MD Program: Foundations Curricular Modification

March 13, 2020

Dear Foundations students,

First of all, I hope you have started enjoying a very well-deserved break.  I also want to thank you for staying calm and patiently await more information from the Faculty.  It is of utmost importance that you, our patients, and everyone in our community are safe.  Hence, many universities have adopted wide-reaching and appropriate measures, including ours.  Effective immediately and until further notice, all Foundations learning and assessment activities will be modified as follows:

Lectures

All live lectures will be replaced with lecture recordings from last year, or studio recorded YouTube videos, or live Zoom webinars (to be recorded) with the ability of students typing in questions for the speakers.  We are in the process of identifying the best option for each lecture to maintain as much educational value as possible.

CBL

CBL groups will continue to meet, as scheduled, via videoconference.  We will provide suggestions for videoconference options to our students and CBL tutors.  The groups can choose their preferred option. If the tutor is not able to meet as scheduled, we will assign the students to another virtual group.  We will continue to monitor the situation and our tutors’ availability.  Should many tutors be not available, we will amalgamate groups and conduct the session using a large virtual group format.

Workshops & Seminars

Year 1 – the ultrasound workshop will be canceled.  We will update you as soon as we have plans available.
Year 2 – the in-person airway workshop and trauma radiology workshops will be cancelled.  We will provide resources on both of these topics to the class and provide opportunities for you to ask questions from the experts.  Other sessions (including ECG, Medical Psychiatry and Poverty & Health) may need to be modified or cancelled, and we will update you as soon as we have plans available.

Learning Support

We will schedule in “Office Hours” via Zoom webinars to answer questions from the class regarding the content of the week.  Details will be provided at a later date.  We also encourage students to ask questions via the shared Q&A documents for each week.

Anatomy (Year 1 only)

Lab sessions will be cancelled.  We will provide students with prosection videos that can be used to supplement the eModules.  We are exploring alternative mode of assessment.  Details will be provided at a later date.

Portfolio

Portfolio groups will continue to meet, as scheduled, via videoconference.  We will provide suggestions for videoconference options to our students and academy scholars.  The groups can choose their preferred option.

HSR

Year 1 – HSR lectures will be replaced with online options (see Lectures section).  TCPS-2 HSR assignment will still be due on April 15.

Year 2 – You will no longer be required to prepare an oral presentation.  The tutorials scheduled for April 22 and 29 will be cancelled.

ICE: Health in Community

Year 1 – The May 12 tutorial will be conducted, as scheduled, via videoconference.  We will provide suggestions for videoconference options to our students and tutors.  The groups can choose their preferred option.

Year 2 - The April 2 and May 21 tutorials will be conducted, as scheduled, via videoconference.  We will provide suggestions for videoconference options to our students and tutors.  The groups can choose their preferred option.  The remaining 4 field experiences will be cancelled.  The MD Program will inform the agencies, but it is important for you to reach out to them to continue or wrap up the work you have been doing with them via email.

ICE: EEE

All EEE placements will be cancelled for the remainder of the year. Please ensure that you contact your faculty preceptor in order to let them know that you are no longer able to participate.Over the next couple weeks, the EEE team will be in contact with any year 2 students who have not yet completed or not fully logged the required number of hours for EEE with further information.

ICE: FMLE

As per Faculty of Medicine policy issued on March 11, students are prohibited from assessing or consenting patients who feel feverish or have a documented fever; or have a new or worsening cough or shortness of breath, or sore throat; or have presented for assessment of a possible upper respiratory tract infection or pneumonia.  In addition, all FMLE placements must have screening processes for COVID-1 in place and have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available for all staff and students at the placement.  The MD Program is assessing the suitability of the placements.  We will reach out to the students who may need an alternative placement in the next 2 weeks.

ICE: MP GPS Care (Year 1 only)

GPS Care simulation will be cancelled

ICE: Clinical Skills

All remaining clinical skills sessions will be cancelled until further notice.  We will be adding more online resources to support your independent learning.  Once we are able to resume clinical skills sessions, the teaching will be modified to help students catch up.  Depending on how the situation evolves, the OSCE may be delayed or modified.  We hope to identify a solution in April.

IPE

Year 1 – March 23 – “Operation IPE” session will be cancelled
Year 2 – March 23 – “Conflict in Interprofessional Life” session will be cancelled (alternate arrangements will be identified at a later date)

Other Seminars

Medical Imaging & Resilience seminars (Year 1), Ethics seminars (Year 1 and 2) - alternative plans are being made (details to be announced).

Mastery Exercises

Wherever possible, we will continue to conduct Mastery Exercises in classroom on the previously scheduled days.  However, students will be given different start time to allow for smaller groups.  We recognize that MEs may need to be deferred significantly for students who cannot attend in person due to illness or isolation, or in cases where there is a university closure.  We will communicate alternate dates where needed and endeavour to be flexible as circumstances change.  The April 3 ME for year 2 will be moved to the morning of April 6.  Further details will be provided at a later date.

Progress Testing

We will monitor the situation and determine if it is feasible to conduct Progress Testing (currently scheduled for May).  We hope to identify a solution in April.

MEET (Making Every Encounter Therapeutic) MP Program

The MEET MP experience for second year students will no longer go ahead as planned for this year. MEET MP teachers will be informed and all MEET MP patients encounters will be cancelled going forward.  Should you have questions or queries about MEET MP, please contact mpa.ume@utoronto.ca.

FINALLY ...

As you know, our circumstances are changing and evolving rapidly, and we may need to modify and adjust plans where needed.  We will keep you apprised of any changes and updates as they arise.  Please pay close attention to emails, the “Course Announcements” section of your course pages on Elentra, and the MedSIS schedule.  We appreciate your patience.  We are committed to continue our educational program as best as possible.

As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions, concerns, suggestions.  We are here to support each other, especially during these difficult times.  Please keep safe and healthy.  We will undoubtedly all learn a lot from this experience.

Sincerely,

Marcus Law
Director, Foundations
Marcus.law@utoronto.ca

James Owen
Course Director, CNC
James.owen@utoronto.ca

Ashna Bowry
Course Director, CPC2
Ashna.Bowry@unityhealth.to