Physician Resource Initiative

College Welcomes More Help for IMGs

In 1998, the College began considering a number of registration-related issues including the difficulty some international medical graduates were experiencing gaining access to certification. After completing some work in this area, we established the multi-stakeholder Physician Resources Task Force to find workable solutions to the physician resource challenge in Ontario.

We began working with our provincial and national partners in government, medical education and training, and specialty certification to ensure a system-wide approach to physician registration. New policies and programs were recommended by the Task Force in its report Tackling the Doctor Shortage and have since been implemented, which provide physicians with greater opportunities to qualify and practice medicine in Ontario without compromising our existing high standards of registration. Ontario is now reaping the rewards of these innovations with record-breaking numbers of new licenses issued. It’s important that these collaborative efforts continue as we strive for sustainability as the physician population ages.

The College welcomes renewed efforts of government to support and assist international medical graduates (IMGs). The College has been a leader in recommending changes and improvements to access to licensure for IMGs.