Toronto. On Friday 20 August 1999, the Foreign Trained Doctors Association of Ontario (FTDA) met with the taskforce appointed by the Minister of Health to investigate solutions to the current doctor shortage in Ontario. The FTDA was asked for their perspective on the role foreign trained doctors could play in the current crisis (see submission attached). This taskforce is part of a longer investigation that the Ministry of Health is undertaking to find solutions to the doctor shortage in Ontario.

Dr Lillian Lockyer, spokesperson for the FTDA (Toronto) says, "We are not asking for standards to be lowered or ignored. We agree that ensuring that a national standard of competence is met or exceeded is important. We are asking to have access to the system. Doctors with international training and experience do not have equitable access to the profession in Ontario."

This week the CMA held its annual general meeting where foreign trained doctors and the doctor shortage were also key issues. Dr William Easton of the CMA cautioned that "governments see foreign-trained doctors as a quick solution to the physician shortage problem and will try to lower standards to get them in" and that it [integrating foreign trained doctors] "falls in the face of quality".

Dr Lockyer also comments that it is important to be cautious about making assumptions about internationally trained doctors; "When candidates have successfully completed the standardized examinations and bring with them years of experience and expertise, how can you assume incompetence or lowering of standards?" Given that almost 25% of doctors currently practicing in Canada are internationally trained, it is critical that public statements by members of the CMA do not undermine their credibility and public confidence in them.

Regarding the current doctor shortage crisis, it is the position of the FTDA that internationally trained physicians provide both short and long term solutions to the management of human resources in the Ontario health care system. Integrating internationally trained doctors makes sense when qualitative aspects of health care delivery and Canadian cultural diversity are considered. With specific reference to Ontario, over 50% of newly arrived immigrants settle here. The ongoing importance of diversity and the need to factor internationally trained doctors in the future management of phsyician resources in Ontario is critical.

Finally, the economics of medical education and training play a significant role in the development of solutions to the crisis. The benefit of saving the Canadian taxpayer the cost of more than 7 years of university education for each foreign trained doctor, and additional funding for full internships and residencies must be considered.

Since 1998, the Welland Multicultural Centre, the Employment Help Centre in St Catherine’s, the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians in Toronto, South Asian Family Support Services in Toronto, Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women and the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre have been working individually and collectively with foreign trained physicians. The six agencies have worked closely to form an Ontario-wide coalition in support of foreign trained doctors. Currently, over 170 foreign trained physicians are registered with our agencies.

The submission to Dr McKendry is attached, as well as additional proposals for amending the current system for integrating internationally trained doctors into the healthcare system in Ontario.