The National Research System (NaReS) was established in 1976 with a multi-province influenza surveillance project that included family physician workgroup members from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Today it consists of a network of primary care practitioners called "sentinels" who are members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).  NaReS sentinels are family physicians with an interest in answering research questions which arise out of their day-to-day practice.  Common types of research undertaken by  NaReS includes:

• disease / illness surveillance
• surveys - knowledge, attitude, behaviour 
• evaluation of educational material (e.g. health promotion, guidelines etc.)