Canada Faces Massive Shortage of Physicians: 7 Options for Relief

Canada requires about 23,000 family doctors to meet current and emerging needs, but the country's pipeline for recruiting, training, and supporting physicians has a significant disconnect. Mayors and municipal councils across Canada are competing for doctors, but options do exist and multiple approaches will be needed to address this crisis. Professor Anthony Sanfilippo has identified seven possible approaches to alleviate the shortage.

Key Takeaways:

• **Option 1: Recruit foreign-born, foreign-trained physicians**: This approach would require assessing qualifications relative to Canadian standards, ensuring interested doctors would take on needed roles, and addressing ethical concerns about robbing other countries of their needed physicians.
• **Option 2: Short-track qualification of foreign-trained physicians already in Canada**: This approach would have similar disadvantages but with the added benefit of familiarity with the Canadian work environment and expectations.
• **Option 3: Repatriate Canadians who have trained (or are training) abroad**: Targeted recruitment and expansion of available post-graduate training positions could attract Canadians back to practice medicine in their home country.
• **Option 4: Increase the efficiency and capacity of current physicians**: Developing innovative processes and collaborations could allow doctors to focus on direct patient care, enhancing their impact and reducing the number of physicians required.
• **Option 5: Supplement doctor roles with non-physicians**: This approach has already shown merit, allowing nurses and pharmacists to provide primary care under the supervision of physicians, freeing them up to focus on key essential roles.
• **Option 6: Collaborate with high-quality medical schools outside Canada**: Partnering with foreign medical schools could promote access for willing and qualified Canadian students to return to Canada and practice in demand areas.
• **Option 7: Increase medical school admissions and training in Canada**: This approach, although time-consuming, addresses the fundamental problem most directly and establishes a framework for sustained sustainability, with Queen's University at Lakeridge in Oshawa being an example of innovative programming.

Statistics:

• Canada requires approximately 23,000 family doctors to meet current and emerging needs (source: The Conversation).
• The number of doctors in Canada enjoys an excellent standard of living, making immigration from other countries an attractive option (source: The Conversation).
• There are 18 medical schools in Canada, with plans to expand to 20 over the next few years (source: The Conversation).

Sources:

• The Conversation - The doctor won't see you now: Why access to care is in critical condition
• The Conversation - Access to care: 5 principles for action on primary health-care teams
• Family doctor crisis: 7 options to find the physicians Canada needs -- https://theconversation.com/family-doctor-crisis-7-options-to-find-the-physicians-canada-needs-259601