Canadian Family Physician

1 week ago | cfp.ca | Nicholas Pimlott

The German-born American physician and writer Martin Fisher, famous in his day for his aphorisms, is credited with saying half of the modern drugs could well be thrown out of the window, except that the birds might eat them. It sounds like he was an environmentalist physician well ahead of his time. It is surprising how little we physicians sometimes know about the medications we prescribe, even those prescribed routinely.

1 week ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

The founders of the CFPC and the profession of family medicine in Canada were optimists, believers, and aspirational. The organization’s first purpose from incorporation in 1968 was to promote the highest quality of medical care for the people of Canada.1 Family medicine is the best of Canadian health care. But the profession—and its professional home—are at risk.

1 month ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

What is the primary reason the CFPC exists? Setting and assuring the expectations of what it means to be a family physician. In a word: standards. The CFPC standards functions include accreditation of residency training programs, the Certification Examination in Family Medicine, awarding Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada and Certificates of Added Competence, as well as establishing certification and reporting expectations for professional development.

2 months ago | cfp.ca | Nicholas Pimlott

I woke upand I was old—It’s hard to judgeif this new countrywas worthits costsEileen R. Tabios,Mom Betty Addresses the Nature of ProportionAging and its attendant risks and losses—some visible, others not—is a theme of the February 2025 issue of Canadian Family Physician. Since 2018 the journal has published the Geriatric Gems series, curated and contributed to by Dr Chris Frank from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont, and Dr Frank Molnar from the University of Ottawa in Ontario.

2 months ago | cfp.ca | Michael Allan

Family medicine is an amazing discipline. The broad and extensive skill base allows for so many career options. Perhaps the greatest strength of the profession is that family medicine can be so many different things. Our challenge—our choice—is allowing those differences to be our strength or to lead to division and conflict. It’s possible that focusing on differences is part of human nature.