Obesity Canada Education Recognition Program - Obesity Canada Professional Education

The Obesity Canada Education Recognition Program (OC ERP) is a distinction that provides formal acknowledgment for those involved in delivering educational programs on overweight and/or obesity and its intersecting conditions to healthcare professionals, employers, insurers, policy makers, or the public. This recognition is a mark of gold standard education that is creditable and demonstrates that the education meets Obesity Canada’s rigorous standards for scientific objectivity, quality, and relevance.

Benefits

Official recognition from Obesity Canada as providing evidence-informed, gold standard obesity education,
Permission to use the Obesity Canada ERP logo, adhering to branding guidelines,
Promotion of your program on Obesity Canada’s website, newsletter, and social channels,
Discounted rates on Obesity Canada’s educational offerings for program participants,
Applicants to the education recognition program may provide an opportunity for their participants to connect through the Obesity Canada education portal,
Listing on the Obesity Canada event calendar,*
Co-development with Obesity Canada ensures up-to-date evidence-informed information, expert and lived-experience access and networking opportunities,
With co-development, there is potential for the educational program to be hosted within the Obesity Canada learning management system, subject to additional fees.

*Benefit that will be in effect in early 2025

Once you have submitted an application form, below, an Obesity Canada staff member will review your submission and contact you shortly to arrange a meeting to discuss your application further. This proactive approach ensures that your educational initiatives align closely with our criteria and standards from the outset.

Co-development of Education

If you are in the early stages of planning your educational program and are interested in co-developing the content with Obesity Canada, we encourage you to reach out directly to us. Our team is eager to collaborate on projects that align with our mission and standards. Co-development opportunities with Obesity Canada provides advisory support in designing, developing, and accrediting gold standard educational activities rooted in evidence. Note, co-development has additional fees associated which are identified through discussions.

Recognition Criteria

Educational Content Requirements:
- Adherence to the best practices outlined in the Obesity Clinical Practical Guidelines,
- Alignment with at least one of the 13 key competencies and 37 enabling competencies outlined in the Canadian Obesity Education Competencies.
- Majority of educational content focused on overweight and/or obesity.
Inclusivity:
- Involvement of a lived-experience expert in the design, development, and/or delivery of the curriculum.
Compensation:
- All experts, including those with lived experience, will receive equal compensation.
- If lived experience expert travel is required, all expenses including travel and accommodations will be covered.
Format and Accessibility:
- Programs may be in-person, hybrid, or virtual,
- Consideration of accessibility and adherence to the Health Equity and Inclusion Framework for Education and Training as part of the design, delivery and evaluation of the education program.
Ethical Considerations:
- Respectful Language and Representation: Ensure that all educational materials and presentations use inclusive, respectful, and person-first language, avoiding biases or stereotypes. This promotes an environment where all participants feel valued and respected.
- Engagement of Diverse Perspectives: Actively seek to include diverse perspectives in the planning and execution of educational content. This includes the representation of various demographic backgrounds, professional experiences, and cultural perspectives.
- Cultural Competence: Develop content that is culturally competent and acknowledges the diverse backgrounds of the learners. This includes considering cultural sensitivities and norms in the educational material.
- Representation in Case Studies and Examples: Use a range of examples and case studies that reflect the diversity of the audience and society. Ensure that these examples do not perpetuate stereotypes or biases.
- Physical and Digital Access: Ensure that all physical venues and digital platforms used for education are accessible to individuals who may be living with obesity or other conditions. This may involve providing accommodations such as sign language interpreters, subtitles, bariatric chairs, or specialized software.
- Economic Accessibility: Consider the economic barriers that might prevent potential learners from participating. This could involve offering scholarships, sliding scale fees, or free resources to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder participation.
- Protection of Participant Data: Safeguard all personal data collected during educational activities. Ensure that data collection methods comply with relevant privacy laws and that participants are informed about how their data will be used. All collected data should serve the program’s purpose. Gathering data without a clear, justified reason may be considered unethical.
- Transparency and Consent: Be transparent with participants about the goals of the educational program and how their input and data will be used. Obtain informed consent for any data collection that occurs as part of the learning activities. This includes acknowledgement from participants if any of the data collected will be used for research purposes.
- Continuous Improvement: Commit to ongoing evaluation and adaptation of educational content to address any emerging scientific evidence and/or ethical issues and to reflect changes in societal norms and professional practices.
Governance:
- Annual audits and required submission of status reports to ensure continued compliance with OC standards.
- If a program is found to be in non-compliance with the Education Recognition Program criteria, its recognition status will be immediately revoked.

Application Process

Submission Criteria:
- Submission at least 6 weeks in advance,
- Detailed program outline including occurrence,
- Documents including:
  - application form,
  - program overview,
  - budget,
  - sponsors,
  - faculty and speaker lists,
  - needs assessment,
  - conflict of interest disclosures
  - final content if available*
Submission Requirements:
- Programs must be submitted in English, although they may be delivered in other languages,
- A post-program evaluation summary must be submitted no later than 2 months post program,
- Allow one complimentary seat (where possible) to Obesity Canada staff or identified representative.

Ineligible Programs

Programs must not directly compete with Obesity Canada’s own educational offerings.

Fees

Non Commercial	Fees (No tax collected)
Not-for-profit, no funding	No fee
Not-for-profit, funding under $4,999	$500 CAD
Not-for-profit, funding over $5,000	$1,250 CAD
Commercial	$5,000 CAD

Helpful tools to create gold standard education

EASO Person First Language Language Guide: Addressing Weight Bias
Health Equity and Inclusion Framework for Education and Training
CE Educators Toolkit
Continuing Professional Development in Medicine and Health Care Book
CSEM Faculty Selection Process Policy
Follow the criteria for an accredited program, even if you are not going through the accreditation process. This will ensure you are providing a bias free, evidence-informed, high quality education activity

This program not only elevates the educational offerings of organizations and individuals but also ensures they meet the high standards expected in obesity education, enhancing both credibility and outreach.

Questions? Email us!

Obesity Canada Education Recognition Program Application

Your Name(Required)

First Last

Your Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Your Phone Number(Required)

Your Job Title(Required)

Name of Applicant/Organization(Required)

Use your name if there is no organization involved

Type of Organization(Required)

Organization Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Organization Phone Number(Required)

Organization Main Contact(Required)

Prefix First Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Would you like to Co-Develop the Program with Obesity Canada?(Required)

Please fill out as much information below as possible or indicate co-development in your responses if information is to be developed in collaboration with Obesity Canada.(Required)

Note, the co-development process varies from your organization’s needs and Obesity Canada’s capacity at the time of submission.

Title of Educational Program(Required)

Delivery of Program(Required)

Type of Program(Required)

If other, please specify:

Program Start Date(Required)

Program End Date

Program Duration(Required)

Target Audience(Required)

Expected Number of Participants(Required)

Program Website (if applicable)

Program Registration Link

How is this program funded?(Required)

If other, please specify:

Approximate Budget(Required)

Main Sources of Funding/Sponsors(Required)

Please provide a brief overview of the program:(Required)

List of Key Learning Objectives:(Required)

Does the program adhere to the Canadian Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines or similar guidelines?(Required)

Yes

Program Outline/Agenda (Please attach a document):

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

Have you reviewed and confirmed that the program aligns with the Canadian Obesity Education Competencies?(Required)

Yes

Which Canadian Obesity Education Competency does your program specifically align with?(Required)

Is there lived-experience representation involved in this program?(Required)

Yes

If yes, please provide details on the involvement of the lived-experience expert(s):

If no, please provide a brief rationale as to why:

List of Scientific Planning Committee Members:(Required)

Faculty/Speakers (Please include affiliations and brief bios):(Required)

Conflict of Interest Disclosure for Planning Committee and Speakers:

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

Are there any potential conflicts of interest to disclose?(Required)

Yes

If yes, please provide details and mitigation strategies you used.(Required)

Additional Supporting Documentation:

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 50 MB.

program overview, budget, sponsors, faculty and speaker lists, needs assessment, conflict of interest disclosures final content if available*

How did you hear about the Obesity Canada Education Recognition Program?(Required)

Total

I agree to adhere to the terms and conditions of the Obesity Canada Education Recognition Program and confirm that all information provided is accurate and truthful.(Required)

Agree