Rural Continuing Medical Education Community Program & Rural Programs Liaisons

The Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME) Community Program provides funding and resources to groups of physicians, including generalists and specialists, who live and deliver care in Rural Subsidiary Agreement communities.

The program supports physicians to plan learning based on local needs, reduce barriers to funding access and strengthen relationships among rural health system partners. RCME Liaisons support communities in developing local RCME models and collective learning strategies.

Hands-on Ultrasound Education (HOUSE) course in Dease Lake.

“CME has been pretty amazing for our community. […] Through all the funding, our little team actually gets to practice on site with equipment, with our local contacts, bringing our paramedics and nurses. We’re feeling much more confident as a team because of being able to run the courses on site.”

Dr. Breanne Abbot, Dease Lake

Achievements

Strengthening emergency airway care in the Kootenay Boundary

In October 2025, 32 physicians from multiple rural emergency departments in the Kootenay Boundary participated in the Airway Interventions & Management in Emergencies (AIME) program.

The hands-on, simulation-based course focused on complex airway decision-making and current Canadian guidelines. Delivering the training locally allowed physicians to learn with colleagues in a setting that reflected the realities of rural practice, including limited on-site specialist support and long transfer times.

Participants reported increased confidence and preparedness in managing complex airway scenarios.

“Having the opportunity to do it in my own community, with my colleagues, allowed me to discuss local practice challenges with people who work where I work. Having this course in my home community enhanced my learning exponentially.”

Dr. Melissa Herr

Supporting connection through the RCME transition

In 2025, the RCME Community Program began a structured transition and review process. Through interviews, surveys and discussions with coordinators and physician leads, the team gathered input to guide the transition of program administration to RCCbc.

The process also showed how the 2024 Rural CME Leaders Gathering continued to support collaboration across rural communities. Connections made at the gathering helped support 2025 education activities, including the Dease Lake POCUS initiative, Dr. Hoskins’ BREATHE Course reaching new rural communities, and increased coordinator confidence around accreditation requirements.

Over the year, the program continued moving from support for individual community education events toward a more connected provincial network for rural medical education.

Advancing Point-of-Care Ultrasound Skills in the Cowichan Region

Twenty physicians from Duncan, Port Hardy and Port McNeill gathered in Cowichan Bay for the Emergency Department Echo (EDE) 2 Course.

By training as a regional cohort, participants built advanced point-of-care ultrasound skills and strengthened professional connections across communities. Delivering the course within the region reduced travel barriers and made training more accessible for rural physicians.

Explore the numbers

↑ 66% Increased fund use in Island Health

RCME Community Fund use in the Island Health region rose by 66 per cent, from $270,046 in 2024 to $448,749 in 2025.

15 SPIFI-funded projects

The Specialist, Sub-specialty, Indigenous and Funding for Innovation (SPIFI) program approved 15 projects, with up to $10,000 for each, across four health authorities covering 25 communities.

1 new community

Takla Landing joined the RCME Community Program.

Project Partnerships

In 2025, the RCME Community Program worked with partner teams to pilot the Community Learning Plan initiative. The pilot was designed to better align physician learning goals with community-identified needs.

While the pilot did not achieve all intended outcomes, it strengthened relationships between the RCME Community Program, RCME Liaisons and UBC Rural CPD. It also clarified how the program can work in the background as a support and convenor, helping identify resources, make warm handovers and connect learning opportunities to needs identified through Personal Learning Plans.

The team also worked with the Rural Education Action Plan (REAP) team to support multiple SPIFI applications through the Closer to Home bursary, helping more physicians access training within or near their own communities.

Making A Difference

Bringing Medical Education Home: How Dease Lake Enhanced Rural Care with On-Site Ultrasound Training

Strengthening Rural Communities Through Education and Physician Retention

“While online events are convenient, they lack the interaction and learning opportunities of in-person gatherings. In rural settings especially, face-to-face education is essential for preserving local context and building the collegial connections that support both learning and physician wellness. ”

Dr. David May, rural family physician, qathet

Plans for the Future

In 2026, the RCME Community Program will transition from a co-delivery model with regional health authorities to a single-delivery model managed and administered by RCCbc.

This change is intended to improve consistency, streamline administration and strengthen support for rural communities across the province. At the same time, the program will continue to prioritize flexibility so communities can respond to their own learning needs.

Maintaining strong relationships with regional health authorities and community physician leaders will be central to the transition. Ongoing engagement, clear communication and collaborative planning will help support continuity for rural communities.