CFPC Supports Senate Report on International Medical Graduate integration

2024-10-09

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) applauds the timely and necessary release of the “Maximizing Medical Talent: How Canada can increase the supply of family doctors by 50% quickly and cost effectively” report. We thank the reports’ authors for acknowledging the importance of everyone in Canada having access to the clinical expertise of a family doctor.

We strongly support the practical and constructive recommendations of the report as they apply to improving the integration of international medical graduates (IMGs) into Canadian family practice. The recommendations align with the strategic direction of the CFPC as we embrace the commitment to collaborate with medical regulators, university partners, and government to provide Canadians with the best possible health care, which starts with family physicians.

The CFPC has previously supported the expansion of Practice Ready Assessments (PRAs; notably in our pre-budget submissions) as well as additional family medicine residency training spots as a way to increase the number of IMGs able to train in Canada and enter practice serving Canadian patients.

As PRA and family medicine residency spots are expanded, careful consideration must be given to the role of practising community physicians in running these programs. Family physicians act as preceptors for resident trainees, providing invaluable guidance and mentorship to future physicians. They act as assessors facilitating the work of the PRAs. These responsibilities are added on top of already overwhelming workload that puts inordinate strain on Canada’s family doctors. With that in mind, the CFPC recommends that the Maximizing Medical Talent report actions should be accompanied by:

• Mindful planning of availability of community-based physicians to take on the necessary preceptor/assessor roles required by the expansion
• Dedicated funding to support and remunerate community-based family physicians supporting the expanded programs
• Freeing up family physician time required to facilitate the suggested expanded programs by removing low-value administrative work (such as completion of the Disability Tax Credit form)

Residency programs in Canada’s medical schools must also be closely consulted and engaged in any potential changes as they support both community-based preceptors and the faculty who help support and administer the training programs.

While the CFPC has taken the initiative on projects to streamline and expedite certification for IMGs, more support from the provincial and federal funders is necessary to guarantee consistent and timely progress.

It is our hope that with the considerations above, the recommendations of the report can be enacted and lead to more Canadians receiving high-quality care from skilled and compassionate family doctors.