Resident Day 2009, Thursday, May 28 - Medical residents, an essential link in access to care

    MONTREAL, May 27 /CNW Telbec/ - On Thursday, May 28, 2009, the Fédération
des médecins résidents du Québec (FMRQ) will be celebrating Resident Day, for
the 8th year in a row. The purpose of this Day is to raise public awareness of
Quebec medical residents' role within the health care system and acknowledge
their unique contribution.

    Medical residents, an essential link

    "Medical residents work in the shadow," stated FMRQ president, Dr Martin
Bernier, "and their work often goes unrecognized. However," he went on, "they
are an integral part of health care teams, and an essential link in the health
care system for access to care." They are to be found in more than 100 health
care establishments in Quebec, 24 hours a day, in Emergency, in Intensive
Care, on the floors, in clinics, family medicine units and operating rooms, in
every region of Quebec.
    Residency is an extension of the training acquired at university. After
studying for 4-5 years to complete their diploma of doctor of medicine (MD),
all physicians trained in Quebec have to perfect their knowledge and technical
skills by performing residency, that is, training in a hospital setting
lasting two years in family medicine and 5-6 years in a specialty. Upon
completion of this training, after an exam confirming their competencies, they
then start out in practice, setting up in an office or working in an
establishment.

    Patient care, Research and Teaching

    Currently, more than 2,700 medical residents are pursuing postgraduate
education in Quebec, where they deliver care to the public, teach their
medical resident and medical student colleagues, and collaborate in research
projects, in both family medicine and specialties. They are to be found in
every medical and surgical discipline. They are on duty between 72 and 100
hours a week, sometimes even longer. "If you're hospitalized or go to
Emergency, it's often medical residents who'll receive you and deliver care to
you," Dr Bernier pointed out.

    Medical residents, added value, all year round

    "On May 28, 2009, medical residents will be at their posts, as they are
every day," concluded Dr Bernier. "For the public, and for health system
workers, this will be an opportunity to underscore their work, a contribution
which constitutes added value in the health care system, all year round."

    Fédération des médecins résidents du Québec

    The Fédération des médecins résidents du Québec is made up of the four
medical residents' associations of the medical faculties of the University of
Montreal, McGill University, the University of Sherbrooke and Laval University
in Quebec City. It has more than 2,700 members, of whom one quarter are headed
for a practice in family medicine. The others are pursuing training in one of
the 35 specialties recognized in Quebec. Of that number, 40% are men and 60%
are women. The duration of postgraduate education in family medicine is two
years, while for specialized physicians it varies from five to seven years,
depending on the specialty chosen.

                     LIST OF HEALTH CARE ESTABLISHMENTS
                   WHERE MEDICAL RESIDENTS ARE TO BE FOUND

    Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec                   1
    Centre de médecine familiale de Granby                               1
    CS Drummond                                                          3
    CSSS Port-Cartier                                                    1
    Hôpital Charles-Lemoyne                                             55
    Clinique médicale St-Léonard                                         1
    CSSS de Jonquière                                                    1
    Procrea Services clinique                                            1
    Centre hospitalier régional de Trois-Rivières                       26
    CRSSS Rimouski                                                      16
    CSSS Baie-des-Chaleurs                                              10
    CSSS Champlain                                                       6
    CSSS d'Arthabaska-Erable                                            10
    CSSS de Chicoutimi                                                  33
    CSSS de Gatineau                                                    15
    CSSS de Laval                                                       30
    CSSS de Manicouagan                                                  9
    CSSS de Rouyn-Noranda                                                6
    CSSS des Iles-de-la-Madeleine                                        1
    CSSS du Nord de Lanaudière                                          14
    CSSS du Sud de Lanaudière                                            9
    CSSS du Vieux Longueuil                                              5
    CSSS Domaine-du-Roy                                                  2
    CSSS Faubourgs, Plateau Mont-Royal                                   7
    CSSS La Pommeraie                                                    2
    CSSS Les Eskers de l'Abitibi                                         4
    CSSS de L'Energie                                                   16
    CSSS Drummond                                                        9
    GMF des Bois Francs                                                  1
    CSSS des Etchemins                                                   9
    CSSS de la Vallé-de-l'Or                                             1
    CSSS de Lac-Saint-Jean-Est                                           6
    CSSS de la Vieille-Capitale                                         18
    CSSS Richelieu-Yamaska                                               5
    CSSS de la Haute-Yamaska                                             1
    CSSS d'Antoine-Labelle                                               1
    CSSS de Bordeaux-Cartierville                                        9
    CSSS de la Montagne                                                 12
    CSSS de Saint-Jérôme                                                 6
    CSSS de Sept-Iles                                                    2
    CSSS des Basques                                                     8
    CSSS du Sud-Ouest-Verdun                                            23
    CSSS de Sorel-Tracy                                                  1
    CSSS - Institut universitaire Douglas                               39
    Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur                                             
110
    Hôpital Louis-H. Lafontaine                                          8
    Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont                                       132
    Hôpital Ste-Justine                                                136
    Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal                                 24
    Institut Philippe Pinel de Montréal                                  6
    Institut de Réadaptation de Montréal                                 5
    Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Sherbrooke                    1
    CHUM                                                               316
    MUHC                                                               405
    Jewish General Hospital                                            123
    St. Mary's Hospital                                                 44
    Hôpital Laval                                                       83
    Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis                                                 24
    C.H.U.Q.                                                           287
    Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke                     263
    Dr Georges-Dumont                                                   28

For further information: Johanne Carrier, Communications, Fédération des
médecins résidents du Québec, (514) 282-0256 (office), 1-800-465-0215, (514)
591-0502 (cell), (514) 751-9983 (pager); Source: Dr Martin Bernier, President,
Fédération des médecins résidents du Québec