Summary
Canada is experiencing a primary care crisis, with 6.5 million people currently lacking access to a family doctor, a number projected to rise to 10 million in the next decade. The country ranks last among ten high-income nations in primary care access, facing a shortage of over 50,000 family doctors by 2031 due to various factors, including administrative hurdles, an aging population, and underfunded residency programs.
The IMG Opportunity:
International Medical Graduates (IMGs), which include Canadian citizens and permanent residents who trained abroad, represent a largely untapped resource to alleviate this shortage. Currently, only 39% of IMGs secure residency spots during the first iteration of the match process, leading to a significant loss for the healthcare system.
Recommended Initiatives:
To address this crisis, the report proposes two key federal initiatives:
1. Increase IMG Residency Training: Fund 750 additional residency spots per year for IMGs. This would yield 6,000 new family physicians over a decade, potentially serving 9 million Canadians.
2. Expand Practice Ready Assessments (PRA): Fund 500 additional PRA slots annually, allowing qualified IMGs to practice in just 12 weeks. This would add 1,000 family physicians each year.
These initiatives would require only 0.2% of the $52 billion allocated for healthcare transfers in 2024-25 and promise substantial returns through improved access to care, reduced emergency room strain, and economic gains from a bolstered workforce.
By investing in IMG residency training and expanding PRA programs, Canada can swiftly address its family doctor shortage and enhance healthcare equity and resilience for future generations.
ITPO supports these initiatives and continues to champion and support continued efforts to increase accessibility to practice of Internationally Trained Physicians.
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