SOCASMA goes National–New Constitution

Constitution of  The Society for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad

Name

The name of the society is The Society for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad.

Purposes

The purposes of the Society are:

To assist Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad (current medical students and graduates) to obtain postgraduate medical training in preparation for practicing medicine in Canada by:

(a)   promoting fair and equal opportunity for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad to compete for all medical residency positions in Canada on the same basis as medical students from Canadian and American medical schools;

(b)   enforcing access to postgraduate medical training in Canada consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the United Nations Declaration of Rights, and principles of administrative law and justice;

(c)   removing of barriers to the return to Canada of Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad for post graduate medical training, including the discriminatory imposition of return of service obligations as a condition of accessing postgraduate medical training;

(d)   providing information, advice and support to Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad in their efforts to obtain postgraduate medical training in Canada, the United States and elsewhere, including overcoming barriers imposed or condoned by the provincial, territorial and federal governments of Canada as well as the provincial medical regulatory bodies;

(e)   obtaining relief from debts incurred by Canadian Medical Students Abroad to fund their medical studies abroad.

2. To enhance health care in Canada by:

(a)   fostering recognition that Canadian Medical Students Studying Abroad, and Canadian graduates of international medical schools generally are equal members of Canadian society who can provide high quality, valuable, and cost-effective physician services for Canada;

(b)   working to eliminate oppression, stereotyping and prejudice against international medical students and graduates;

(c)   promoting high quality health care in Canada by selecting qualified Canadians for postgraduate training on the basis of individual characteristics, knowledge, and skills relevant to the practice of medicine, not on their place of graduation;

(d) promoting freedom, equality and opportunity to practice medicine in Canada for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad and for Canadians who have graduated in medicine abroad, consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the United Nations Declaration of Rights, and principles of fundamental justice and fairness;

(e)   assisting Canadians who are studying medicine abroad, or who have graduated in medicine abroad, by improving access to postgraduate medical training in Canada, by facilitating the repatriation to Canada of Canadian doctors who have trained abroad, and by working to remove unjustified and discriminatory barriers to licensing and practice in Canada;

(f)   seeking additional funding for postgraduate medical training in Canada in order to increase the capacity in Canada to provide such training to Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad, and to Canadians and Permanent Residents of Canada who have graduated in medicine abroad; and

(g)   working with governments, medical schools and other institutions and persons to address the shortfall of doctors in Canada.