title: Experiencing Health Advocacy During Cervical Cancer Awareness Week: A National Initiative for Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada requires that residents demonstrate competence in health advocacy (HA). We sought to develop and implement a national educational module for obstetrics and gynaecology residents to address the role of HA. This pilot program was centred on cervical cancer prevention, which lends itself to applying the principles of advocacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  An educational module was developed and disseminated to all obstetrics and gynaecology residency programs in Canada. The module describes options for HA involving cervical dysplasia screening, such as an outreach clinic or a forum for public/student education, which were to be implemented during Cervical Cancer Awareness Week. The measures of success were the number of programs implementing the curriculum, number of residents who participated, diversity of projects implemented, individuals (patients or learners) reached by the program, and the overall experience of the trainees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three programs implemented the curriculum in 2011, one in 2012, and seven in 2013. After three years, the module has involved seven of 16 medical schools, over 100 residents, and thousands of women either directly or indirectly. Additionally, attributes of HA experienced by the residents were identified: teamwork, leadership, increased systems knowledge, increased social capital within the community, creativity, innovation, and adaptability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have demonstrated that an educational module can be implemented nationally, helping our residents fulfill their HA requirements. Other specialties could use this module in building HA into their own programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Posner
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finlayson
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Gynecology Oncology Communities of Practice Program, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fung-Kee-Fung
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D012577:Schools, Medical; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: CanMEDS; cervical screening; gynecology; health advocacy; medical education