About Us

What We Do

The McGill Family Medicine Education Research Group is committed to ongoing engagement in various medical education initiatives across the undergraduate-postgraduate-practice continuum to support the development of the family medicine education research field of inquiry, and ultimately the enhancement of the practice of family medicine.

We strive to improve the educational process of medical students, family medicine residents, and practicing family doctors by undertaking scholarly inquiry related to education and promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results.

Family medicine is a cornerstone of contemporary healthcare delivery systems. To fulfil high societal expectations regarding primary medical care services, family physicians are trained to provide comprehensive, coordinated care to individuals and families across ages, genders, and health conditions. As healthcare delivery systems face ongoing and rapidly evolving challenges, researchers and educators must continuously advance educational knowledge and practices to ensure that family physicians provide high-quality care and adapt to changing healthcare needs.

 

Our Vision

The McGill Family Medicine Education Research (FMER) Group is committed to significantly contributing to the health sciences education and family medicine fields of inquiry by generating new knowledge that will help educate competent family physicians for the benefit of the individuals, the families, the communities, and the societies they serve.

 

Our Mission

To achieve our vision, we work for:

  • advancing innovation in family medicine education and the continuing professional development of family physicians,
  • being attuned to the professional and technological changes that might have an influence on the way family physicians are educated for future best clinical practices,
  • fostering the scholarship of integration of family medicine education research in health sciences education,
  • engaging in a constant conversation with other family medicine education scholars at the local, national, and international levels, as well as with other family medicine education stakeholders.
  • supporting decision-making in family medicine education practices and policies.

 

Our Values

Integrity, creativity, innovativeness, openness, plurality, and collaboration.

A Word

From Our Director

On behalf of our entire group of researchers, affiliated students, and collaborators, it is a pleasure to welcome to the McGill Family Medicine Education Research Group (FMER) website.

The FMER came into being in May 2014, when a group of eight clinicians, educators and researchers in family medicine decided to pull together their experience and expertise to promote family medicine education research.

Being sensitive to the educational priorities of the different family medicine stakeholders, advocating for research plurality, and translating the results of our investigations to all knowledge users, we aspire to significantly contribute to the advancement of the family medicine education research field of inquiry at the local, national, and international levels.

The FMER then fully meets one of the major areas of the family medicine research agenda. As noted by Ewing et al. (2016): “Family medicine research encompasses clinical, health services, prevention, population health, health policy, community-based participatory research, educational innovation and evaluation, synthesis and dissemination of evidence, and the science of implementation. Each of these domains is necessary for the efficient and effective translation of biological discovery and new technology development into ethically sound practice and policy” (p. 82).

Moreover, the FMER fully accomplished the McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences’ mission, notably through its innovative educational research program, and its promotion of the Medical Education Concentration of the MSc in Family Medicine (FMHS, Education Strategic Plan – Project Rennaissance, 2017).

I hope you enjoy your e-visit to the FMER website. We aim not only to inform about our research projects, academic events, and scholarly achievements, but also, and importantly, we would like this site be a privileged means for exchanging with all of those interested in family medicine education research around the world.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

– Charo Rodríguez

Are you interested in Family Medicine Education Research?

It is an exciting time in health sciences education, and more specifically family medicine education research. Visit the pages throughout our website to learn more about what FMER members do, and how you might join us and collaborate with us.

FMER's founding members (photo by Heidi Hollinger, June 2015)