Fewer medical school graduates choosing family medicine, Ontario doctors warn – CBC
2.3 million people in Ontario without family doctor, number set to double in 2 years, says doctors’ group
Apr 23, 2024
An organization that represents doctors in Ontario is expressing concern about what it says is a declining number of medical school students choosing family medicine.
Dr. Andrew Park, president of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), said at a briefing on Tuesday that solutions are needed to prevent the province’s family doctor shortage from getting worse. He said 2.3 million people in Ontario are without a family doctor and that number is expected nearly to double in the next two years. The OMA represents 43,000 doctors, medical students and retired doctors.
Park said medical school graduates decide each year the type of medicine in which they want to specialize and the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), a national, independent organization, matches graduates with residency placements at medical schools in two rounds annually.
Following the first round of this year’s match, there were 108 unfilled family medicine spots out of a total of 560 in Ontario. The 108 is an increase from 100 unclaimed spots last year, 61 in 2022 and 52 in 2021 and 30 in 2020. Park said the second round of matching is this Thursday and Ontario doctors will be watching the results very closely.
