Changing Practice with Continuing Medical Education
Highlights of CME Research
HIV PEP CME Pilot Project for Saskatoon Emergency Medicine Departments:
- HIV PEP prescribing for high-risk exposures increased from 61% pre-CME to 82%
- Number of unique HIV PEP prescribers increased from 7 to 30
- Resulted in provincial expansion to train clinicians in HIV PEP prescribing, reducing specialist reliance
CME Programming/Projects Engaged in this Research
STBBI Treatment Education Program for Saskatchewan (STEPS)
Purpose of research: To evaluate the reach of a new STBBI CME program that delivered 7 virtual presentations between September 2022 and November 2022.
Participants and timeframe: Healthcare providers who registered to participate in the presentations.
Research methods: Evaluation of registration data that collected learners’ professions, locations, and number of patients seen in the last 12 months with the STBBI being discussed. Program data tracked live attendance and the number of presentations each learner registered for.
Key insights and findings: 1454 registrations across 434 unique HCP learners with varying experience treating STBBIs. 98% (426/434) of registrants were from Saskatchewan, with the program reaching HCPs in over 56 communities across the province.
How findings will be used: To demonstrate the demand for STBBI CME and to inform future programming.
Participants and timeframe: Healthcare providers who registered to participate in the presentations.
Research methods: Evaluation of registration data that collected learners’ professions, locations, and number of patients seen in the last 12 months with the STBBI being discussed. Program data tracked live attendance and the number of presentations each learner registered for.
Key insights and findings: 1454 registrations across 434 unique HCP learners with varying experience treating STBBIs. 98% (426/434) of registrants were from Saskatchewan, with the program reaching HCPs in over 56 communities across the province.
How findings will be used: To demonstrate the demand for STBBI CME and to inform future programming.
Purpose of research: To evaluate the impact of a Provincial HIV CME program designed to increase the capacity of primary care providers to treat HIV and prescribe antiretroviral (ARV) medication in Saskatchewan.
Participants and timeframe: Physicians and NPs who participated in the program between 2018 and 2022 who completed 8 hours of education delivered under the HIV Virtual Classroom series and requested to become listed as a Designated ARV Prescriber for Saskatchewan.
Reserach methods: 10 past learners were interviewed to understand clinical outcomes of participating in the HIV CME Program, and to identify facilitators and barriers to applying the education.
Key insights and findings: Learner-reported outcomes included increased confidence in providing primary care, prescribing ARV therapy, and improved access to care for people living with HIV. Barriers to changing clinical practice included a need for additional HIV CME, and external barriers. Facilitators included virtual delivery, preceptorship and mentorship, and relevance of content to practice.
How findings will be used: Opportunities were identified for future HIV CME programming.
Participants and timeframe: Physicians and NPs who participated in the program between 2018 and 2022 who completed 8 hours of education delivered under the HIV Virtual Classroom series and requested to become listed as a Designated ARV Prescriber for Saskatchewan.
Reserach methods: 10 past learners were interviewed to understand clinical outcomes of participating in the HIV CME Program, and to identify facilitators and barriers to applying the education.
Key insights and findings: Learner-reported outcomes included increased confidence in providing primary care, prescribing ARV therapy, and improved access to care for people living with HIV. Barriers to changing clinical practice included a need for additional HIV CME, and external barriers. Facilitators included virtual delivery, preceptorship and mentorship, and relevance of content to practice.
How findings will be used: Opportunities were identified for future HIV CME programming.
Purpose of evaluation: To assess the impact and reach of HIV PEP continuing medical education and clinical resources developed by the Saskatchewan HIV PEP Education Group, including the development of a new provincial practitioner order set.
Participants and timeframe: Learners who accessed education and resources between October 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026.
Reserach method: Evaluation of registration data of HIV PEP medical education activities, report of the number of views an HIV PEP clinical assessment tool was accessed.
Key insights and findings: The combined approach of developing continuing medical education and clinical resources was used to increase timely HIV PEP initiation and enhance provider readiness.
How finding will be used: To demonstrate how the uptake of educational and clinical resources is empowering prescribers to increase access to HIV PEP in Saskatchewan.
Purpose of reserach: To evaluate the effectiveness of an HIV PEP CME pilot project created to increase patient access to HIV prevention treatment by educating physicians working in emergency departments in Saskatoon how to prescribe HIV PEP.
Reserach Methods: A retrospective pre-post chart review evaluated the impact of a HIV PEP CME intervention for Emergency Department (ED) and Sexual Assault Response Team physicians on PEP prescribing in Saskatoon EDs. 625 charts met inclusion criteria: patients ≥16 years presenting after sexual assault or blood/body fluid exposure.
Key Insights and findings: PEP prescribing for high-risk exposures increased from 61% pre-CME to 82% post-CME (p = 0.0126). In sexual assault cases, PEP prescribing increased from 38% to 73% (p=0.0054), and acknowledgement of PEP increased 57% to 90% (p=0.0015). The number of unique HIV PEP prescribers increased from 7 to 30. Targeted CME enables appropriate PEP prescribing, reducing reliance on specialist prescribers.
How findings will be used: Based on the success of the HIV PEP CME pilot project a provincial HIV PEP CME education group was created. An HIV PEP CME online course was developed, alongside an Blood and Body Fuild Exposure (BBFE) practitioner orderset and an HIV PEP clinical desicion making tool.
Reserach Methods: A retrospective pre-post chart review evaluated the impact of a HIV PEP CME intervention for Emergency Department (ED) and Sexual Assault Response Team physicians on PEP prescribing in Saskatoon EDs. 625 charts met inclusion criteria: patients ≥16 years presenting after sexual assault or blood/body fluid exposure.
Key Insights and findings: PEP prescribing for high-risk exposures increased from 61% pre-CME to 82% post-CME (p = 0.0126). In sexual assault cases, PEP prescribing increased from 38% to 73% (p=0.0054), and acknowledgement of PEP increased 57% to 90% (p=0.0015). The number of unique HIV PEP prescribers increased from 7 to 30. Targeted CME enables appropriate PEP prescribing, reducing reliance on specialist prescribers.
How findings will be used: Based on the success of the HIV PEP CME pilot project a provincial HIV PEP CME education group was created. An HIV PEP CME online course was developed, alongside an Blood and Body Fuild Exposure (BBFE) practitioner orderset and an HIV PEP clinical desicion making tool.
CanREACH
This study evaluated the impact of the CanREACH child psychiatry training program for primary care providers (PCPs) in Saskatchewan. Researchers found that PCPs significantly improved their skills and confidence in assessing, diagnosing, and treating child and youth mental health conditions—and importantly, they retained these skills over time. The program also reduced referrals to child psychiatry (0.9 per trained PCP vs. 1.3 for untrained PCPs), helping improve access to specialist care across the province.
The Role of Practitioners in Indigenous Wellness
Presentations
- Continuing Medical Education Improves HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Prescribing in Saskatoon Emergency Departments
- 2026 International Congress of Academic Medicine
- 2026 Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians
- 2025 University of Saskatchewan OVDR Undergraduate Research Showcase
- Beyond Specialist Reliance: Educating and Empowering Front Line Clinicians to Prescribe HIV PEP in Saskatchewan
- 2026 Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) Conference
- Enhancing pediatric mental health service in primary care: Evaluating the impact of CanREACH CME training.
- 2025 American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- 2025 American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- The Advancement of Collaborative Care in Saskatchewan to Serve Children and Youth with Psychiatric Disorders.
- 2025 Collaborative Mental Health Care Conference
- 2023 Research, Innovation and Scholarship in Education (RISE)
- Transformational Change in Post Graduate Trainees following Cultural Responsiveness Training.
- 2018 Medical Education Research and Scholarship Event