Ontario’s opposition leaders are weighing in on the doctor shortage impacting northwestern Ontario.
Both the NDP and Liberals are offering their support to an expansion of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is advocating the idea.
It says it would currently take four graduating classes of 65 students each year to fill the north’s physicians requirements.
NDP Health Critic France Gelinas says another issue is the lack of residency spaces, paid for by government for students to stay here.
“After they finish their schooling, their last two years to become a family physician as a resident has to be supported in northern Ontario. Right now it is not. NOSM is asking for this, and so is the NDP,” says Gelinas.
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca is also supportive of more seats being available at NOSM.
But he sees internationally-trained doctors as being an effective short-term solution.
Del Duca says many such doctors are living in Ontario but can’t practice because their credentials aren’t recognized.
“Because we have an urgent crisis right now, I would strongly urge the government to look at those that have got the training, that got the education and got the interest and the capacity and try to get them again out of the bleachers onto the field,” says Del Duca.
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s most recent strategic plan points to more than 300 physicians being needed in northern Ontario.
This includes 126 family physicians – 86 of these in rural communities.
There is also a need for 160 other specialists in such areas as psychiatry, pediatrics, emergency medicine and anesthesia.
