The presence of the MPRA functions to enhance the morale and creativity necessary to ensure optimal education and working conditions of the residents. Residents meet about once every two months, on a Tuesday, after centralized teaching. At these meetings are discussed, residents' concerns, upcoming events, social occasions, review of RPC and COPE affairs, etc. Minutes of the meetings are emailed to all residents so that everyone can stay informed.
The association's executive, training or other committee representatives, and hospital representatives should be present. The association collects annual fees per resident to pay for administrative costs and social events; the fees are based on resident seniority and annual budgetary forecast.
MPRA elections are held at orientation day in July. Descriptions of the positions are provided below.
Current Executive (2020–2021)
President: Nima Nahiddi (PGY3)
Vice-president IMG: Bahareh Peyrovian (PGY2)
Vice-president Education: Derek Fehr (PGY2)
Vice-president Psychosocial: Vincent Peck (PGY2)
Vice-president Community: Rameeshay Mubasher (PGY2)
Vice-president Recruitment: Jake Prillo (PGY3)
Vice-president Research: Mohamad Matout (PGY3)
COPE representative: Sarah Hanafi (PGY3)
Class Representatives (2020-2021)
PGY1: Ghassen Soufi
PGY2: Rameeshay Mubasher
PGY3: Danny Diep
PGY4: Nicolas Garel
PGY5: Mario Pierre Gervais
President
The president is elected for a one-year term; he represents residents of the McGill psychiatry program.
Specific responsibilities include:
- to chair MPRA meetings
- to serve as a resident representative at monthly RPC (resident program committee) meetings
- to help organize the fall faculty–resident awards evening
- to present residents’ concerns to the faculty, department and/or program should his/her mediation be requested
- to serve as a resident representative at biannual fellowship meeting
- to serve as a liaison between residents and the department on issues related to resident wellness
- to oversee the MPRA blog: www.mpra.blog.com
Vice-President, Administration
The vice-president administration is elected for a one-year term. Specific responsibilities include:
- to help co-chair MPRA meetings
- to serve as resident representative at monthly RPC (resident program committee) meetings (on a rotating basis with the other vice-presidents)
- to write and distribute MPRA minutes
- to keep the MPRA blog up to date in collaboration with the president
Vice-President, Psychosocial
The vice-president psychosocial is elected for a one-year term. Some specific responsibilities include the following:
- to help co-chair MPRA meetings
- to serve as a resident representative at monthly RPC (resident program committee) meetings (on a rotating basis with the other vice-presidents)
- to organize social events for psychiatry residents throughout the year
- to help the RI social committee organize two retreat days per year
- to be the official liaison for AMI-Quebec and other community organizations
Vice-President, Education
The vice-president education is elected for a one-year term. Some specific responsibilities include the following:
- to help co-chair MPRA meetings
- to serve as resident representative at monthly RPC (resident program committee) meetings (on a rotating basis with the other vice-presidents)
- to serve as resident representative at the curriculum committee
- to write the residents’ annual report on teaching in collaboration with class representatives
- to collect information from RI’s regarding their experiences in the first-year medical electives
- to attend the program’s CBME meetings
COPE Representative
The COPE (Coordinators of Postgraduate Education) representative is elected for a two-year term. Specific responsibilities include:
- to serve as a resident representative at monthly RPC meetings
- to attend semi-annual COPE meetings (transportation and accommodation will be paid by McGill's psychiatry department)
- to help the department coordinate the annual COPE exam, a practice exam for personal evaluation of knowledge
- to organize the annual Evaluation Retreat Day
- to attend the program’s CBMEC
Class Representatives
Class representative are elected for a one-year term. Specific responsibilities include:
- to represent their resident cohort at the class representative meetings with the program director and/or chair
- to give written feedback regarding diploma course to the VP-education (PGY1-PGY5 Class representatives)
- to give written feedback regarding medical electives to the VP-education (PGY1 Class representative)
Representatives to Departmental Committees
All psychiatry postgraduate education committees report to the RPC. The representatives are elected for a one-year term. The current standing and ad hoc committees, which have resident representation include:
- Child Psychiatry Committee: Jennifer Picado
- Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Committee: Sarah Hanafi
- Consultation-Liaison Committee: Nicolas Garel
- Research subcommittee: Mohamad Matout
- Psychotherapy Committee: Anne-Charlotte Thiffault
- Safety Committee: Arwa El-Housseini
- Undergraduate Training Committee: Kirsten Gust
- Psychoanalytic Wednesdays: Danny Diep
- Forensic Representative: Isabelle Cote
- CBME Committee: Nima Nahidi
- ARC Recruitment Committee: Cristina Ionescu
McPIG
The McGill Psychiatry Interest Group (McPIG) is an initiative launched by the MPRA in 2009. McPIG's objective is to elicit interest in psychiatry through events organized by residents for medical students, such as movie nights, lectures, journal clubs, and informal dinners. McPIG is also responsible for coordinating recruitment activities during the CaRMS period. All psychiatry residents are invited – nay, urged – to participate in this consistently rewarding sub-committee of the MPRA!