Tools and information to support family physicians, updates on scope expansion, OCFP Awards, and more.
Updated: November 28, 2025
The OCFP was proud to hold our 2025 Annual Awards Ceremony on November 19, 2025, where we honoured the extraordinary achievements of 13 current and future family physicians. You can read more about them here.Congratulations to all our award recipients!
Celebrating these achievements goes beyond recognition. It reflects the ongoing commitment of family physicians to shape the future of family medicine. By advocating on your behalf, OCFP continues to ensure that family physicians have the supports, resources, and policies needed to lead in patient care and improve our health system.
Please see below for information and tools to support you in practice.
Jobin
Scope of Practice Expansions
The government is proposing changes that would allow psychologists with expanded training to prescribe certain medications and order diagnostic tests. Read our response to this proposal here, submitted jointly with the CFPC, which raises concerns around pharmacological and diagnostic competencies and the risks of further fragmenting care, among others.
As the government also considers expanding pharmacy-based prescribing and vaccination, the OCFP has reinforced the need for safeguards around continuity of care and patient safety and not adding to the family physician workload. Read the response here.
Surveys for Residents & Early Years in Practice Physicians
We’re seeking input from family medicine residents and physicians in their first five years to better support them as they transition into practice. We ask that you please share these short surveys with your residents and early-career colleagues.
Participants can enter a draw for a $200 Amazon.ca gift card. The surveys will close on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
CPSO Advice on Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Clinical Practice: As more family physicians incorporate the use of AI tools in their practice, the CPSO is sharing Advice to the Profession. To access their advice, click here.
Tools to Support Recognition, Assessment, Diagnosis and Management of patient conditions: The Centre for Effective Practice (CEP) is sharing clinical tools designed specifically for frontline use in primary care, including:
Menopause Management: Ontario Health (OH) has recently released its new quality standard, Menopause: Care for Women and Gender-Diverse People. To access the standard, click here.
Family physicians can join OH’s community of practice for support to implement the quality standard.
The Centre for Effective Practice has developed a tool focusing on menopause management. The tool provides evidence-based guidance on menopause assessment and the full range of treatment options, including considerations for specific populations and follow-up care.
OCFP’s Tools: As a reminder, we continue to update our website to include information related to government programs for flu, COVID-19 and RSV, as well as tools to support you and your patients. To access the OCFP’s resources, please click here.
COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccination and Antivirals: With respiratory illness season upon us, the Minister of Health is encouraging the public to protect themselves by getting vaccinated. See the news release here.
Ontario Health has developed clinical recommendations for antiviral therapy of seasonal influenza, which are available here.
Osteoporosis and Fracture Prevention Workshop (December 3, 2025, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00) p.m.) Register here.
Join us to learn best practices and key updates from the 2023 Canadian guideline for managing osteoporosis and preventing fractures. Take advantage of this last opportunity to earn three credits per hour (9 total) through this Mainpro+ certified program.
Celebrate the OCFP’s 100th Changing the Way We Work Community of Practice! (December 5, 2025 from 7:55 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) Register here.
We invite you to join us as we welcome special guests to celebrate our 100th session of the Changing the Way We Work Community of Practice. This session will provide a respiratory update and review antiviral therapy for seasonal influenza.
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care, Audit and Feedback to Improve Antibiotic Prescribing (January 16, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.) Learn more and register here.
Join us for a live session moderated by OCFP President Dr. Jobin Varughese with a presentation by Dr. Kevin Schwartz and Dr. Noah Ivers. The session will review the peer‑comparison audit and feedback on antibiotic prescribing to help physicians improve patient care and support antimicrobial stewardship.
OCFP President Dr. Jobin Varughese and President-Elect Dr. Eric Wong were recently featured in podcasts sharing insights on emerging topics affecting family physicians. Tune in to their conversations:
I’m Pharmacy Podcast- Relieving the Pressure: Easing a strained health care system with minor ailments prescribing
Hosted by the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
Dr. Eric Wong joined a panel of family physicians, pharmacists, and educators for a thoughtful discussion about how minor-ailments prescribing is evolving in Ontario and what it means for patient care. Listen here.
Breaking Silos in Canadian Healthcare Podcast- FHO+ Roundtable: The Future of Family Medicine in Ontario
Dr. Jobin Varughese joined a collaborative discussion with the OMA and SGFP to tackle key challenges in primary care and highlight what’s needed to break down silos and strengthen the system for family physicians and patients. Listen here.
Pulse Check: The Primary Care Podcast – The Future of Family Medicine in Ontario
Hosted by the Ontario Medical Students Association
Dr. Jobin Varughese was featured in a podcast for medical students, where he discussed opportunities on the horizon for the next generation of family physicians and the importance of supporting family physicians as they transition into practice. Listen here.
Trillium PHC Research Day: We were proud to join family physicians from across Ontario on October 17, 2025 to learn about important research supporting improvements in primary care. Check out the research posters presented here.
