CanMEDS-Family Medicine Key Competencies

Each CanMEDS-FM Roles has a set of Key and Enabling competencies.  Listed below are the Key Competencies for each Role.  For a list of the enabling competencies for each of the Roles, please refer to the CanMEDS-FM document. 

Medical Expert

1. Integrate all the CanMEDS-FM roles in order to function effectively as generalists

2. Establish and maintain clinical knowledge, skills and attitudes required to meet the needs of the practice and patient population served

3. Demonstrate proficient assessment and management of patients using the patient-centred clinical method

4. Provide comprehensive and continuing care throughout the life cycle incorporating appropriate preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions

5. Attend to complex clinical situations in family medicine effectively

6. Demonstrate proficient and evidence-based use of procedural skills

7. Provide coordination of patient care including collaboration and consultation with other health professionals and caregivers

Communicator

1. Develop rapport, trust and ethical therapeutic relationships with patients and families

2. Accurately elicit and synthesize information from, and perspectives of, patients and families, colleagues and other professionals

3. Accurately convey needed information and explanations to patients and families, colleagues and other professionals

4. Develop a common understanding on issues, problems and plans with patients and families, colleagues and other professionals to develop, provide and follow-up on a shared plan of care

5. Convey effective oral and written information

Collaborator

1. Participate in a collaborative team-based model and with consulting health professionals in the care of patients

2. Maintain a positive working environment with consulting health professionals, health care team members, and community agencies

3. Engage patients or specific groups of patients and their families as active participants in their care

Manager

1. Participate in activities that contribute to the effectiveness of their own practice , healthcare organizations and systems

2. Manage their practice and career effectively

3. Allocate finite healthcare resources appropriately

4. Serve in administration and leadership roles, as appropriate

Health Advocate

1. Respond to individual patient health needs and issues as part of patient care

2. Respond to the health needs of the communities that they serve

3. Identify the determinants of health within their communities

4. Promote the health of individual patients, communities and populations

Scholar

1. Maintain and enhance professional activities through ongoing self-directed learning based on reflective practice

2. Critically evaluate medical information, its sources, and its relevance to their practice, and apply this information to practice decisions

3. Facilitate the education of patients, families, trainees, other health professional colleagues, and the public, as appropriate

4. Contribute to the creation, dissemination, application, and translation of new knowledge and practices

Professional

1. Demonstrate a commitment to their patients, profession, and society through ethical practice

2. Demonstrate a commitment to their patients, profession, and society through participation in profession-led regulation

3. Demonstrate a commitment to physician health and sustainable practice

4. Demonstrate a commitment to reflective practice