The Canadian Medical Association and the College of Family Physicians of Canada are adding their voices to the growing number of organizations urging the Ontario Government to re-evaluate the recently announced requirements for international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking residency positions in Ontario. This policy disqualifies IMGs who did not go to high school in Ontario from applying in the first round for residency training. 

With the academic year already underway and the application window half-way through, international medical graduates have already initiated the process for this match at significant expense and time-commitment. These applicants are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents residing in Canada and often working in health care. At a time when every effort is being made to attract more family physicians, the abrupt policy change for IMGs will destabilize family medicine programs in Ontario. The government is urged to postpone this ill-timed policy. 

Removing barriers and obstacles to increase Canada’s supplies of doctors remains a top priority with an estimated 6.5 million patients without a family doctor. We continue to call on governments to streamline the process to graduate the next generation of doctors.  

Ontario has been at the forefront of key solutions to help meet the needs of patients, supporting team-based care, recognizing out-of-province licensure for physicians and other health professionals, and investing in new medical schools.  

With this solution mindset, the CMA calls on the Ontario government to reassess these restrictive measures until further consultation can properly take place, and an appropriate evaluation of the unintended consequences can be completed.