Ontario Premier Doug Ford's administration is facing criticism regarding its treatment of internationally trained doctors. The government has decided to prioritize medical residency applications for individuals who grew up in Ontario but obtained their medical degrees abroad. This decision has led to accusations of unfairness and discrimination.

Under the new policy, graduates from non-Canadian medical schools must demonstrate that they completed two years of high school in Ontario to qualify for the first round of residency applications. This change allows them to compete alongside graduates from Canadian medical schools for the most sought-after residency positions. However, many doctors who have recently immigrated to Ontario are upset by this shift.

The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has expressed concerns that this policy will significantly reduce the number of doctors training in family medicine, a field where the province is already facing a shortage. Traditionally, international medical graduates have had limited access to residency spots, with the first round primarily reserved for Canadian medical school graduates. Now, a specific group of international graduates—those with Ontario roots—will be included in this first round, while other international graduates will have to wait for the second round.

Despite the changes, the OMA argues that foreign-trained doctors typically fill a large number of family medicine residencies. They fear that these positions will go unfilled due to the new restrictions. However, this assertion is contested, as any unfilled family medicine residencies in the first round will still be available to international doctors in the second round.

The situation is not a matter of Canadian versus non-Canadian doctors, as all individuals involved are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The core issue revolves around the government favoring one group of Canadians over another. Ford's government aims to rectify a longstanding inequity that previously placed Ontarians who studied abroad at a disadvantage, forcing them to compete with applicants from other provinces in the second round of residency applications.

By allowing international medical graduates with Ontario ties to have the same opportunities as those trained in Canada, the government is promoting fairness in a system funded by Ontarians and designed to serve their healthcare needs. The requirement for two years of high school in Ontario serves as a proxy for residency, suggesting that those who grew up in the province are more likely to remain and practice medicine there long-term.

The underlying issue of the medical school controversy stems from decades of mismanagement in medical training by successive governments. As Ontario's population grew rapidly, previous administrations failed to expand medical school capacity to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services. This has led to ongoing complaints about a doctor shortage, despite the fact that past governments contributed to the problem.

In response, Ford's government has taken steps to address the issue by adding two new medical schools, the first in 20 years. The Toronto Metropolitan University medical school opened last month, and a new York University medical school is scheduled to open in 2028. Together, these institutions will eventually provide over 500 new undergraduate spots and 742 residency positions.

This year, Ontario will have 1,566 residency positions, marking a 31 percent increase from 1,188 spots in 2022. Once the expansion of medical schools is complete, residency positions will increase by 47 percent. Critics argue that these changes should have been implemented long ago, as previous governments failed to invest in training the necessary number of doctors for the province.

The Ford administration is now working to rectify these issues, aiming to ensure that Ontario has the medical professionals it needs to serve its population effectively.