Sign the petition. Help distribute the petition to compel Health Canada to issue Statements of needs so IMGs can finish their careers. https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/923/882/068/demand-and-end-to-limitations-on-medical-education.-now./?taf_id=54282052&cid=fb_na
Please HELP students who matched to American residency positions keep their match. Students are devastated! Please write in their support. It is half hour or an hour of your time. It is their lives. The problem and how the system works There aren’t enough residency positions in Canada. So many students go to the US […]
The 2017 AGM will be held soon: Date: Thursday, November 30, 2017 Time: 6:45 PM Place: West Point Grey United Church at 4595 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC Between Tolmie and Sasamat Please RSVP to SOCASMA@outlook.com
SUMMER INFORMATION MEETING. We will be having our summer meeting for CSAs and family members. Date: Thursday, August 17, 2017; Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: West Point Grey United Church at 4595 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC Between Tolmie and Sasamat. We will discuss the new mandatory Clinical Assessment Program which will likely impede many–not all– CSAs […]
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 […]
Current Information for CSAs is posted on our Facebook Page: Society of Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad. Our website contains basic general information for the general public and other postings for Members Only. We encourage all CSAs to follow our Facebook page where we try to share information relevant to students and residents.
Powerpoint presentations for Members. The Powerpoint presentation, Information for CSAs, from the November 21, 2016 AGM has been posted in the members only section. So has the Powerpoint presentation providing advice for the USMLEs. If there is any difficulty with accessing these, please let us know at socasma@outlook.com.
Updated Memberships: We have now completed entry of all new and renewed memberships in SOCASMA since our Annual General Meeting. If you are unable to log in to socasma.com as a member and are a member, please email us at socasma@outlook.com and we will attend to the problem.
Information for CSAs – PowerPoint presentation from our Aug 2016 meeting has been posted in our Resources for members only section.
Minutes are available to members only under “Directors Reports”.
Sign the petition. Help distribute the petition to compel Health Canada to issue Statements of needs so IMGs can finish their careers.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/923/882/068/demand-and-end-to-limitations-on-medical-education.-now./?taf_id=54282052&cid=fb_na
Please HELP students who matched to American residency positions keep their match. Students are devastated! Please write in their support. It is half hour or an hour of your time. It is their lives.
The problem and how the system works
There aren’t enough residency positions in Canada. So many students go to the US to train.
After a student matches to an American program he needs a work visa from the US. One of the requirements of the visa most commonly endorsed by American residency positions (J1 visa) is that Health Canada issues a Statement of Need saying that Canada has a need for that particular type of physician.
The process: each province gives Health Canada a list of the type of specialties that they will endorse. Health Canada adds it up and produces a Statement of Need. Then these Statements of Needs are handed out to students who matched to an American residency program on a first come first serve basis. There is no differentiation as to which province the student is from. Some provinces like Ontario have endorsed zero Statements of Needs which is unfair to its students and to other provinces.
Health Canada opened for applications at 1 pm on Match Day. We have heard from students whose emails went through within less than 15 minutes of 1 o’clock who have been denied Statements of Needs.
We have received heartbreaking calls and communications from dozens of students who have matched to American programs but have been denied a Statement of Need. They have asked for reconsideration, but the provinces have said no. These young people have spent a minimum of 4 years working to the sacrifice of most other things, written not just their school exams but Canadian and American exams as well, scored at levels higher than Americans so they had a reasonable chance to match, incurred debt, and matched. Only to find that their country has taken them out at the knees by denying them a Statement of Need frustrating their ability to do their residency training.
Hardest hit are Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, and Diagnostic Radiology.
Statements of Needs are supposed to be issued if there is a need. This is not being done. For example, government documents show that Ontario despite a physician shortage and long waiting lists typically does not endorse any Statements of Needs.
-PLEASE urge family, friends, and especially physicians you know across Canada to write to their provincial representative, copying Health Canada, and others (contact information is at the end of this document) to stop limiting training of Canadians in the US and to please issue Statements of Needs to the students who have been denied. The message is that there is a need and this current action is contrary to the public interest. We will regret it in the future.
Here is a table that compares the number of Statements of Needs for ALL of Canada[1] to the job openings posted today with BC’s physician recruiting agency:
| Discipline | Statements of Needs Approved for ALL of Canada | Current job openings in British Columbia alone. (Health Match BC) |
| Anesthesiology | 25 | 35 |
| Internal Medicine | 165 | 36 generalists (subspecialists listed separately on the website.) |
| Pediatrics | 30 | 36 |
| Diagnostic Radiology | 15 | 18 |
In BC we do not train enough doctors to meet the attrition each year from retirement, etc.
Doctors of BC estimates attrition of approximately 400-450 physicians each year. Number of residency positions in 2017—346.
[1] The link to number of Statements of Needs approved by Health Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-care-system/health-human-resources/statements-need-postgraduate-medical-training-united-states/list-needed-specialties-issuing-statements-need-under-category.html
Where to write
In BC the person’s name is Catherine Omuti. The email is welcome@healthmatchbc.org
In BC another key player is Paul Clarke Telephone Number: 250 952-1396; Fax Number: 250 952-2125; Email: Paul.Clarke@gov.bc.ca
The 2017 AGM will be held soon:
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2017
Time: 6:45 PM
Place: West Point Grey United Church at 4595 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
Between Tolmie and Sasamat
Please RSVP to SOCASMA@outlook.com
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.
(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.
Current Information for CSAs is posted on our Facebook Page: Society of Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad. Our website contains basic general information for the general public and other postings for Members Only. We encourage all CSAs to follow our Facebook page where we try to share information relevant to students and residents.
Powerpoint presentations for Members. The Powerpoint presentation, Information for CSAs, from the November 21, 2016 AGM has been posted in the members only section. So has the Powerpoint presentation providing advice for the USMLEs. If there is any difficulty with accessing these, please let us know at socasma@outlook.com.
Updated Memberships: We have now completed entry of all new and renewed memberships in SOCASMA since our Annual General Meeting. If you are unable to log in to socasma.com as a member and are a member, please email us at socasma@outlook.com and we will attend to the problem.
Information for CSAs – PowerPoint presentation from our Aug 2016 meeting has been posted in our Resources for members only section.
Minutes are available to members only under “Directors Reports”.