Some international medical graduates are now able to expedite their admissions in Alberta.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) on Monday announced a five-year pilot to bring more doctors to the province faster amid ongoing shortages and overwhelmed emergency rooms.
CPSA released a 10-page document outlining the jurisdictions, areas, institutions and years of study that allow international medical graduates (IMGs) to opt into a three-month process to obtain a license in the province.
The goal of the pilot is to assess whether eligible IMGs can more quickly practice independently in their identified communities, CPSA said in a news release.
“Physicians are a resource in demand around the world. While we have tried our best, we recognize that this program alone cannot solve the problems facing the medical workforce in this province,” said Michael Caffaro, Associate Registrar at CPSA.
“We know that there are a handful of doctors who have so far held back with applications.”
In 2022 alone, the province began assessing over 100 IMGs under the CPSA.
The pilot project dispenses with certain requirements, e.g. B. Clinical review exams and the first three-month assessment for IMGs who have received training comparable to that of Canadian universities.
Those who qualify then go directly to their identified communities and begin practicing independently while completing their supervised practice assessment.
Approved jurisdictions for Internationally Trained Family Doctors and General Practitioners include Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States
For specialists, the list of countries is broader and includes Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa.
Deidre Lake, executive director of the Alberta International Medical Graduate Association, said the pilot is a good way to bring more specialists into areas that need them.
“Seventy percent of positions that practice in rural areas are internationally trained positions,” Lake said.
Lake noted that Alberta is one of the few provinces that assesses internationally trained professionals, so the change could make the province more competitive.
For IMGs like Marianne Mann, who received medical training in the Philippines, the news isn’t all that helpful.
Though Mann has been a licensed physician in the Philippines since 2010 with her own dermatology practice, she said since moving to Canada two years ago, licensing has been costly and lengthy.
“It’s the price I’m paying for wanting to move here. So I either have to start from the bottom or try to find a different path. But if Canada would give us opportunities to move on. What our original profession is and what we really are exercise.” learned and loved doing, that would be a great thing,” Mann told CBC.
The dermatologist said she moved to Canada after lockdowns in the Philippines began to severely affect her business. Today she works as a beautician.
“The doctor in me knows these things, but I know I’m not licensed to prescribe or even consult. So it’s quite difficult for me to find a new path here,” explained Mann.
Mann currently resides in Vancouver but said she would relocate if it meant being able to practice medicine again.
Caffaro said there is still hope for those who may not yet be eligible.
“Although we are starting with a number of jurisdictions and a number of countries, that doesn’t mean that this list of countries will be static and it can certainly expand, especially as we gain more experience in actually moving these doctors into the province.” Bring and rate them in our new expedited process.”
