173 NLMA Communique Volume 17, No. 1 (January February 1998)

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Newfoundland and Labrador Medical association
99;
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Volume 17, No 1
What better place to hold a
rural medicine conference
From May 5 to 8, rural physicians
from all over Canada will descend
on St. John's to attend the 6th
Annual Rural and Remote Area
Medicine Course and annual meeting of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC). And what
better place to hold such a meeting
than in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Last year's meeting in Banff,
Alberta, attracted over 150 family
physicians and specialists from rural
areas across Canada. Conference
organizers are hoping for a good
turnout in St. John's because of the
tremendous continuing medical
education opportunity for rural
physicians.
"What's significant about this
CME event is that the content is
suggested and organized by rural
physicians who practice in rural
areas," says Dr. Con O'Maonaigh,
chair of the planning committee for
the rural and remote medicine
program. "Therefore the program
reflects what rural physicians fe£l
will meet their educational needs."
As an example, Dr. O'Maonaigh
mentioned the intensive hands-on
workshops on rural obstetrical care,
basic survival training and internet
training for rural physicians.
Dr. Keith MacLellan, SRPC
President, says the SRPC event is
significant because it is the only
national conference on rural
medicine. "There are, as a matter of
fact, very few regional ones so this
makes it doubly important," says Dr.
MacLellan. "Rural medicine is now
increasingly being recognized as a
focus of its own, particularly in such
a rural country as Canada. This
conference not only covers some of
the special CME needs of rural
physicians, but also addresses the
policy aspects of rural medicine.
Finally, it is a great way for rural
doctors to overcome some of the
isolation, both social and professional, that characterizes rural
practice."
Society members will discuss
several policy aspects at it's annual
conference on May 5 that Dr.
MacLellan says will help achieve the
society's goals of
creating sustainable
working conditions
for rural doctors and
equitable access to
health care for rural
communities. This
/ 'Y will include a
plenary session on
nurse practitioners
< ^ and rural medicine
that will bring
together policy
makers in government
and various nursing and
medical associations with
rural doctors and nurse practitioners.
The impact of new technologies
on rural medicine is an important
part of the program. A Technology
Health and Education Clinic will be
set up to showcase state-of-the-art
technology that can assist rural
physicians in diagnosing and
treating patients and also provide
continuing medical education.
Many physicians from this
province are involved in leading
sessions, including:
• Dr. Rod Elford, associate director, research and development,
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