The PGME office will be continuing the Certificate in Leadership Series presented by Dr. Sean Caine. Dr. Caine is an emergency physician at London Health Science Centre and an Assistant Professor at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. Prior to moving to London, he worked in the GTA at both North York General Hospital, where he was the Director of Education for the Emergency Department and a committee member for North York’s national EM Update Conference, and at University Health Network. He has completed a Master of Science in Community Health in Health Practitioner Teaching and Education at the Dalla Lana School for Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is also the Peer-for-Peer Wellbeing Lead for the Division of Emergency Medicine. 

The certificate series includes 4 sessions:

Emotional Intelligence 

Thursday November 20, 2025 – 6-9pm via Zoom

Emotional Intelligence has been correlated as a key indicator of human performance and development. In this session, we will outline a working definition of Emotional Intelligence and explore how an improved understanding of our own emotional intelligence can enhance our performance as physicians and leaders.

Teamwork

Thursday February 12, 2026 – 6-9pm via Zoom

“The reframe that’s needed in healthcare is to call explicit and unrelenting attention to the interdependence of the work.” Medicine is becoming increasingly more complex. In this session, we will develop an understanding of how we can amplify our voices through teamwork and collaboration.

Leadership

Friday May 22, 2026 – 8am-4pm @ Sunningdale Golf and Country Club

Doris Kearns once said that great leaders have the “ability to utilize talent, skills and emotional intelligence to mobilize people to a common purpose – to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Nowhere is this more important than in medicine. In this session, we will reflect on why a greater sense of self reflection and awareness is required for effective leadership.

Wellness

Friday May 22, 2026 – 8am-4pm @ Sunningdale Golf and Country Club

Perhaps one of the biggest existential threats to healthcare is the impact on the well-being of the workforce. Now, more than ever, we are observing how our professions impact us personally. Our ability to recover and be present for our patients is becoming more and more challenging. In this session, we will explore various micro and macro influences on our own wellbeing. We will discuss how a better understanding of our environmental and personal attributes will help us to be better equipped to manage the complexities of healthcare.

CLICK HERE to APPLY NOW.

Applications are open for the Certificate in Leadership Series – 42 spaces available. 

Please complete the application form by Thursday October 30, 2025. We will notify the applicants who have been selected by the week of November 4th, 2025.

Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee placement. All applications will be reviewed carefully, and spots will be offered based on eligibility, availability, and program criteria.

If you have questions, please contact Jannelle Yoon, PGME Educational Developer at jannelle.yoon@schulich.uwo.ca.

Interested in leadership development but unable to attend the Certificate in Leadership course dates?
We encourage you to explore the Character-Based Leadership program offered by CPD- Western University. This program provides an excellent opportunity to build foundational leadership skills as well.
Visit the CPD website to learn more and register.

Serious Illness Conversations Retreat (SICR) – Thurs. Feb. 5, 2026

PGME is pleased to announce the Serious Illness Conversations Retreat (SICR) for 2026!  This program is available for residents in Royal College programs at a PGY2 lever or higher, as well as all Family Medicine residents.  Applicants are to be nominated by their Program Directors. 

SERIOUS ILLNESS CONVERSATIONS RETREAT:

The Serious Illness Conversations Retreat (SICR) is a powerful one day retreat based on the Serious Illness Conversation program that aims to build the necessary skills and comfort around conversations with patients and families who find themselves needing to make decisions regarding end-of-life care. Please expect residents’ requests to participate in the SICR with the understanding that they are expected model and share the skills and knowledge from the session to other learners in their program.   

This interactive program will focus mainly on small group, role-playing scenarios to develop skills and apply knowledge from short didactic presentations around serious illness conversations. Sessions will also address the implication of different resuscitation statuses, the ethics involved when considering end of life care, and also consideration of the impact of these conversations on physician wellbeing. As mentioned, the focus will be on application, as attendees will engage in small group discussions, role-plays, and large group reflection as they examine and apply conversation strategies to authentic case study scenarios.

CAPACITY:

Please note, to ensure the ideal learning experience, the workshop attendance is limited to a total of 30 attendees.  The selections will be made at the discretion of the Associate Dean, Manager, and the Educational Developer at the PGME office subject to the criteria as it applies to the proposed candidate.

Candidates for the SICR must meet the following criteria: 

1. The candidate is enthusiastic about teaching and disseminating skills to other learners in their program.
2. The candidate is in a clinical setting where end of life care discussions may be a part of their learning experiences.
3. The candidate is recommended and supported by their Program Director.
4. The candidate, if successful, will be supported and excused from clinical and resident duties for the full day of training at the retreat (Thursday Feb 5, 2026 at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club, 465 Sunningdale Rd W, London, ON). 

Please note: Successful SICR Attendees may consider utilizing these sessions as the basis of a scholarly project.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: To apply, Program Directors must complete the nomination form by December 18, 2025, and decisions on attendance will be announced on December 19, 2025.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the PGME office.

Whether you ​are looking for new ideas for health care improvement, want to get results in a particular area, or are ready to take your organization to a new level of performance, IHI has educational programs and training to help you. IHI offers virtual training, as well as online courses and other web-based education.

Free asynchonous online courses in healthcare quality improvement are available to residents. Click here to learn more. 

A CMPA Good Practice Guide is a free Canadian resource available to residents, focusing on medical-legal risk reduction and contributing to a safe medical practice. The guide includes:

• Patient Safety
• Teams
• Communication
• Managing Risk
• Human Factors
• Adverse Events
• Professionalism

As your teams continue to plan and schedule your academic half days, the OMA is now offering virtual workshops that can help suit your program curriculum and the various stages of CBME. You will provided with clear, objective information and advice in a highly informative and interactive session.

Hosting an Academic Half Day virtually with the OMA presents an opportunity to discuss some vital topics that can help support resident's personal and professional financial goals.  An OMA academic event enables residents to walk away confident to make informed decisions about protecting themselves and their families throughout their careers.