Combining Small Group and Individual Learning for a richer CME experience
The One Practice-Based Learning Program (PBLP) pilot integrates the strengths of the Small Group and Individual PBLPs. Participants in the pilot have access to both Small Group and Individual PBLP.
Who are the participants?
A subset of our Small Group and Individual PBLP memberships have been randomly enrolled in this pilot. For those not enrolled in the pilot, there are no changes to your current membership or the way you earn your Mainpro+ credits.
- Not sure if you are enrolled? If you have been enrolled, you will have received an email from us on February 27th with additional details. You can also check your Members Online account (https://members.fmpe.org/). If applicable, the following message will appear at the top of the page after you have logged in “You are enrolled in the One PBLP Pilot”.
- Interested in joining? To join our list of those interested in future participation in the pilot, please add your details to the following online form: https://surveys.mcmaster.ca/limesurvey/index.php/694848?lang=en
What are the features of the pilot?
Selected small group program participants will have the opportunity to complete modules individually for additional Mainpro+ credits and access our digital Interactive Module. Individual program participants can join or form new small groups. We will be evaluating whether these changes improve the overall PBLP learning experience.
How do pilot participants earn credits?
As a participant of the One PBLP pilot, you are eligible to participate in both the Small Group and Individual Practice-Based Learning Programs (PBLPs). The number of credits earned is based on our pre-existing Mainpro+ certifications.
The Small Group PBLP has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for up to 3 Mainpro+ group learning credits per hour.
To earn the full 3 credits per hour, a member must attend both the initial module topic session and the follow-up session, and their facilitator must submit both a Group Practice Reflection Tool (PRT) and Group Follow-up PRT. If a member misses either session, or if their facilitator does not submit the accompanying PRTs, the member will receive 2 credits per hour attended.
The Individual PBLP has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for 5 Mainpro+ self-learning credits per module (with the submission of a Personal PRT and Personal Follow-Up PRT).
Finally, all PBLP members have access to the Practice Improvement Activity (PIA) which has been certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for 2 Mainpro+ assessment credits per hour. Each PIA is worth either 20 or 40 credits, depending on the topic.
Why are we doing this pilot?
The landscape of CME is continuously evolving. With this pilot, FMPE aims to stay at the forefront of educational innovation, ensuring that we offer programs that meet the diverse needs and preferences of our members. Our goal is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a blended learning approach that maintains the integrity of small group learning while adding the flexibility of individual study. Feedback from our members over the years has suggested that members would find a blend of individual and small group study to be beneficial in terms of learning, time management, and the amount of credits that can be obtained from our programs.
What program features do you have access to if you are a Small Group PBLP member who was selected for the pilot?
- Continue small group learning: Your participation in small group meetings remains unchanged, with the same access to earning Mainpro+ group learning credits.
- Continue using the Practice Improvement Activity: Your ability to complete Practice Improvement Activities to earn Mainpro+ assessment credits also remains unchanged.
- Added individual learning benefits: In addition to learning with your small group, you also can earn an additional 5 Mainpro+ individual learning credits per module with a submitted Personal Practice Reflection Tool (PRT) and Personal Follow-Up PRT.This is a great way to catch-up with modules you missed when your small group discussed them. It also allows you to earn credits for modules of interest that your small group has not selected or to go into greater depth with modules your group has discussed. Regardless of what is happening in your small group, if you complete a module individually and submit both a personal PRT and personal Follow-Up PRT, you will earn credits. Click here to learn more about Personal PRTs. If you do not wish to complete modules individually, no problem, you can keep learning in your small group as usual.
- Access to Interactive Module: Enhance your learning experience with our digital Interactive Module, equipped with customizable navigation and efficient bookmarking. Click here to learn more about using the Interactive Module. You can use the Interactive Module to prepare for small group meetings and/or to learn individually. The online Interactive Module is only available in English at this time.
What does it mean for you, if you are a facilitator of a small group that was selected for the pilot?
We are enthusiastic about the potential benefits of this hybrid model. The pilot will allow members in your group to earn credits for self-study – this is particularly useful when someone misses a group meeting or wishes to do a module not selected by the group for discussion. As long as the member submits BOTH a personal PRT and personal Follow-Up PRT for the module, they will receive Mainpro+ credits. In addition, members can access the individual interactive module prior to a group meeting as a method of preparing and prereading.
We encourage you to discuss these benefits with your group members so that all of you can make the most out of this pilot opportunity.
We are committed to preserving the quality of small group learning. We do not expect the pilot to adversely impact your facilitation, however, if it does, we would appreciate your feedback through the surveys you will receive.
Note: If you accept any new members to your group throughout the program year, they will also be enrolled into the pilot.
What program features do you have access to if you are an Individual PBLP member who was selected for the pilot?
- Continue individual learning: Your current practice of individual learning remains intact, with the same access to our comprehensive modules and the ability to earn Mainpro+ individual learning credits.
- Continue using the Practice Improvement Activity: Your ability to complete Practice Improvement Activities to earn Mainpro+ assessment credits also remains unchanged.
- Continue accessing the Interactive Module: Our digital Interactive Module remains available to you to enhance your learning experience with customizable navigation and efficient bookmarking. Click here to learn more about using the Interactive Module.
- Join or form a Small Group: Do you know of an existing PBLP small group that is accepting members? You are now welcome to join an existing small group at no additional cost. If you do not know of any existing groups, you may form your own group. Click here for more information on forming a new group.
- Regardless of what you have completed in the individual program, if you complete a module with a small group, you will receive group learning Mainpro+ credits as long as you inform us that you have joined the group. In the Small Group Program, you receive 2 Mainpro+ credits per hour if you are at the session where the Group Practice Reflection Tool (PRT) is completed by the facilitator, and 3 Mainpro+ credits per hour if you are at the session when the Follow-up PRT is completed by the facilitator.
- If you do not wish to join a small group, no problem. You can keep learning individually as you have been doing.
- As an Individual PBLP member who has participated in a small group session, when will my small group Mainpro+ credits be processed? Your small group Mainpro+ credits will be processed after the Facilitator of the small group has indicated their group has finished meeting for the year. This typically occurs at the end of December and credits are uploaded to the CFPC in January of the following year.
What is the duration of the pilot?
This pilot program is scheduled to run until at least the end of the current program year.
Does it cost money to participate in the pilot?
Participation in this pilot is offered to those selected at no extra charge.
As a member in the pilot, where do I access the pilot program?
Log in to Members Online (https://members.fmpe.org/) to access everything: the Individual and Small Group Practice-Based Learning Programs, the Practice Improvement Activities, and the online Interactive Modules. Use the left-hand navigation menu to access all of the program features.
Submissions are not accepted by email, mail, or fax.
As a member in the pilot, what can I expect over the next year?
In March 2024, we will send a survey to gather insights into your learning needs and preferences. There will be occasional surveys throughout the year where you can provide feedback on your experience. We will also be holding optional webinars for pilot participants in April 2024 on how you can get the most out of the pilot – stay tuned!
If you have any questions about the pilot, we invite you to attend one of our upcoming webinars or contact us at fmpe@mcmaster.ca.