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AFC roles and responsibilities

AFC (Diploma) committees

The AFC (Diploma) committees develop, review and update the CTR and portfolio documents for the AFC (Diploma) disciplines. The committees are also responsible for

  • reviewing the accreditation of AFC (Diploma) programs, and
  • acting as the independent portfolio assessors for the portfolio assessment process.

AFC trainee

AFC trainee is the term used to mean a physician training in an accredited Royal College AFC (Diploma) program. This nomenclature distinguishes them from residents who are training in accredited specialties and subspecialties leading to eligibility for Royal College certification.

Clinical supervisor

The clinical supervisor oversees the trainee for a specific milestone or milestones. He or she approves the documented evidence for the milestones that he/she supervised.

AFC director

The AFC director is the physician responsible for the administration and educational quality of AFC (Diploma) programs. This nomenclature distinguishes them from program directors who are responsible for residency training in accredited specialties and subspecialties leading to eligibility for Royal College certification.

Postgraduate dean or appointed faculty of medicine authority

The postgraduate dean attests that the trainee has acquired all the competencies of the AFC (Diploma) program by signing the Confirmation of Competencies Acquired form.

AFC (Diploma) applicant

AFC (Diploma) applicant is the term used to mean an AFC (Diploma) trainee who has submitted a portfolio to the Credentials Unit for review and assessment.

Credentials Unit

The Credentials Unit performs the AFC (Diploma) credentialing process, which includes

  • reviewing the trainee’s portfolio for completeness,
  • forwarding the portfolio to the assigned assessors, and
  • issuing the Royal College decision letter following the assessment.

Portfolio assessors

Independent portfolio assessors are expert physicians appointed by the AFC (Diploma) committees to thoroughly review the trainee’s completed portfolio. The portfolio assessors evaluate the trainee’s achievement of the competencies included in the AFC (Diploma) discipline’s CTR, based on the evidence provided in the portfolio.

AFC diploma candidate

AFC diploma candidate is the term used to mean an AFC applicant who has successfully completed all the requirements for an AFC (Diploma) program.

DRCPSC — Diplomate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Physicians who have successfully completed all the requirements of an AFC (Diploma) program and who annually maintain their status as a Diplomate of the Royal College receive an added qualification known as a Diploma of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or DRCPSC.

Only physicians who maintain their status as a Diplomate may use the “DRCPSC — Diplomate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada” designation.

Assessment documents

Competency Training Requirements (CTR)

The Competency Training Requirements (CTR) is a new AFC discipline-specific document that outlines AFC (Diploma) training requirements. It replaces both the Objectives of Training (OTR) and the Specialty Training Requirements (STR) used to outline training for specialties and subspecialties leading to Royal College certification.

Confirmation of Competencies Acquired (CCA)

This is a credentials document that must be signed by the AFC director and the postgraduate dean. It attests that all the required competencies outlined in the CTR have been satisfactorily completed. For Practice Eligibility Route-AFC, the CCA is completed by the two physician assessors and attests to the applicant’s scope of practice and competencies in the AFC discipline.

Portfolio

Milestone

A milestone is the specific competency expected of a physician at a particular stage of development as defined by the discipline’s CTR.

eDiploma

The Royal College has a new platform for submitting portfolios called eDiploma. The eDiploma system is integrated into the Royal College’s MAINPORT application (a secure web-based learning space). It allows you to upload evidence for milestones and also to exchange information with designated people.

Using eDiploma, physicians in training programs, clinical supervisors, diploma directors and postgraduate deans can review materials, provide feedback, request more information and approve achievements. When your portfolio is complete, the Royal College is notified that it is ready for review.