Responsive CME for Shifting and Emerging Health Needs

Highlights of CME Research

  • CanREACH training enhanced PCPs’ ability to assess and manage child and youth mental health and reduced specialty referrals (0.9 vs. 1.3 per provider), improving access to care - CanREACH-SK Mini-Fellowship 
  • Post COVID-19 Condition webinars about new national CAN-PCC guidelines were 100% relevant to healthcare practitioners, and significantly improved self-reported knowledge levels in five national guideline topics (Testing, Identification & Diagnosis, Pharmacological Clinical Interventions, Non-Pharmacological Clinical Interventions, Neurological & Psychiatric Topics , and Healthcare Services, Systems & Social Support, ts > 2.30, ps <0.031) - CAN-PCC USask Knowledge Mobilization project

CME Programming/Projects Engaged in this Research

Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC)

Post COVID-19 Condition Needs Assessment
With an emerging Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) affecting millions of Canadians, this multi-phased project sought the needs of health care providers (HCPs), individuals experiencing Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC), family members, and medical departments in 2022-23; HCPs, individuals experiencing PCC in 2024, and evaluations of resulting programming.

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.

Reserach 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.

Webinar Series

This evaluation examines healthcare professionals’ engagement with online educational games integrated into a continuing medical education (CME) webinar series, assessing how gamification may extend and reinforce learning beyond the webinar format. Using registration, attendance, and game participation data, the project explores interactivity, time spent on learning activities, and overall patterns of engagement. A qualitative component further investigates participants’ experiences, perceptions, and the perceived educational value of the gamified environment. Findings will inform how online gamification can be effectively incorporated into CME to enhance learner engagement and support educational outcomes.

This evaluation examines the reach, effectiveness, and self‑reported impact of a CME webinar series delivered to rural healthcare practitioners in Saskatchewan (2023 - 24). Using registration, attendance, and post‑webinar survey data, it assesses interprofessional participation, perceived relevance, learning outcomes, and barriers to engagement. The evaluation also informs a broader mixed‑methods program aimed at understanding rural practitioners’ needs and strengthening webinar‑based CME.

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 Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA)

Category: Needs Assessment

Study: Analysis of 100 Clinical Field Assessment reports examined the strengths and challenges of internationally trained physicians during emergency room shifts in the SIPPA program.

Key Insight: Physicians demonstrated strong clinical knowledge, communication, and professionalism, while some procedural skills and ER-specific experience required strengthening.

Impact: Findings informed program improvements, including the addition of CASTED, Advanced Trauma Life Support, and airway management training to SIPPA’s orientation.

Category: Knowledge Mobilization

Study: A survey of SIPPA assessors and rural physician leaders examined what types of recent clinical experience best indicate readiness for international medical graduates entering the SIPPA program.

Key Insight: Respondents emphasized the importance of recent clinical practice in determining IMG readiness for rural family medicine practice.

Impact: Findings help inform SIPPA’s applicant criteria and support evidence-based decision-making when evaluating IMG readiness for practice in rural Saskatchewan.

Category: Program Evaluation

Study: This study analyzed procedural skill evaluations from 299 internationally trained physicians completing the Clinical Field Assessment in the SIPPA program between 2017 and 2023.

Key Insight: Physicians demonstrated strong exposure and competency in common primary care procedures, while more specialized procedures were encountered less frequently during assessment.

Impact: Findings support ongoing efforts to strengthen procedural training and standardize learning opportunities to ensure internationally trained physicians are well prepared for rural practice.

Category: Program Evaluation

Study: This qualitative study explored how SIPPA graduates perceive the program’s role in preparing them for the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) examination.

Focus: Interviews with recent SIPPA graduates examined the value of program orientation, mentorship, and exam preparation resources in supporting readiness for certification and practice in Canada.

Impact: Findings highlighted the importance of mentorship, structured feedback, and exam preparation supports in helping internationally trained physicians successfully transition into Canadian family medicine practice.

Articles

May 2025: Impact of a continuing medical education program on primary care providers - an analysis of a child psychiatry education program in Saskatchewan https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12082973/ 

Presentations

  • A Thematic Analysis of SIPPA ER Clinical Field Assessment Reports to Inform IMG Practice Readiness Assessment Programs.
    • 2023 Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) Rural & Remote Conference
  • Assessing International Medical Graduate (IMG) Proficiency in Procedural Skills During a 12-Week Clinical Field Assessment.
  • Assessing Criteria for IMG Selection and Practice Readiness in Rural Saskatchewan.
    • 2025 International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM)
  • Gamifying Virtual CME Learning: Enhancing Engagement Through Educational Games. 
  • Rural Healthcare Practitioners in Saskatchewan: Insights and Strategies for Enhanced Engagement and Effectiveness of CME Webinars.
    • 2025 Research, Innovation and Scholarship in Education (RISE)
  • Assessing the Impact of HIV CME on Primary Care Clinical Practices in Saskatchewan.
    • 2025 International Congress of Academic Medicine (ICAM) 
  • Access, Reach and Engagement of STBBI CME in SK: What the Registration Data is Telling Us. 
    • 2023 Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) Conference 
    • 2023 Research, Innovation and Scholarship in Education (RISE)