Program Overview
The Centre for Faculty Development’s Teaching and Learning in the Clinical Context (TLC) program is designed for supervisors/preceptors from all health disciplines to develop the foundational knowledge and skills needed to effectively teach learners in various clinical contexts.
Program Description
Teaching and Learning in the Clinical Context (TLC) is a 12-week virtual program with both self-paced, self-directed eLearning modules as well as facilitated group learning sessions.
The goals of the program are for participants to:
- Develop the foundational knowledge and skills needed to teach in the clinical context
- Recognize how to be adaptive clinical teachers, responsive to unique contextual and learner needs.
The program is practical and evidence-informed, enabling clinicians to successfully teach in the current and future health care climate.
Topics Covered in the Modules Include (but are not limited to):
- Identity as a clinical teacher
- The teaching and learning environment
- Power and the teacher-learner partnership
- Critical reflection
- Identifying learner needs and setting objectives
- Educational approaches
- Giving and receiving feedback
- The learner in difficulty
- Learner mistreatment
The curriculum renewal as well as the future delivery of the program are underpinned by an anti-oppression lens. The program is also anchored by the locally developed Faculty Developer Competence Model.
Program Structure
To meet the diverse scheduling needs of our interprofessional participants, and to create greater access to individuals located outside of downtown Toronto, the redesigned curriculum is virtual. The virtual delivery also provides greater flexibility for busy clinicians to access the course content at a time that is most convenient for their schedules.
Over the course of 12 weeks, participants will complete all of the eLearning modules in a set order as each module’s content is designed to build upon the previous ones. Additionally they will participate in facilitated group sessions according to the outlined schedule structure below. The cohort-based model creates opportunities for connection and learning between clinical teachers throughout the program.

View our Upcoming Events Program Page to see upcoming TLC dates and registration details.
Access and Inclusion Bursary
If you are a Senior Trainee or Fellow applying to TLC and need funding support, please email cfd.programs@unityhealth.to with the following information: name, program you wish to enroll in, your current academic program, and projected graduation date.
Accreditation Details
The 2024-2025 Teaching & Learning in the Clinical Context program has been accredited for up to:
- 9 College of Family Physicians of Canada – Mainpro+ credits (Group Learning)
- 7 College of Family Physicians of Canada – Mainpro+ credits (Self-Learning)
- 16 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – Section 1 hours
Review complete accreditation details.
CFD Membership
You can save on tuition if you add-on CFD membership to your account BEFORE you apply. For more details on membership or to register, click here.
All TLC participants will be automatically enrolled as a CFD General Member for the academic year(s) you are in the program and in the academic year following completion of the program.
Program Team

Amanda is the Education Development Lead, Clinical Teaching and leads the Stepping Stones and Teaching & Learning in the Clinical Context programs. She is a clinician, researcher, and educator in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. She is an Assistant Professor at University of Toronto, and clinical manager of a Student-Led Environment at Holland Bloorview. Her program of research extends from years of experience providing interprofessional supports for neurodivergent children and their families.

Judy Pararajasingham is the Nursing Education Manager in Interprofessional Practice and Education at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. Judy is a registered nurse and has previous experience in a variety of clinical, education and leadership roles.
Judy completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Western University and went on to complete a Master of Nursing, Health Systems Leadership and Administration at the University of Toronto. Judy holds an Adjunct Lecturer appointment at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. She also holds Canadian Nurses’ Association certification in neuroscience nursing.
Judy leverages her strong foundation of clinical practice, interprofessional education leadership, as well as an understanding of the breadth of clinical environments, roles and workflows, to deliver education for health professions learners in various settings through an approachable teaching style.

Mariangela coordinates the Education Scholars Program (ESP) and the Teaching & Learning in the Clinical Context Program (TLC). Her role involves supporting the incorporation of technology into these programs and ensuring a seamless journey for participants throughout their blended-learning experience. Mariangela holds a Bachelor in Science and a Master’s degree in Food Safety and Nutritional Quality.
Additional Information
- Note that the TLC program is now only being offered centrally by the CFD. Previous TLC facilitators and/or organizations who previously ran the TLC program at their site can contact mariangela.palumbo@unityhealth.to with any questions.
- If you have taken the TLC program before, you are welcome to take the program again (previous content has been updated and new content has been added). However, you are also encouraged to explore our stand-alone workshops or other CFD programs as alternative options to continue your faculty development journey.
Contact
Amanda Binns
Program Lead
amanda.binns@unityhealth.to
Mariangela Palumbo
Education Coordinator, Technology Integration and Programs
mariangela.palumbo@unityhealth.to
Level: Foundational
Who should register: Open to supervisors/preceptors from all health disciplines who are interested in learning about core concepts in clinical teaching.
Location: Virtual
Program Length: 12 weeks
Cohort Size: 25-40 participants
Upcoming Dates: Please click here to see our Upcoming Dates.
Fees:
Non-member rate – $615
Member rate – $510
CFD Membership is not the same as a CFD Account. CFD Membership is an ADD-ON. For the discounted member tuition rates above, register for annual General Membership here.
General membership is $90/year. It is free for Unity Health Toronto staff, physicians, learners, and patient/family partners and Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto staff, faculty (incl. status only) and learners.
Register:
Registration is open!
Certificate: Participants will receive a Certificate upon successful completion of the program.
Share this Program
Acknowledgements
The Centre for Faculty Development would like to thank and acknowledge the contributions of the TLC Working Group to the TLC curriculum renewal:
Alice Kam
John Teshima
Robyn Davies
Dean Lising
Judy Pararajasingham
Tracy Paulenko
Elizabeth Poon
Lee Rosen
Jill Krupa
Meredith Smith
Upcoming Events
-
3AprThis workshop provides participants with the opportunity to both explore wellness tensions and identify ways to address them. Participants identify where tensions exist for their own roles that impact wellbeing and discuss approaches to ‘navigating’ these tensions.
-
8AprHow will AI transform what it means to be an expert healthcare professional? Join the conversation to explore how health professions educators can prepare the next generation for a world where expertise extends across human-AI partnerships, and where effective patient care emerges from the thoughtful orchestration of both human and artificial intelligence.
-
14AprThis workshop provides an overview of the content and structure of an effective teaching dossier. It provides participants with the opportunity to develop a plan for assembling and strengthening their own dossiers. They will also be led through the first steps of composing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.
FAQs
Q. How do I create and/or activate my account to log into the site?
Q. Is there a cost to attend your programs?
A. There is a cost to participate in some of our programs. The cost of each of our programs varies and in some cases, the cost varies depending on your status with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at University of Toronto and/or in which hospital you work as well as whether or not you have an annual CFD Membership.
Q.I do not have a faculty appointment in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Can I still attend your workshops, programs and/or events? Is there a fee?
A. Anyone whose education activities include teaching, leading, scholarship and advocacy are welcome to attend our workshops, programs and/or events. Specific pre-requisite criteria may apply. Please refer to each workshop, program or event page for details. All fees and discounts (where applicable) can be found in the workshop, program and event pages.
Q.I am interested in having one of your workshops offered at my home site/department. Do you offer this type of service?
A. Please contact us for further information. The availability of this service is dependent on the resources and capacity of the CFD at the time the request is made.
Q: Is having a CFD Membership the same as having a CFD account?
A: No, a CFD Membership is not the same as a CFD account. However, in order to complete your CFD Membership registration you will be prompted to create a CFD account if you do not already have one. To register for a CFD General Membership and create your account click here.
Need more help?
Our Programs
The CFD offers a number of exceptional programs to meet current and emerging faculty development needs across the health system. View the full listing of CFD’s programs to determine which may best meet your interests and needs.