Touchstone Institute's Call for Applications – Physicians, Health Experts/Professionals and Other Professionals for Advisory and Decision Governance Committees

Touchstone Institute is releasing a Call for Applicants to expand and to build its governance structures enabling the pathways for internationally educated physicians and other health professionals) to successfully enter Ontario's health system. In particular, Touchstone is seeking to attract new members who are clinicians, health experts/professional and other professionals, i.e. human resource, legal, policy, administration. Together, Touchstone is endeavouring to foster collaboration and deepen the involvement of multi-disciplinary health professionals passionate advancing Ontario's health human resources mandate.

Touchstone Institute is a non-profit corporation governed by a board of directors and receives financial support from the Government of Ontario. It's the largest assessment centre of its kind in Canada, providing professional competency assessment and learning programs to support the delivery of high-quality health care. Touchstone Institute works closely with physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers who provide subject matter expertise to assess and improve the level of competency across individual practice. Touchstone Institute has become an integral part of the commitment to internationally trained health professionals seeking entry into training and practice in Ontario and has expanded to provide assessment, certification, and quality assurance programs for practitioners across Canada.

Current Opportunities

Currently, positions are available on two of Touchstone's new committees supporting the Practice Ready Ontario (PRO) Program. Funded by the Government of Ontario, Touchstone Institute works closely with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the Medical Council of Canada, and others while administering the PRO program. PRO is a workplace assessment program that aims to add internationally trained family physicians or general practitioners who have completed post-graduate training and have an established track record of work in another country to practice in rural communities in Ontario.

The following two Committees will be responsible for the assessment of internationally trained physicians within the PRO program. With the first cohort of candidates set to start their12-week field assessments, the following two Committees aim to be established this spring.

1. Practice Ready Ontario Assessment Committee

The PRO Assessment Committee will review Candidates profiles including a collation of assessment forms over the 12-week clinical field placement and any incident forms that may have impact on their performance and recommend a “pass/fail” assessment. The Committee will include diverse perspectives:

• three (3) family physicians with a full license in good standing from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and who have been in active clinical practice for at least five current years (the most recent 2 years being uninterrupted), and
• up to three (3) health experts/related professional, and other professionals, i.e., human resource, legal, policy, project management, representing regulatory bodies, provincial ministry of health and medical schools, who will sit as observers.

1. Practice Ready Ontario Appeals CommitteeThe purpose will be to review any appeals made by candidates with respect to the process/procedures of the Clinical Field Assessment, excluding the pass/fail decision of the CFA Committee. When an appeal is initiated, three members of this committee (at least one of which will be a physician) will be convened to form an appeals panel to review the appeal and to confirm the The Committee will include at least:

• independent physicians practicing family medicine practicing, or having had prior experience practicing in rural Ontario, and in Good Standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and
• health experts, health-related professional and other professionals, i.e., human resource, legal, project management.

Future Committee Opportunities

In addition to the above committees, Touchstone Institute has other advisory and decision-making committees that complete its governance structure. Each will be assessing membership over the coming year and will draw candidates from this open call for applicants as well.

Candidate Profile and Selection

Interested committee members will have a passion for advancing Ontario's mandate to build and strengthen health human resources through the injection of internationally trained health professionals. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to this noble cause, that will ultimately benefit all Ontarian by ensuring broader access to qualified health professionals, especially in rural and remote areas of the province.

Successful candidates will be selected based on their experience or expertise, with a view to having committee members with diverse skills, experience and perspectives to ensure the organization will benefit from a richness of advice. Geographic diversity will also be considered in selecting members, including experience in rural/remote practice settings, teaching experience with International Medical Graduates and prior experience with clinical supervision/assessment. A general orientation to the work of Touchstone Institute will be provided to all new members.

Expectations of Committee Members

Each committee will be governed by a term of reference that will establish its meeting schedule and term of members. Generally, committee members can expect to attend a meeting about once a month, for up to 3 hours per meeting. The frequency of meetings may vary depending during peak periods of a particular program, or may be less based on number of appeals filed.

Remuneration

Members will receive an honourarium for time spent as a member of one of Touchstone Institutes' governance committees.

Term of Appointment

The term of appointment will vary to ensure that candidate terms are staggered.

Applying for Committee Membership

All individuals interested in becoming involved with Touchstone Institute are asked to submit a cover letter and updated CV (or equivalent) no later than June 27, 2024. With permission, application packages will be kept on file for future opportunities to become involved in Touchstone's work.

More detailed information about this Touchstone Institute can be found at touchstoneinstitute.ca