New medical school set to open in Prince Edward Island

The University of Prince Edward Island has doubled the chances for local residents to study medicine in their hometown. Through a new partnership with Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador, UPEI is set to open a faculty of medicine in September 2023, with seats for 20 island residents, including at least one Indigenous islander. That will double the number of seats available for islanders, from 10 to 20 seats. The new faculty will focus on generalists, targeting a 50-50 mix of family doctors and general specialists, according to a university press release. “Working with Memorial University on the development of the UPEI Faculty of Medicine will allow us to offer a joint degree with a focus on family and rural medicine and Indigenous health,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, president and vice-chancellor at UPEI. “I am excited to embark on this community-linked process.” Read: P.E.I. brings back masks, introduces new testing for kids as COVID-19 cases rise The announcement was welcome news for Aly Inman, an islander who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UPEI and a master of applied health services research at Memorial. "Having these 20 seats will give us double the opportunities to get into medical school," he told CBC News. “It'll give us the opportunity to study on our island, which will give us more opportunities to connect within our own healthcare system and be able to grow our roots down to become practitioners here eventually in the future." Over the last two years Inman has been on a waitlist for medical programs at Memorial and at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. He has a sister who also wants to get into medicine. "I've been on this journey trying to get into med school for a couple of years now, and she's starting her journey now," said Inman, who attributes his passion for medical science to great role models like his mother, a registered nurse. "This, hopefully, will help (my sister), and give her an opportunity to not have to wait as long to get into the career she wants to do." The new partnership might also make it easier for international students already studying in P.E.I. to stay on the island to pursue medical studies. Read: Newfoundland and Labrador doctor shortage: the international factor

New medical school set to open in Prince Edward Island

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