Guidelines for Mentoring Physicians


Guidelines for Mentoring Physicians Regarding Defined Licenses Under Section 25 of the Medical Act of Nova Scotia Chapter 10, Acts of 1995-96

Amendment to the College of Physicians and Surgeons Registration Regulations made by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia pursuant to subsection 6(3) of Chapter 10 of the Acts of 1995-96 the Medical Act

The College of Physicians and Surgeons Registration Regulations , N.S. Reg. 141/96, made by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia and approved by the Governor in Council by Order in Council 96-638 dated August 28, 1996 , are amended by repealing Sections 14 and 15 and substituting the following Sections:

14) An applicant for registration in the Defined Register under Section 25 of the Act who is not eligible for full registration, registration in the Temporary Register or registration in the Medical Education Register must

(a) be a graduate in medicine from a university or school of medicine approved by the Council;

(b) have post graduate training appropriate for the practice and approved by the Council;

(c) have a sponsor who is approved in writing by the Council;

(d) for the initial year as a registrant on the Defined Register, have a mentor who is approved in writing by the Council

(e) pass examinations acceptable to the Council;

(f) have appropriate malpractice insurance or membership in a protective association and provide proof of this as required by the Registrar; and

(g) comply with any requirements considered necessary by Council.

14A) Following the initial year as a registrant on the Defined Register, the Council may require the registrant to have a mentor approved in writing by the Council for a further period of time as determined by the Registrar.

15A) sponsor of a registrant in the Defined Register must

(a) have full registration with the College;

(b) reside in the Province;

(c) be nominated by the district health authority in which the registrant will be practising and approved by the Council;

(d) arrange for and approve in writing the registrant's mentor required by clause 14(d) and, if applicable, by Section 14A;

(e) report in writing on a yearly basis, or as considered necessary by the Council, on the performance of the registrant;

(f) notify the College promptly if they have concerns about the practice of the registrant; and

(g) comply with any other requirements considered necessary by the Council.

15A) A mentor of a registrant in the Defined Register must

(a) have full registration with the College;

(b) reside in the Province;

(c) be engaged in a scope of practice comparable to the registrant;

(d) practice medicine in the same district health authority as the registrant's sponsor and the registrant;

(e) be approved in writing as a mentor by the registrant's sponsor and the Council;

(f) report regularly to the registrant's sponsor on the performance of the registrant and report to the Council as required by the Council on the performance of the registrant;

(g) notify the Council promptly if they are concerned about the practice of the registrant; and

(h) comply with any requirements considered necessary by the Council.

Before Beginning to Mentor

Before beginning to serve as a mentor for a CAPP physician (defined licensee) you must:

• be approved by the CAPP physician’s sponsor

• be approved by the College

• review the CAPP physician’s background information (past training and practice experience) and pre-licensure assessments to ascertain the licensee’s strengths and weaknesses

• meet with the CAPP physician prior to agreeing to mentor, to better understand their preferred scope of practice, areas of special interest, and other matters relevant to their intended practice of medicine

• be aware of any conditions or restrictions prescribed by the College of the defined licence

• be aware of any requirements prescribed by the College for the CAPP physician to take courses or assessments/examinations

• be aware of the expectations and time commitments involved with the mentoring process

• must notify the College in writing of their agreement to mentor the CAPP physician and provide information to the College and to the sponsor about the proposed practice arrangement and initial plans for availability and supervision. The sponsor must endorse the proposed arrangement.

• The sponsor/ mentor should contact the Chief of Staff/Medical Director of the District Health Authority regarding the mentorship.

 

Expectations of Mentors

The College has the following expectations of mentors:

Time Commitment

The mentor must:

• attend a mentors’ workshop conducted by the Clinical Assessment for Practice Program (CAPP)

• participate in the 4 week initial phase (as the mentor-designate) to determine whether the CAPP physician is suitable for the proposed practice setting

• understand that, on average, the mentor is expected to be directly involved with the CAPP physician for 4-5 hours per week


Supervision and Coaching

• The mentor and the CAPP physician should develop a plan for supervision.

• The degree of supervision required will depend on the strengths and weaknesses of the CAPP physician.

• In some instances, especially early on in the mentorship, close supervision may be necessary. This may include ‘shadowing’, daily meetings, daily or weekly review of records, checks with colleagues, staff or patients.

• The College may require the mentor to provide more direct supervision in some circumstances.

• The mentor shall monitor the practice of the CAPP physician with respect to both clinical competence and professional behaviour.

• The mentor shall play an active role in guiding the CAPP physician with respect to relevant CME activity, as identified in the CME education plan.

• The mentor is expected to use a variety of strategies to monitor the CAPP physician’s clinical practice including direct observation, case discussion and chart review and to provide relevant feedback in a timely and supportive manner.

Assessment

• The mentor shall complete the periodic progress reports in a timely manner and, after discussing the report with the CAPP physician, forward the report to the sponsor and to the College. The progress reports are to be completed after the initial phase and at months 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.

• The mentor shall review the CAPP physician’s self-appraisal progress reports at similar intervals.

• The mentor and the CAPP physician must forward these completed progress reports to CAPP in a timely manner.

• The mentor shall assist the CAPP physician in making the necessary arrangements for the independent external assessor’s practice visit at about 4-6 months and subsequently review the assessor’s report with the CAPP physician.

• The mentor shall assist the CAPP physician in making the necessary arrangements for the distribution of the questionnaires for the multisource feedback at about 10 months and subsequently review the reports with the CAPP physician.

• The mentor shall assist the CAPP physician with integration into the local medical/health care.

Replacement Arrangements

• While it is not anticipated that the mentor will be available 24 hours a day/7 days a week, the mentor must arrange with a fully licensed physician to be available, within a reasonable period of time. The mentor must notify the CAPP physician of the particulars of this arrangement.

When the formal mentorship ends

• It is anticipated that the duration of the mentorship will be a total of 13 months (initial phase plus 12 months). Following completion of this period the College will decide whether a further period of mentorship is necessary.

• Following completion of the mentorship, the CAPP physician must still continue to have an approved sponsor for the duration of the defined license.

If mentorship ends before the designated 13 months

• The mentor may withdraw mentorship at any time. This is a serious decision because upon withdrawal of mentorship the defined licence is no longer valid. It is advisable that the mentor discuss significant concerns early on with the College and with the sponsor so that appropriate help and support may be provided to address or resolve serious concerns. The concerns must also be discussed with the CAPP physician.

• The mentor and the CAPP physician must follow the clear process, outlined in the document ‘Review and Negotiation Process’ found in the Resource Manual for Mentors and Resource Manual for CAPP Physicians.

• The mentor must notify in writing the sponsor, the College and the CAPP physician of withdrawal of mentorship.

• If the CAPP physician leaves the practice, the mentor must notify in writing the sponsor and the College.

Mentor's Expectations


• The mentor can expect appropriate preparation and on-going support by the College for their role as mentor.

• The mentor will receive remuneration from the District Health Authority for serving as a mentor.

• The mentor will receive appropriate recognition by the College for serving as a mentor.

 

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Page Updated: December 17, 2007