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| President’s Message “Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind.” ~ Bertrand Russell Renowned 17th century philosopher Bertrand Russell uttered these words to express his view on what gave purpose to his life. Keeping the sentiments expressed by him those many centuries ago in mind, I would like to devote this President’s message to welcoming the newest Registrants to our College… |
 | A Word from the Registrar With recognition on the Canadian landscape generally of the need for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), I’ve had cause to think more closely about what that means within a professional health regulatory context. As a first step, Council has adopted a Land Acknowledgement and we have – staff, Council and Committee members – taken a certificate towards Truth and Reconciliation by completing the First Nations University’s 4 Seasons of Reconciliation… |
| Welcome to Stanley Huang, Executive Assistant The College welcomed Stanley Huang to the role of Executive Assistant in June 2022. Stanley has a Bachelor of Science in economics and statistics from the University of Toronto, and he is fluent in English and Mandarin. Prior to joining the College, Stanley had several years’ experience in customer relations and supply chain management with a large US-based global supplier. He recently returned to Canada after completing his military training with the Taiwan Armed Forces. Stanley is available by email at shuang@cocoo.on.ca. |
| Bylaw Amendment Update Nomination for Elections At its June 24, 2022 meeting, Council voted to amend Bylaw 1 to remove the need for three nominators and allow for registrants wishing to run for election to Council to self-nominate. The amendment will come into effect for the 2023 elections. |
| Standing Drug Committee Update The College continues to track the status of the proposed amendments to the Drug Regulation that would largely eliminate specific named drugs and would instead provide drug categories within which registrants may prescribe. The College has been advised by the Ministry of Health that the proposed Drug Regulation is expected to come into force and effect January 1, 2023. An update will be provided when further details are available. |
| Practice Advisory Services Update On June 24, 2022, Peter Stavropoulos assumed the role of Acting Practice Advisor from Peter Ferguson. Peter Stavropoulos can be reached at practice@cocoo.on.ca with any practice-related questions. The following advisories are provided in response to stakeholder inquiries, requests for clarification and/or guidance received by the Practice Advisor. |
| Registration Exam Update In June, the College administered its 2022 Registration Examinations. The written examination, which is composed of two parts – core competencies and jurisprudence – was administered online on June 20th. The OSCE which stands for “Objective Structured Clinical Examination” was held on June 25th at the Michener Institute in Toronto. The College congratulates all the successful candidates and looks forward to welcoming you as a member. The Fall sitting of the exams is scheduled for November 1, 2022 (written – online) and November 5, 2022 (OSCE – in-person). Please contract Christine Hickey, Manager, Registration, Examinations & Quality Programs at chickey@cocoo.on.ca if you have questions about the Examinations or Registration with the College. |
| ICRC & Discipline Committee Update Between February and May 2022, the College received nine complaints, and opened two Registrar’s investigations. These numbers are consistent with last year. By comparison, in the same period in 2020-2021, the College received 11 complaints and opened three Registrar’s investigations… |
| Summarized Discipline Committee Decisions Between February and May 2022, the Discipline Committee disposed of two matters (in a third case, the hearing is ongoing). View the Summarized Discipline Committee Decisions for the two disposed matters… |
| ICRC and Discipline Committee Business Meeting On June 23, 2022, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) and the Discipline Committee met for an in-person business meeting. The meeting included educational presentations and group discussions. The ICRC was introduced to a new Risk Assessment Framework, to assist in its review of complaints and reports and to focus file reviews on the level of risk to the public. |
| Continuing Education Credit Change As a member of the College, you are required to obtain a minimum of 50 credit hours over a two-year period. The 2020-2021 cycle concluded on December 31, 2021 and a member Continuing Education Audit is currently underway for this cycle. The current cycle, 2022-2023, commenced on January 1, 2022. Please ensure you are meeting your continuing education obligations which consists of a minimum of 20 credits hours of Category A education and a maximum of 30 credit hours in Category B. |
| Quality Assurance Committee Update In late May, the Quality Assurance Committee met for their inaugural business meeting. This meeting included an education component presented by legal counsel from WeirFoulds LLP followed by an extensive discussion and review of revised policies relating to the Practice Assessment and Continuing Education Program. The updated Practice Assessment Policy and Terms of Reference will be posted to the College’s website by the end of September. If you have any questions regarding Quality Assurance programs, please contact Christine Hickey at chickey@cocoo.on.ca. |
 | Registrant Distress/Suicide Prevention on Website The College recognizes the significant toll the pandemic has taken on members, and that some may need mental health support or resources. Please visit the College’s website for a list of support services. |
| Member Communications & Social Media Please ensure your email on file with the College is current and accurate, and that you regularly check your spam folder for emails from the College. Members may update their information anytime via the Member Portal. The College is committed to increasing its presence on social media. Please follow the College on LinkedIn and Twitter for important updates about changes to standards and guidelines, renewal deadlines, important decisions arising from Council meetings, and other important updates. |