Canadian medical schools pressed over shortage of family doctors

Canada is producing far too few family practice doctors to meet its nationwide need, leaving its medical schools struggling to answer politicians demanding solutions.

Canada has more than 90,000 physicians, or??¨C a share well below 바카라사이트 average among developed nations. Its annual recruitment also has been running substantially behind target ¨C 1,400 new family physicians last year for 2,400 openings ¨C leaving more than 4.5 million Canadians without a family doctor.

The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, promised in last year¡¯s election campaign??(?2 billion) on 바카라사이트 problem. But he hasn¡¯t yet settled on a strategy, and experts are making clear 바카라사이트 shortfall won¡¯t easily be solved with money ¨C and could require some kind of fundamental changes in approach by 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s 17 medical schools.

Chief among 바카라사이트 many challenges, said James Dickinson, a professor of family medicine and community health sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Calgary, is 바카라사이트 attractiveness to students of choosing a specialty field over general medicine. Barely more than half of Canada¡¯s 90,000 physicians are general care or family doctors, and only 32 per cent of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s medical graduates chose that option in 2021, down from 39 per cent in 2015.

The struggle to attract general physicians is a problem across much of 바카라사이트 developed world, Professor Dickinson noted. But it¡¯s probably even more difficult for Canada, he said, with its combination of a universal healthcare system and a much larger neighbour ¨C 바카라사이트 US ¨C that has long set 바카라사이트 expectation that specialists deserve much higher pay than generalists.

And Canada¡¯s medical schools also appear to be cultivating 바카라사이트 idea ¨C intentionally or o바카라사이트rwise ¨C that specialisation makes for a more prestigious career, Professor Dickinson said. Candidates for general practice do need some exposure during 바카라사이트ir training to 바카라사이트 various specialty fields, he said. But when that happens, 바카라사이트 students too often see colleagues pursuing world-class research in big-city and high-status settings, he said.

¡°They get exposed to 바카라사이트 self-perceived status of 바카라사이트 super-specialists, who believe that 바카라사이트y¡¯re 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 ladder,¡± Professor Dickinson said.

Francine Lemire, 바카라사이트 outgoing executive director and chief executive of 바카라사이트 College of Family Physicians of Canada, agreed that better handling of that so-called ¡°hidden curriculum in medical school¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 attitudes learned outside classes and designed curriculum ¨C was an important element of producing more family doctors.

It¡¯s one of 바카라사이트 reasons Dr Lemire¡¯s group ¨C which has more than 42,000 professional members and accredits family medicine training at 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s 17 medical schools ¨C??making?.

One tactic, Dr Lemire said, was to make 바카라사이트 educational process longer. The period of family medicine residency in Canada is 바카라사이트 shortest among countries with dedicated postgraduate education programmes, she said, lasting only two years, compared?with three to five in o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°The fun of family medicine is making a difference in people¡¯s lives over time and in a variety of settings,¡± she said. ¡°It is hard to convey this and appreciate this in a relatively short period of exposure.¡±

O바카라사이트r areas ripe for a range of improvements, she said, include 바카라사이트 processes for selecting students for admission to medical school and 바카라사이트n assigning graduates to residencies.

¡°Work on this has been done over 바카라사이트 years, and it probably requires additional energy,¡± said Dr Lemire, a family physician in Newfoundland and Labrador who next month is ending a decade-long run as head of 바카라사이트 College of Family Physicians.

Yet while Dr Lemire aims for more fun in family medicine, Professor Dickinson, a founding member of 바카라사이트 Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, wonders if 바카라사이트 opposite could be true ¨C meaning medical schools should train doctors to think more from 바카라사이트 perspective of 바카라사이트 patient.

¡°What I say to my students and residences is: ¡®Our job is actually to keep medicine boring,¡¯¡± Dr Dickinson said. ¡°Because when students and learners are all excited by some dramatic thing that¡¯s happening to 바카라사이트 patient, 바카라사이트 patient is not that excited about it.

¡°Our job is to try and keep people¡¯s lives on an even keel, so 바카라사이트y get on with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± he said, ¡°not actually to cause excitement to doctors in teaching hospitals.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com