder, our Research Coordinator, did amazing work pulling together the data and stories from across the province, and it really helped show the impact FMPE is having.
It was also wonderful to work with the whole team on the presentation. Dr. Haider Saeed and I co-presented, and though we were nervous at first—especially when we saw how big the room was—we were pleasantly surprised at how it turned out to be such a positive experience. We had great questions from the audience, and met a lot of attendees who were curious about FMPE for the first time.
Q: Will you be presenting again this year?
Yes—we’re excited to be accepted again, this time in Winnipeg. The presentation will focus on a new set of modules and practice changes from the 2024–2025 cycle. Dr. Peter Tzakas, our Director of Residency PBLP, really championed this project, and Haider and I are happy to present again if needed. It’s an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues and highlight the amazing things our members are doing.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s most exciting to you about the future of FMPE?
There’s a lot I’m excited about. One is helping long-time members take full advantage of the merged program. Some may not realize they now have access to both group and individual learning, all in one membership. We want to make sure they know how flexible and user-friendly the program has become.
Another area is the ongoing evolution of our interactive modules. These are designed to be more engaging and reduce cognitive load by presenting content in smaller pieces. We’ve added features like highlighting and note-taking, so learners can create a personalized PDF of their key takeaways. That makes it easy to refer back later while managing patients, and it supports different learning styles.
Q: What else is new or in the works?
We’re about to launch a member survey to better understand who our participants are and how we can make the program more equitable and inclusive. It’s an essential step in ensuring that FMPE reflects and supports the diversity of the family medicine community.
We’re also looking at accessibility features and expanding our partnerships. We’re talking with EMR developers and physician recruitment organizations to see how we can bring our resources to more people in more ways.
Q: Anything else coming down the pipeline?
One big focus is certification. The College of Family Physicians has updated its Mainpro+ certification standards, and we’re preparing our application to meet the new standards. The changes include more emphasis on assessment activities and incorporation of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility into program development and delivery—things we already prioritize, but now we’re aligning more formally. We can reassure members that although the Mainpro+ credits are changing, our program will continue to provide an opportunity to fulfill both your annual and 5-year cycle Mainpro+ credit requirements with the CFPC. The application is a lot of work, but also an excellent opportunity to showcase the educational rigour and value of what we offer. We’re proud of the program we’ve built, and I’m excited to see where we can take it next.
