Reflections on the June 2025 special issue of Canadian Family Physician, “Using research to navigate the primary care crisis in Canada.”
Regarding the editorial, “Solving the family medicine crisis. Research, evidence, community engagement” by Katz et al in the June 2025 special research issue of Canadian Family Physician1: I am a Canadian physician who trained at the University of Toronto in Ontario and completed an emergency medicine residency at McGill University in Montréal, Que. I was unable to find a job as an emergency medicine doctor in British Columbia when I graduated, so I moved to the United States. I had an excellent career in Los Angeles, CA, but desired to move back to British Columbia to finish my career.
Unfortunately, the barriers to renewing my licence in British Columbia, which I let lapse, were insurmountable. After 2 years of correspondence, I retained an attorney and found out I would need to complete a 10-week family practice clerkship in Vancouver without a stipend before my application would even be considered. I gave up.
Talking to fellow Canadian-trained physicians practising in the United States I heard about similar frustrations and the inability to get even an interview with a medical board. What a shame!
On the other hand, the recent decision by the United States government to limit student loans for physicians2 provides an opportunity (if enough positions were opened up) to promise subsidized Canadian medical school positions in return for a commitment to practise in underserved areas.
The solutions to this crisis require multiple incremental steps. These are just 2.
Footnotes
Competing interests
None declared
The opinions expressed in letters are those of the authors. Publication does not imply endorsement by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
- Copyright © 2025 the College of Family Physicians of Canada
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