Consider a role on General Council and be part of an inclusive, future focused, problem-solving, highly productive team.
A PARO General Council position is a meaningful way to contribute to Resident life. By sharing ideas that represent the life experiences and perspectives of all members you can improve the Resident experience. PARO benefits when GC is representative and reflects the diversity of our membership and our patients.
At PARO, you are part of a legacy that lived before you and will live beyond you – your work will impact residents today and tomorrow and help set up future residents for success. All of PARO’s work is focused on the three pillars of our Strategic Plan: Optimal Training, Optimal Working Conditions and Optimal Transitions – into, through and out of residency.
PARO has a long and proud history of making positive meaningful change in the daily lives of our members. We recognise that one of our biggest risks is the transient nature of residency, and so:
We build on past success and continuously improve.
While many of our initiatives have long time frames
we are driven to make progress every year.
We believe that we are stronger and smarter together so we
develop and strengthen our teams by involving and leveraging the
skills of all team members (Staff, Board, GC, teams, partnerships).
We co-create ideas with a solutions oriented mindset and a
deep sense of accountability to represent all residents.
We model the leadership of owning our team commitments,
keeping our word, and putting PARO goals before our own.
We celebrate achievements, big and small, that propel us forward.
Nominations Are Open!
Nominations for the 2023/2024 General Council are open from Monday, July 10, 2023 at 1100 hrs until they close on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 1100 hrs. Elections will follow, starting Monday, July 24th 2023.
To be eligible to run for General Council, you must be training in Ontario for the duration of your elected term (September 2023 – June 2024) and not be away from your home University Site for more than 3 months total (unless your program requires you to do so at another Ontario University as part of your training). If you are on maternity or parental leave and are still registered with your University, then you are eligible to run.
If you are elected to the PARO General Council, you become a steward of the PARO brand. PARO is a forward-thinking, solution-oriented organization inspired by a love of medicine and creating an equitable medical culture.
Represent Local Residents
As a PARO General Council Representative, you are an Ambassador of PARO and commit to being visible and approachable at your site. Your primary responsibility is to represent all of your fellow members. This means bringing their views and concerns to the General Council and the Board. You do this at GC meetings as well as through other means of communication between meetings.
General Council Meeting Contributions
This is a participatory role. GC Reps must make every effort to attend and participate at all General Council meetings – both at the local site level and at the full meetings in Toronto. The first General Council meeting will take place on Thursday, September 14th in Toronto. You need to plan ahead. Don’t forget to book time off from your rotation if you are elected and put all dates in your calendar. The General Council meeting schedule for 2023-24 can be found below.
Attending meetings is one role but you may also take on work that needs to be done between meetings. Your local team will be depending on you to deliver the priorities for the year with the guidance of the local Site Chair.
Please note: PARO’s policy is to ensure that no representative incurs a financial burden as a result of serving as a General Council member. Therefore, you’ll be reimbursed for expenses related to PARO business such as travel and accommodations.
As outlined in the PARO-CAHO Collective Agreement, time used for PARO business is protected and programs are required to allow residents to attend meetings as long as patient care is not compromised.
Participate on PARO Strategy Implementation Teams
PARO operates in a team-based structure. As a General Council representative, you’re expected to participate on one or more teams in service of PARO’s strategic plan. Teams may include members of the Board as well as other General Council representatives. All PARO teams include one of our experienced professional staff who provide consultation and support.
Know the Contract
You will need a thorough understanding of the PARO-CAHO Collective Agreement to effectively contribute and support fellow Members. To prepare you for this duty you will have an orientation session, as well as ongoing staff support.
Be a Resource to Members
As a General Council representative, you will act as a liaison between PARO and the membership at your site. You are expected to disseminate important information discussed at General Council meetings to local members. This may take the form of sending emails, holding local meetings, posting on bulletin boards, and other methods as required.
Organize and Attend Local Events
Being visible means participating. That will mean organizing and attending local PARO events and activities, or other events determined locally and by the GC and Board.
Be a PARO Representative on Liaison Committee Meetings
Many committees and groups require resident representation, and your Site Chair may call on you to attend one or more meetings at your site. Some examples include committees dealing with residency education issues or local hospital issues. You should check with the PARO office in advance of a meeting to ensure that you have all the materials and information that you need. After a meeting, you’re expected to provide the Site Chair a short written report on any relevant resident issues discussed.
2023/24 General Council Meeting Dates
Thursday, September 14th, 2023 @ 1pm
Friday, November 10th, 2023 @ 1pm
Friday, March 8th, 2024 @ 1pm
Friday, May 31st, 2024 @ 1pm
Local GC Site Meetings
McMaster
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 @ 5pm
Thursday, October 12th, 2023 @ 3pm
Thursday, November 30th, 2023 @ 6pm
Thursday, January 18th, 2024 @ 3pm
Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 @ 6pm
Wednesday, April 10th, 2024 @ 3pm
Thursday, May 23rd, 2024 @ 5pm
NOSMU
Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 @ 5pm
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 @ 3pm
Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 @ 6pm
Tuesday, January 16th, 2024 @ 3pm
Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 @ 6pm
Monday, April 15th, 2024 @ 1pm – With the PARO Board
Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 @ 5pm
Ottawa
Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 @ 5pm
Monday, October 16th, 2023 @ 1pm – With the PARO Board
Tuesday, November 21st, 2023 @ 6pm
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 @ 3pm
Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 @ 6pm
Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 @ 3pm
Tuesday, May 21st, 2024 @ 5pm
Queen’s
Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 @ 5pm
Wednesday, October 4th, 2023 @ 3pm
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023 @ 6pm
Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 @3pm
Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 @ 6pm
Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 @ 3pm
Wednesday, May 15th, 2024 @ 5pm
Toronto
Monday, August 28th, 2023 @ 5pm
Monday, October 2nd, 2023 @ 3pm
Monday, November 20th, 2023 @ 6pm
Monday, January 22nd, 2024 @ 1pm – With the PARO Board
Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 @ 6pm
Monday, April 8th, 2024 @ 3pm
Monday, May 13th, 2024 @ 5pm
Western
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 @ 5pm
Thursday, October 12th, 2023 @ 3pm
Thursday, November 30th, 2023 @ 6pm
Thursday, January 18th, 2024 @ 3pm
Thursday, February 22nd, 2024 @ 6pm
Wednesday, April 10th, 2024 @ 3pm
Thursday, May 23rd, 2024 @ 5pm