Unacceptably long waiting lists for major surgeries and cancer care. People waiting for hours in the emergency room before seeing a physician. Families who have no access to a family doctor, and who therefore must use walk-in clinics. So many of the problems Ontario’s health-care system faces today are related, in one way or another, to the province’s shortage of doctors. Now Ontario’s doctors are trying a new tactic to mitigate the problem, and their efforts are focused here, at the province’s universities.
The Ontario Medical Association, the professional association of Ontario’s physicians, has initiated a campaign called “Keeping Ontario-Trained Doctors in Ontario,” which started during orientation week in all medical faculties in the province. The OMA is concerned that medical students leaving for other provinces or countries after graduating from Ontario medical schools is contributing to the province’s serious doctor shortage. And since some medical students have clearly decided that the grass is greener elsewhere, the Association has decided to advertise Ontario’s merits more actively.
Dr. John Rapin, President of the OMA, believes the problem is partly one of communication. “In addition to ensuring that Ontario is an attractive place to practise medicine, we must communicate with our future colleagues, making sure that they know we are aware of their concerns,” he said.
The principal aspect of the program was an OMA tour of medical schools, including U of T, during orientation week. OMA representatives, many of whom are practising doctors, spoke to incoming first-year students about reasons for staying in Ontario and the resources provided by the OMA. These included: clerkship stipends, training in student leadership to advocate for medical issues, various forms of financial assistance, and a mentorship program.
“I would encourage medical students to take advantage of the resources the OMA has to offer,” said Dr. Rapin, “as they were designed with the needs of physicians and medical students in mind.”
Though the OMA was welcomed to the Faculty of Medicine over orientation week, the Faculty did not take part in the tour’s organization. A representative of the Faculty of Medicine’s Office of Student Affairs told The Varsity that they had never heard of the program.
Nevertheless, Dr. Rapin believes the tour was a success. “We hope that students came away feeling informed and supported,” he said. But he acknowledges that there is still work to do, saying, “We won’t sit back and watch our future colleagues leave the province; we will do our best to ensure they know how important they are to our health-care system, our economy and our communities.” Whereas in 2000 Ontario had a net migration of 120 physicians, by 2002 that number had dropped to two. Almost 50% of doctors who leave Ontario go to Alberta or British Columbia, which Dr. Rapin called “more competitive parts of the country”.
According to the OMA, Ontario is currently short by about 2000 physicians, leaving 140 communities and more than a million people under-serviced. The problem is particularly acute in northern and rural areas.
