On January 28, 2010, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) participated in the nationwide launch of a report by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) entitled "The Future of Medical Education in Canada (FMEC): A collective vision for M.D. Education." The event included the video-linking of all of Canada’s 17 faculties of medicine to share in an overview of the newly released report and its recommendations.

Health care in Canada has become increasingly complex and faces challenges in the provision of quality care for the country’s diverse populations. In response to society’s evolving health-care needs and changing expectations, the AFMC set out to conduct a comprehensive review of M.D. education in Canada. "The Future of Medical Education in Canada (FMEC): A Collective Vision for MD Education" is the result.

Funded by Health Canada, this report is the culmination of a 30-month project involving extensive literature reviews, national and international consultations, and the participation of all Canadian medical schools, as well as many other stakeholders. It contains ten recommendations and five enabling recommendations which provide the basis for implementation.

The launch of the report began with a presentation by the three Co-Chairs of the FMEC Task Force on Implementation Strategy, Drs. Nick Busing, Jay Rosenfield and James Rourke. This was followed by a video montage of interviews with each of Canada’s Deans of Medicine, including NOSM Dean, Dr. Roger Strasser, who participated in the FMEC project and later commented on the report’s significance.

"This document provides the blueprint for a new approach to medical education in Canada that addresses the growing complexities of health care in Canada and the health challenges of our diverse populations. It is pleasing to note that the Northern Ontario School of Medicine has taken an approach to developing our M.D. program that is consistent with the recommendations in the FMEC study," he said.

A full copy of the report, in both official languages, as well as a downloadable version of the FMEC launch video can be downloaded at: www.afmc.ca/fmec/