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Building confidence and compassion in end-of-life care conversations

Serious Illness Conversations Retreat

Building confidence and compassion in end-of-life care conversations

Serious Illness Conversations Retreat

Building confidence and compassion in end-of-life care conversations

Building confidence and compassion in end-of-life care conversations

Serious Illness Conversations Retreat

Building confidence and compassion in end-of-life care conversations

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  4. Serious Illness Conversations Retreat

Based on the Serious Illness Conversation program, the Serious Illness Conversations Retreat (SICR) is a one-day immersive learning experience designed to help residents develop the skills and confidence needed to navigate complex conversations with patients and families facing serious illness.

Offered by the Postgraduate Medical Education office, this highly interactive retreat focuses on practical communication strategies, ethical considerations, and physician wellbeing. Through a combination of short teaching sessions and hands-on practice, participants will build confidence in guiding patients and families through difficult decisions related to serious illness and end-of-life care.

The retreat prioritizes active learning, reflection, and peer collaboration in a supportive environment.

Participation in the SICR may serve as a foundation for a scholarly or educational project related to communication in serious illness care

Interactive Learning Experience

Participants will engage in:

  • Small group role-playing scenarios
  • Case-based discussions using real clinical situations
  • Short didactic teaching sessions
  • Large group reflection and debriefs

The focus is on applying communication strategies in realistic scenarios, allowing participants to immediately translate learning into practice.

Retreat Details

Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026

Location: Sunningdale Golf & Country Club

Attendance: Full-day commitment required

Support: Selected residents will be excused from clinical duties

Eligibility & Application

The SICR is open to:

  • Residents in Royal College programs (PGY2 and above)
  • All Family Medicine residents

All applicants must be nominated by their Program Director.

Applicants should demonstrate:

  • A strong interest in teaching and sharing knowledge with peers
  • Engagement in clinical environments where end-of-life care discussions occur
  • Support and endorsement from their Program Director
  • Commitment to attending the full-day retreat

Successful participants are expected to share and model the skills learned with other learners in their program.

  1. Program Directors complete the nomination form on behalf of the resident
  2. Submit nominations by December 18, 2025
  3. Applicants will be notified of decisions on December 19, 2025
To ensure a high-quality learning experience, participation is limited to 30 residents. Final selection will be made by the PGME leadership team based on eligibility and program criteria.

Questions?

If you have questions about the Serious Illness Conversations Retreat or the nomination process, please contact the PGME Office.

Email PGME