Chair's Message
There has been a lot of recent media interest in the access to family physicians due to changes to entry of new family physicians into the healthcare system recently announced by the provincial Ministry of Health. In the face of stalled negotiations between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ministry, the ministry decided to unilaterally introduce changes. They have limited the entry of new family physicians into Family Health Networks and Family Health Organizations to 20 per month, a total of 240 positions per year, and only in areas of demonstrated need.
This has raised concerns for family medicine residents approaching graduation and for medical students considering a choice of residency. It also raised concerns that this might negatively influence the number of students interested in a career in family medicine, which has been steadily increasing in recent years and now is well over 40 per cent of the graduating class.
My message to students and family medicine residents is that family medicine is still a great career with lots of opportunity despite these restrictions. There is no limit to the number of family physicians that could replace, on a one to one basis, family doctors who are retiring from existing FHNs or FHOs, and this is expected to increase over the next few years as baby boomer physicians enter their retirement years. So, lots of opportunity to replace retiring physicians.
There is also no limit to new family physicians joining Family Health Groups or CCM practices or Community Health Centres in any areas. When one looks at the list of communities listed as needing physicians in the Southwest and Erie St. Clair LHINs there are many communities not far away from London or Windsor or Chatham where new family doctors could start up practice in FHNs or FHOs, which may be expanding and seeking new physicians. Southwestern Ontario is a great place to start a family practice.
For students and residents, there are many good reasons for you to be optimistic about your career in family medicine.
As we approach the end of the academic year and our newsletter takes a summer break, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy summer. As always, I welcome your feedback at stephen.wetmore@schulich.uwo.ca
