Family doctor says ‘it hurts’ that red tape is preventing him from seeing 1,500 patients in Ontario – CBC
Dr. Ivan Escudero says he feels ‘stuck in limbo’ as province grapples with doctor shortage
Feb 19, 2024
Dr. Ivan Escudero is ready to care for hundreds of Hamilton-area residents who’d otherwise be without a family physician.
He has the qualifications — completing his residency and getting his licence to practise in the U.S., and then passing Canada’s certification exams.
He said he also has multiple job offers from clinics across the southern Ontario region where he’d likely care for roughly 1,500 patients within a year of practice, he said.
What’s standing in Escudero’s way is Canada’s medical licence labyrinth — a multi-agency, multi-step bureaucracy that’s taken seven months and counting to process his application so he can work in his home country.
“It hurts,” said Escudero. “I see people that don’t even have a voice for their concerns, and that’s the whole purpose of a family physician. Being a resource to say, ‘Hey, I can help you with your medical needs.'”
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/family-doctor-shortage-1.7117965
