Ontario eases the path to practice for doctors trained in the U.S., Australia, Ireland and the U.K.

Doctors trained in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland now face fewer barriers to practice in Ontario, thanks to registration policy changes introduced recently by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Aimed at addressing the physician shortage in the province, the changes make it easier for doctors trained in these four countries to begin independent practice. Those coming from the U.S. will, in particular, find a smoother path ahead. According to a press release issued on April 4 by the college, similarities in Canadian and American training programs along with “the historical experience with existing assessment process” have made it possible to remove supervision and assessment requirements for physicians who are trained and board-certified in the U.S. Read: There's no place at home: Why thousands of Canadian graduates from overseas med schools can't work here At the same time, U.S.-trained physicians who have completed their residency training within the last five years and are eligible for their board exam can come to Ontario and practise under supervision while completing their U.S. board exams. The college has also removed supervision, assessment and additional examination requirements for physicians from the U.S, Australia, Ireland and U.K. who are certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. “We have been working diligently since the start of the pandemic to identify opportunities and leverage every mechanism available to us within the constructs of the current legislation,” said Dr. Nancy Whitmore, CEO and registrar at the CPSO. “We will continue to find innovative ways to reduce barriers to practice while ensuring all Ontario physicians are providing high quality care.” Read: Adding more doctors does not solve the problem, it creates one Ireland was the second-ranking origin country for foreign trained doctors registered in Ontario in 2021, followed by Britain, according to a Globe and Mail article. The U.S. was in sixth place as a source for foreign-trained Ontario doctors in 2021 while Australia was in the seventh spot. The Globe article also noted that while groups representing foreign-trained doctors were pleased by the changes brought in by the CPSO, there were questions about the absence of similar policy changes for doctors trained in other countries. “We’re glad there’s going to be some fast-tracking. But there’s a very serious concern it’s excluding the vast majority of people who come from other countries,” said Rosemary Pawliuk, a lawyer and spokesperson for the Society of Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad. “It’s still very much a system that rewards white, Commonwealth countries. And if you don’t come from one of those, the barriers are still very much up for you.” Two other provinces have made changes in recent months to ease the path for foreign-trained doctors. Nova Scotia led the way in March when it became the first province in Canada to allow U.S.-trained doctors to start practising right away without having to take a certification exam. Alberta also recently announced a pilot project that will streamline licensing for physicians trained in the U.S., Australia, Ireland and U.K. Read: American board-certified physicians now eligible for licence in Nova Scotia

Ontario eases the path to practice for doctors trained in the U.S., Australia, Ireland and the U.K.

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