Addressing the needs of IMGs and visa trainees
Our education programs are separated into three streams to help meet the needs of all IMGs and visa trainees transitioning to training in Ontario.
Review our program specific pages:
Canadian Medicine Primer (CMP)
Pre-Residency Program (PRP)
Pre-Residency Program – Family Medicine (PRPFM)
Population groups that attend
Our three streams of programming are applicable and specifically designed for all international medical graduates, including Canadians educated abroad, who have successfully matched to a training position in Ontario, or who have attained a position to further their training as a visa trainee or clinical fellow.
Competency-based education principles
Touchstone Institute’s programming is developed and delivered with expertise, adhering to the principles of competency-based education. Our curriculum is rooted in the
CanMEDS 2015 and
CanMEDS-FM 2017 frameworks, and addresses competencies specified by the Transition to Discipline and Foundations of Discipline stages in the
CBD Competence Continuum.
Integrated modalities of learning
Research shows that multimodal instruction is the most effective delivery of curriculum, providing learners with exposure to content in contextually meaningful ways. Our programming utilizes a multitude of learning modalities to not only address learning types and needs, but also to maximize program timelines and resources to best prepare our learners.
Physician-lead classroom sessions
Developed and delivered by our physician faculty, our didactic lectures help ensure that learners are familiar with foundational concepts and theory before putting them into practise. Class lectures facilitate robust engagement and discussion, and also allow faculty to offer tailored learning experiences that leverage the knowledge of the class while addressing the learning outcomes of the session.
Practise through simulation
Most classroom sessions integrate simulation to provide learners with the opportunity to apply course content in a formative and iterative environment. Simulation encounters ensure that learners are able to put theory into practise while receiving feedback and direction.
- Large Group Simulations are utilized in an in-class setting to model patient scenarios, allowing learners to engage by volunteering to demonstrate their skills.
- Small Group Simulations are structured similar to an OSCE, prompting learners to rotate through cases to engage in simulated patient scenarios. Unlike formal assessment, our small group simulations are a formative learning experience providing learners with individualized feedback on their performance from faculty physicians, simulated patients, and peers.
Online learning modules
We offer a comprehensive suite of online modules that compliment classroom sessions to provide orientation to important foundational topics, as well as house session slides, tip-sheets, and additional engagement resources. Our online learning system includes weekly quizzes to help learners identify their strengths and areas for improvement prior to training. To facilitate postgraduate learning, online resources remain available to learners during their residency training.
Individualized advice and support
To help support IMGs’ transition into training, Touchstone Institute offers learners a personal academic advisor upon request. Confidential consultations with advisors can range from simple discussions on practice in Ontario, to specific recommendations and supports that will assist learners in future training.
Subject matter experts in development and delivery
All Touchstone Institute sessions are developed and delivered by practising physicians in Ontario who are considered to be subject matter experts in their field. This allows learners to engage in a unique learning environment with physicians who not only understand their needs as an IMG, but also impart knowledge to help learners succeed in future training.
A solid foundation for continuous improvement
Touchstone Institute is committed to meeting learners’ needs through continuous review, renewal, and enhancement to our program offerings. Collecting and applying feedback from our stakeholders is a pillar in our work. We take great care to develop and renew our curricula with precision, perspective, and expertise to ensure we exceed the expectations of our stakeholders and learners alike.
Curricular Advisory Committee
Touchstone Institute holds regular meetings with a dedicated Curricular Advisory Committee comprised of physicians representing a range of specialties, training experience, experience as or working with IMGs, and who have worked with various medical schools across the province. The Curricular Advisory Committee works closely with the education programming team to ensure that all content and modalities include a breadth of experience and represent diverse needs.
Learner feedback
We regularly evaluate our programs to understand our learners’ needs and further program development. During and after each academic cycle, we collect and analyze anonymized learner feedback on the overall program, classroom sessions, online modules, and individual lecturers. Data is used to evaluate and modify our programs in collaboration with program directors and academic consultants.
Consultations with program administrators
Touchstone Institute embarks on an annual tour of the province to meet with key members of the postgraduate medical education (PGME) offices in Ontario. This critical consultation process ensures that we continue to understand and address the localized needs of medical schools, such as program dates, and curriculum or policy changes.
In addition to our PGME Tour, we host an annual Program Directors and IMG Coordinators meeting for Family Medicine (FM) programs to coordinate programming and ensure that FM trainees across the province have an equitable orientation experience prior to training.