Would changing how doctors in Canada are licensed help reduce the physician shortage? This MP feels it could – CBC

Marcus Powloski may recommend national licensure for doctors, fast tracking foreign-trained physicians

Aug 09, 2022

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski plans to make recommendations to the federal government aimed at easing the physician shortage in rural northwestern Ontario and other parts of Canada.

Powlowski, an emergency department physician and member of the parliamentary standing committee on health, recently visited Atikokan, Fort Frances, Rainy River and Kenora to speak with doctors about the challenges they’re facing.

Rural hospitals across the province, including in the northwest, have been struggling to keep their emergency rooms (ER) open in the face of an unprecedented shortage of doctors and nurses.

In March, Red Lake’s Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital was forced to close its ER for 24 hours due to a lack of available doctors. It came within hours of a second closure last month.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/powlowski-on-doctor-shortage-1.6545240