Prevalence of test accommodations for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam Part I, 2013-2021.

Introduction: Previous articles have highlighted the laborious process of acquiring disability accommodations in medical education. We endeavoured to characterize the trends of test accommodations on the MCCQE Part I. Methods: Data was obtained from the Medical Council of Canada on the number of applicants who attained test accommodations on the MCCQE Part I between 2013 and 2021. The number of test takers for the same period was obtained from the Medical Council of Canada's Annual Technical Reports; this data was not publicly available for 2013, 2014, or 2021. Prevalence rates and graphs were produced. Results: The number of test takers who attained test accommodations ranged from 35 to 126 between 2013 and 2021. The percentage of test takers who attained test accommodations ranged from 0.89% to 2.01% between 2015 and 2020. Per correspondence with the Medical Council of Canada, no applicant who provided all required documentation was denied test accommodations during this period. Discussion: The number and rate of test takers attaining test accommodations on the MCCQE Part I have increased substantially during this period. It is unclear whether this increase is due to greater rates of students with disabilities, or a reduction in stigma around using test accommodations.

Introduction: Des articles publiés antérieurement ont montré à quel point le processus d'obtention d'accommodements pour les personnes handicapées dans le cadre de la formation médicale peut être laborieux. Nous avons voulu explorer les tendances en matière d'accommodements pour l'examen d'aptitude du Conseil médical du Canada (EACMC), partie I. Méthodes: Le Conseil médical du Canada nous a communiqué le nombre de candidats qui ont obtenu des accommodements pour l'EACMC, partie I, entre 2013 et 2021. Le nombre de candidats ayant passé l'examen au cours de la même période a été obtenu en consultant les rapports techniques annuels du Conseil médical du Canada; les données pour 2013, 2014 et 2021 n'étaient pas accessibles au public. Nous présentons des taux de prévalence et des graphiques. Résultats: Le nombre de candidats ayant bénéficié d'accommodements a varié de 35 à 126 entre 2013 et 2021. Le pourcentage de ces candidats a varié de 0,89 % à 2,01 % entre 2015 et 2020. Selon la correspondance du Conseil médical du Canada, aucun candidat ayant fourni les documents requis ne s'est vu refuser un accommodement d'examen au cours de cette période. Discussion: Le nombre et le taux de candidats bénéficiant d'accommodements pour l'EACMC, partie I, ont considérablement augmenté au cours de la période visée. On ne sait pas si cette hausse est due à une augmentation du nombre d'étudiants handicapés ou à une réduction de la stigmatisation liée au recours aux accommodements d'examen.

The utility of accessibility clauses in resident contracts.

Resident organizations and unions have a powerful role in advocating for resident physicians with disabilities. Ongoing efforts to ensure accessibility for resident physicians with disabilities would be promoted through the inclusion of clauses in resident contracts that ensure accessible work environments.

Patterns of anxiety, depression, and substance use risk behaviors among university students in Canada.

Objective: To identify subgroups of students with distinct profiles of mental health symptoms (MH) and substance use risk (SU) and the extent to which MH history and socio-demographics predict subgroup membership. Participants: University students (N = 10,935: 63% female). Methods: Repeated cross-sectional survey administered weekly to stratified random samples. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups and multinomial regression was used to examine associations with variables of interest. Results: LCA identified an optimal 4-latent class solution: High MH-Low SU (47%), Low MH-Low SU (22%), High MH-High SU (19%), and Low MH-High SU (12%). MH history, gender, and ethnicity were associated with membership in the classes with high risk of MH, SU, or both. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of students presented with MH, SU, or both. Gender, ethnicity and MH history is associated with specific patterns of MH and SU, offering potentially useful information to tailor early interventions.

Influenza Vaccine Does Not Increase the Risk of Coronavirus or Other Noninfluenza Respiratory Viruses: Retrospective Analysis From Canada, 2010-2011 to 2016-2017.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza and noninfluenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs) was assessed by test-negative design using historic datasets of the community-based Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network, spanning 2010-2011 to 2016-2017. Vaccine significantly reduced the risk of influenza illness by >40% with no effect on coronaviruses or other NIRV risk.

Impact of the adolescent pertussis booster dose on the incidence of pertussis in British Columbia and Quebec, Canada.

Impact of an adolescent tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine program was assessed in the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, Canada. In both provinces, the Tdap booster has been in place since 2004, targeting Grade 9 students (14-15-years-of-age). Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) standardizing notification rates among teens 15-19-years-old to infants <1-year-old decreased following introduction of the Tdap program and were significantly halved during the 2009-2012 post-Tdap versus 2000-2003 pre-Tdap period. This program impact, however, is tempered by the observation that pertussis incidence among 15-19-year-olds was already lower than any other pediatric age group, following gradual decline from pre-teen rates even before the Tdap program. The risk of hospitalization among adolescents 15-19-years-old was also low throughout at <1/100,000. Furthermore, IRRs increased in 2013-2017 when an increasing proportion of 15-19-year-olds were primed with acellular pertussis vaccine only, suggesting short-lived Tdap booster-dose effectiveness that warrants further monitoring.