Introduction
This programme is designed to upgrade the standards of care in Family Practice and to increase awareness of the global trend towards the provision of continuing and comprehensive care by the family doctor.
Objectives
Total duration of programme is 4 years
Exemptions if posting requirements are met
At least 2 years vocational training
Eligibility
The course is open to doctors/Government medical officers with 2 years experience in General Practice/Primary Care or equivalent
Methodology
Dr IS Ludher
Upon Completion
The course is open and doctors interested in the programme can enter the course at any stage but must complete 2 years of vocational training. Click for an application form for the Vocational Training Programme.
Course Fees
Please enquire from Mr Nadarajah, Admin. Officer of the Academic Office. He can be contacted at Tel: 03-4417735, 4423246, Fax: 03-4425206 or email: afpm@po.jaring.my
Details of Vocational Training Programme
1.Tutorials / Mentor Sessions:
Each mentor will guide no more than ten candidates over a two-year period.
It is emphasised that mentors are more of a facilitator of the group rather
than the sole resource person. He will help the candidates to identify
their learning needs right from the beginning, to stimulate self-directed
learning, to promote cohesiveness and mutual co-operation of the group.
The mentor sessions will also concentrate on topics and questions which
are deem to be of special importance for the MAFP/FRACGP examination,
2. Clinical Course and Mock Exams:
To improve the clinical skills of candidates, the course will concentrate
in improving three main areas:
1. ability to perform the relevant examination with the correct techniques
2. ability to recognise the abnormal clinical signs
3. ability to interpret the findings (diagnosis and differential diagnosis)
These skills will be developed over time. Candidates will be given the rating forms of Part II Exam and are encouraged to use them to guide learning of clinical examination in their own clinics.
Monthly one or three-day intensive course covering specific areas e.g. Cardiovascular or Joints Problems etc. will be held to expose candidates to likely examinable materials. As far as possible the sessions will simulate the actual examination with the participation of the examiners.
Some of these clinical courses will be held in local hospitals with the help of local specialists, while other courses will be held in Kuala Lumpur or specified regional centres The courses will provide specialist input and also encourage interaction among the course participants, specialists, mentors and examiners.
3. Clinical attachment
Candidates who realised deficiency in specific areas of clinical medicine will have to seek attachment in hospital or specialist clinics overcome their problem areas. These should be arranged to fit into their work and study schedule and the progress must be reported to the program secretariat.
4. Research project
Candidate will work toward one research project within the two-year period. The materials on research methodology, epidemiology and biostastatics will be provided as part of a postal module on basic research. A weekend course on research methodology for the course participants is being planned. Submission of completed research project is a pre-requisite for sitting Part II MAFP / FRACGP examinations
5. Quality assurance
Quality assurance activity (audit) will also be guided through the mentor sessions and postal module. Report of activities carried out would be assessed.
6. Self and group study
The course participants arc expected to do most of their work on their on while continuing their practice. They are however encouraged to meet regularly in small groups to discuss problems and give suggestions, other than meeting the mentors.
7. Postal modules:
All together 22 monthly modules will be developed and provided to candidates from January to October each year. Most of these modules will be written by family physicians or in conjunction with specialists if necessary. The modules are as follows:
1. Principles of Family Practice
2. Scientific basis of family medicine
3. Chronic Diseases - Diabetes, Hypertension, Asthma
4. Child Health 1
5. Child Health 2
6. Women's health 1
7. Women's Health 2
8. Cardiology I, Haematology
9. Psychiatry, Counselling, Terminal Care, Substance Abuse
10. Eye, ENT, Neurology
11. Practice Management / Management Theory / Administration
12. Cardiology II- IHD, CCF, ECG
13. STD), Skin, Infection
14. GIT, Endocrine, Respiratory Medicine, Nephrology, Urology
15. Emergency Medicine
16. Surgery, Orthopaedics
17. Rheumatology
18. Preventive Care
19. Occupational Medicine, Traveller’s health
20. Care of the Elderly
21 Public Health & Community Medicine
22. Research Methodology
8 Journal club
Critical review of reading materials will be part of the course and
regular practice through journal club will be implemented. The is aimed
at developing the candidates’ critical review skills in assessing all types
of information, especially in this era of evidence based medicine. The
discussion of the journal club will be done during the mentor sessions.