Terms of Reference

The Residency Program Committee (R.P.C.) is there to assist the Program Director in the planning, organization and supervision of the program.

Composition of Committee

(a) Program Director chairs the committee.

(b) The committee should also have representatives from major components of the education program.

(c) This committee must include representation from the residents in the program, at least one of whom is to be a resident representative, selected by his or her peers. The residents will include the chief residents and 2-3 other residents so that every year is represented. The residents’ term will be from September to August. The chief residents’ term is as per the chief resident document.

(d) The tenure of the faculty members is three years with an extension of a further three years at the discretion of the program director. Further extensions may be granted at the discretion of the program director.

The residency education committee must meet regularly, at least quarterly, and keep minutes. If it is a subspecialty residency education committee, the parent program director should receive a copy of the minutes, and similarly, if it is a departmental residency education committee, the Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Education should receive a copy of the minutes.

Responsibilities of the Residency Program Committee

The Residency Program Committee is responsible for:

(a) The development of a clear program plan including objectives based on CanMEDS competencies relating to knowledge, skills, and attitudes and based upon the general objectives of training in the specialty as published in the specialty training requirements of the College. The plan should also indicate the methods by which the objectives are to be achieved and the role played by each rotation and by each participating institution;

(b) The conduct of the program including the rotation of residents to ensure that each resident is advancing and gaining in experience and responsibility in accordance with the educational plan;

(c) The selection of residents for admission to the program. Individual programs must meet the minimum requirements established by the Faculty Postgraduate Education Committee. The Residency Program Committee may, however, develop their own criteria which exceed the minimum requirements;

(d) The establishment of mechanisms to provide career planning and counseling for residents and to deal with problems such as those related to psychological stress;

(e) The assessment of performance of each resident through a well organized program of in-training evaluation. This will include the final evaluation at the end of the program as required by the College

This will also include semi-annual to annual review of every resident by the post graduate committee. The chief residents will be involved in that review as a resident advocate. This process will occur through the Academic Support Committee and reported to the Resident Education Committee.

(f) The establishment of a means of evaluating the performance of each teacher and/or supervisor.

(g) The maintenance of an appeal mechanism in accordance with policies determined by the Faculty Postgraduate Education Committee. This process will occur through the Academic Support Committee and reported to the Resident Education Committee.

(h) Conducting an annual review of the program to assess the quality of the educational experience and to review the resources available in order to ensure that maximal benefit is being derived from the integration of the components of the program. This review must include:

• An assessment of each component of the program to ensure that the educational objectives are being met;
• An assessment of resource allocation to ensure that resources and facilities are being utilized with optimal effectiveness; and
• An assessment of teaching in the program, including teaching in areas such as biomedical ethics, medico legal considerations, and administrative and management issues

The opinions of residents must be among the factors considered in this review. Appropriate faculty/resident interaction and communication must take place in an open and collegial atmosphere so that a free discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the program can occur without hindrance.

For information about the Pediatrics Academic Support Committee, click here.

For information about the Overall Objectives of the McMaster Core Pediatric Residency Program, click here.