To the editor:
This letter is in response to your front page article, headlined Council wants to discuss doctor shortage with local physicians, in the Feb. 22 edition of the Cariboo Connector.
It references communication between the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) and Enderby Mayor Howie Cyr.
The CPSBC is very sympathetic to the problems rural and remote communities face in recruiting and retaining physicians. As your article mentions, our province has a long history of relying on international medical graduates (IMGs) to deliver competent medical care throughout under-serviced areas – and for this we owe a debt of gratitude.
The problems around physician shortages are nation-wide, and much is being done at the national and provincial level to break down barriers so qualified IMGs can enter the workforce as quickly as possible.
Physicians who have received all or part of their medical training outside of Canada and lack Canadian credentials are often granted a provisional licence as an interim step so they can apply their knowledge and hands-on skill to the care of patients while under supervision.
To advance to a full licence, an IMG is then required to complete Canadian qualifying exams – just like Canadian medical graduates. Physicians who have completed medical training programs in countries that are not recognized as being equal to Canadian training programs are required to undergo a competency assessment program before they are granted a licence or allowed to practise in any capacity.
While no such program exists in B.C. at this time, the CPSBC has been working closely with the Ministry of Health to develop a robust competency assessment program for IMGs, which it hopes to pilot in 2014.
The CPSBC’s role in the recruitment process is to ensure IMGs meet educational and competency requirements before they are granted a licence. The standards for licensure are consistent across Canada, and while the CPSBC will continue to work towards positive solutions for recruiting IMGs, it is not willing to compromise on these national standards.
Heidi M. Oetter
CPSBC registrar
