PARAphrase Fall 2012

PARAphrase/about
What exactly does PARA do?
1. PARA negotiates a contract on your behalf that deals with
the non-academic aspects of residency training. These
aspects include pay, working conditions, and benefits.
2. PARA strives to ensure compliance with the terms of this
contract.
3. PARA enhances resident physician well-being by
organizing social events, information seminars,
workshops, and research.
4. PARA advocates for individual resident physicians with
professional or academic challenges.
5. PARA advocates on behalf of resident physicians as a
whole at all levels with various organizations:
• Locally with the universities, Faculties of Medicine,
and Alberta Health Services;
• Provincially with the Alberta Government, Alberta
Medical Association, and College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Alberta; and
• Nationally (through the Canadian Association of
Internes and Residents) with the Canadian Medical
Association, Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Canada, College of Family Physicians
of Canada, Medical Council of Canada, Federal
Government, and Canadian Medical Protective
Association.
How do we do all this?
PARA was incorporated in 1975 and has a voluntary
recognition agreement with the Educating and Employing
Entities made up of the University of Alberta, University of
Calgary, and Alberta Health Services.
PARA requires volunteer resident physicians to join our
Board of Directors and provide direction for the organization.
We also need resident physicians to volunteer their time for
the various committees on which PARA sits to advocate for
their fellow resident physicians.
To cover costs, PARA collects mandatory dues of just 0.95%
of salary from each resident physician who is paid through
Alberta Health Services. These dues are tax deductible, have
not risen in over 30 years, and are amongst the lowest dues in
Dues for Canada’s resident physician
organizations are as follows:
PARA (Alberta) 0.95%
PAIRS (Saskatchewan) 1.0%
PARIM (Manitoba) 0.9%
PAR-BC (BC) 1.6%
PAIRO (Ontario) 1.35%
PAIRN (Newfoundland) 1.0%
PAIR-MP (Maritimes) 1.3%
the country in terms of percentage of salary.
Of these dues, approximately a quarter goes to the Canadian
Association of Internes and Residents. PARA & CAIR dues
are tax deductable with the total included on your T4 slip.
How can you get involved?
PARA volunteer opportunities include:
• Serving on the PARA Board of Directors
• Serving on PARA committees and working groups
• Serving as a PARA ambassador at external stakeholder
meetings
• Involvement in the planning of PARA events and
campaigns such as Resident Physicians in the Legislature,
the PARAdime Charity Campaign, and social events
• Attending PARA education, advocacy, and social events.
The Board of Directors is elected during the first PARA board
meeting of each academic year. General members who are
unable to attend the first board meeting have an opportunity
to submit an online vote by proxy for the candidate(s) they
would like to represent them. Resident physicians interested
in becoming involved with PARA should contact the PARA
office for more information.
You are provided time off with pay in your contract to
participate in PARA. All costs associated with attending
meetings are fully reimbursed.
Remember: PARA depends on volunteer resident physicians.
Your organization needs you!
www.para-ab.ca | volume 29 fall 2012 2