PhD Course Descriptions

This course reviews the relevant literature on the scientific and theoretical basis of Family Medicine. Topics include: medicine and science, technology, craft and art; theory of diagnosis; classification of disease; natural history of disease; concepts of aetiology; concepts of health and disease; and social influences of health and disease. This course will explore whether family medicine represents a paradigm shift within medicine.

Advanced Patient-Centered Medicine (1.0 credit)
This course introduces the six components of Patient-Centered Clinical Method. Drawing on developmental theory, systems theory and life cycle issues, the course will examine the contextual influences that impact on a patient’s experience of disease and illness. Attention will be given to understanding the whole person and enhancement of the patient-doctor relationship. The course will also examine the broad determinants of health in order to expand the student’s understanding of contextual influences.

Research Methods in Family Medicine (1.0 credit)

This course deals with research principles and methodologies relevant to family medicine. Five types of epidemiological studies are reviewed: descriptive, cross-sectional, experimental, cohort, and case control. Evaluation methods and research synthesis are also covered. Theoretical principles that underline qualitative methodology are explored. Two specific qualitative methods – in depth interviews and focus groups will be demonstrated. In both the quantitative and qualitative methods the following details are covered: posing the research question, sampling, data collection methods, and analysis. Studies relevant to family practice are used as examples.

Canada’s health care system is universally recognized for its emphasis on access, equity and quality. However, like all health care systems across the world, the system could be made to function better. This course is structured to offer interested students an in-depth look at pertinent issues facing the Canadian health care system, and some possible policy options that could be tried (or are being tried) in order to improve the system. The course objectives include an in-depth look at the structure of the Canadian health care system; an in-depth examination of a few selected issues/problems facing the Canadian health care system today and stimulating discussion on policy attempts to solve these problems.

Doctoral Seminar (0.5 credit) 

The Doctoral Seminar will offer students an opportunity to discuss their thesis research and the integration of their course work with their thesis. Early in the seminar students will be able to present their ideas and research question in this forum and receive feedback from faculty and peers. There will be ongoing presentations of the students’ thesis work (ie research questions, presentation of relevant literature, methodology analysis plan) with a final presentation of the proposal. In addition, faculty will provide lectures and guest speakers will be invited to present on special topics. This will promote an active intellectual dialogue amongst students and faculty.

Advanced Quantitative Research Methods Course (1.0 credit)

This course will include proposal development, grant writing and publication preparation. Using examples of seminal studies in family medicine on clinical and health services topics, quantitative advanced design issues (eg. mediating factors, multi-stage sampling) and advanced statistics (multivariable analysis, adjustment for clustering and multilevel modeling) will be covered.

Using examples of seminal studies in family medicine on clinical and health services topics qualitative advanced design issues (eg. phenomenology, ethnography, participatory action research) and advanced qualitative analysis (use of computer software, interpretation – iterative approaches to analysis) will be examined. This course will also explore the use of multi-method designs in family medicine research.

Students will also have an opportunity to take graduate courses offered by other disciplines at The University of Western Ontario as per the agreement of the "Interdisciplinary Health & Social Science Cooperative Directory”.

1. All students enrolled in the Ph.D. program must successfully complete a comprehensive exam at the completion of their coursework.
2. The Ph.D. comprehensive examination will be in the form of a major paper written by a student in his/her area of research interest. It is expected that this paper will make a substantive and original contribution to knowledge in this area.

As a very general guide, the paper may address the following issues:

• Theoretical approaches to the content domain (historical and contemporary).
• Identification of major theoretical issues in the content domain.
• Strengths and limitations of various research methods used in the content domain.
• Assessment/measurement issues.
• Future directions in theory and research.

In addition to a written paper, students may have an oral examination on the content area covered by the paper. The purpose of the oral examination is to give the committee members an opportunity to seek clarification of points and issues contained in the paper. As the students may not be able to come to the University of Western Ontario for the oral examination they may use video or teleconference to do their oral examination.

The comprehensive examination committee is responsible for evaluating both the written and oral components of the comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examining committee will consist of the following three faculty members: the student’s dissertation advisor, a second reader, and a member of the comprehensive examination committee.

Each Ph.D. student will be admitted to work with a mutually predetermined faculty member in an agreed field of study and area of research. While aligned with the broad topic of the faculty supervisor’s program of research, the student’s thesis research will provide a foundation for the development of their future research career.

Once a student is admitted to the Ph.D. program, a Supervisory Committee comprised of the student’s supervisor and two other Family Medicine faculty advisors (determined in consultation with the student and approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee) will be formed. Committee composition will be finalized with the aim of affording the student both depth and breadth of expertise in the student’s area of study as well as expertise related to more general issues in Family Medicine.