WHAT IS M-CAP?
M-CAP is a 16 week, intensive, full-time Medical Communication Assessment Program aimed at assisting immigrant International Medical Graduates to increase their language proficiency, communication skills, and cultural understanding for entry into the medical profession.

M-CAP was previously known as L-CAP (Language & Communication Assessment Project). The program was established in 2006 and now offers programs in Calgary and Edmonton .

PURPOSE OF M-CAP
The program intends to increase International Medical Graduates' language proficiency, communication skills, and cultural understanding for employment within a Canadian medical context. The program introduces participants to information that is relevant to medical practice in Canada . It prepares participants for the next steps towards licensure (i.e. medical examinations such as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination – Part 2 (MCCQE2) or equivalent. It also prepares participants for residency programs, clinical assistant positions, or other similar type positions available to IMGs within the medical profession.

PROGRAM TYPE
The program was designed around a unique, performance-based curriculum approach to the development of English for Professional Practice. It uses language instructors, standardized clinical case scenarios, physician feedback, and standardized patients (professional actors) to create authentic and dynamic communication situations relevant to the practice of medicine.

The program delivery follows a weekly template of in-class preparation activities, coached role-plays, individual video-taped performances on rehearsed medical cases, daily feedback and self reflection, and a final video-taped performance for each participant on unrehearsed medical cases, organized in a hierarchy of increasing communicative complexity.

The curriculum was organized around “week-at-a-glance” curricular templates, which integrated the learning objectives with the clinical case objectives, the professional language functions as specified by the Calgary Cambridge Guides: Medical Communication Process Skills framework, and the language assessment and individual observations.

PROGRAM LOCATION
The program is offered in the following two locations:

University of Calgary , Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre

University of Alberta , Faculty of Medicine, Zeidler Ledcor Centre

PROGRAM LENGTH AND START DATE

The program is a total of 16 weeks. Weeks 1 to 8 include an in-class language and communication training component. Weeks 9 to 16 include a practicum placement with a licensed physician.

Program start dates for 2010 are dependent on funding and will be announced once funding is secured.

PARTICIPANTS MUST COMMIT TO THE FULL 16 WEEKS.

The schedule is as follows:

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 9:00am - 3:30pm

Wednesdays 9:00am - 12:00pm

Note: There are no classes on statutory holidays.