To remove barriers in the medical residency access to enable Canadians who have studied abroad British Columbians cannot find family doctors. To bring B.C.
Society of Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad (SOCASMA)
Societal Issue:
British Columbia, like most Canadian provinces, has a significant shortage of doctors. British Columbians must endure long waiting periods to see specialists, many times to the detriment of their health. Political agendas seem to get in the way of capitalizing on readily accessible doctors who have graduated from medical schools overseas. Increasing the number of residency positions in British Columbia and giving qualified British Columbians and other Canadians who have studied medicine overseas access to these residency positions would go a long way to reducing the doctor shortage and improving the quality of medical care in the province. Values: SOCASMA believes in the fundamental value of equal opportunity to all Canadians. Allowing entry into a profession based
on one’s ethnic heritage, what university he or she attended, or some
other criteria irrelevant to the characteristics and knowledge required or that profession, will inevitably reduce the quality of care. SOCASMA strives to make the parties involved accountable to ensure the following values:
1. That all medical graduates who are permanent residents or citizens of Canada who have passed the national examinations have the right to compete on an equal footing on the basis of merit for the residency positions presently reserved for graduates of Canadian and American medical schools;
2. Fair competition requires that admission criteria and process be transparent and open to public scrutiny;
and
3. Successful applicants should be selected by those best able to identify the best qualified candidate. Goals :
SOCASMA has the following goals:
1. To work towards the development of a system of selection for medical residents in British Columbia that
a. is based on merit with no preferential treatment; and
b.is accessible to Canadians studying abroad in the year that they graduate from medical school;
2. To improve the quality of medical care by putting selection of residents in the hands of program directors and other working
doctors who are most experienced, knowledgeable, and best able
to select for characteristics and skills most suited to the area of practice the medical graduate is applying for;
and
3. medical graduates who have just graduated from medical school overseas home to help fill the doctor shortage that is negatively affecting British Columbia’s quality of life. Facilitating Goals:
1. Increase the number of residency positions in British Columbia;
2. Make available qualifying exams that allow Canadians studying abroad to take these exams in time to be eligible to compete in the CaRMS match in the year that they graduate;
3. Provide all British Columbians, who are first time trainees and have passed the qualifying exams equal and unfettered access to the first iteration of CaRMS;
4. Mandate that the selection of residents is to be determined on the basis of merit with no preferential treatment to any group;
5. Mandate that the selection of residents is to be determined by the program directors and other supervising medical practitioners who are most knowledgeable, experienced, and best suited to identify the characteristics that are necessary to determine the best candidate for the particular areas of practice that is being applied for;
and
6. Establish an oversight mechanism to ensure that these recommendations are carried out consistently, fairly, and transparently within British Columbia.
09/12/2025
Wondering about program requirements for the R-1 Main Residency Match? Access program descriptions here https://bit.ly/46acADT.
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Avez-vous des questions au sujet des exigences des programmes pour le jumelage principal R-1 ? Consultez les descriptions de programmes ici https://bit.ly/3VOHflj.
09/12/2025
AI has become ubiquitous in healthcare. Curtiss Johnson, DO, discusses the pros and cons of AI use in the medical setting.
09/12/2025
Le système de santé canadien traverse une période de transition (nouveau leadership, nouvelles priorités), mais une constante demeure : les défis persistants. L’AMC réunit des leaders pour trouver des solutions.
Le 2 octobre, de 18 h 30 à 19 h 30 (HE), venez entendre Marjorie Michel, ministre fédérale de la Santé, Alex Munter, chef de la direction de l’AMC, la Dre Margot Burnell, présidente de l’AMC, et le Dr Jean-Joseph Condé, porte-parole francophone de l’AMC, à l’occasion d’une discussion sur les façons d’unir nos forces pour améliorer les soins.
Le groupe répondra à la question suivante : comment pouvons-nous mieux soutenir les médecins, développer les soins en équipe et améliorer l’accès pour la patientèle?
Réservez votre place dès aujourd’hui. La période d’inscription prendra fin le 2 octobre à 15 h (HE) ⬇️ https://bit.ly/3IjwJPU
09/12/2025
09/12/2025
09/12/2025
A milestone for the Physician Assistant profession in Canada.The University of Saskatchewan has welcomed its first class of Physician Assistant Studies students, marking an important step forward in strengthening healthcare and expanding access to care across the country.
Developed by a Canadian IMG now practicing in Ontario !
MCCQE1 QBank with preparation and NAC-OSCE prep platform. Explore expert tips, exam strategies, and the latest updates for Canadian OSCE preparation. Stay ahead in your Canadian medical licensing journey with mccQbank.
09/10/2025
U.S. match
Chief of Match Operations Jeanette Calli and Director of Policy and Compliance Joy Gaabucayan recently hosted a webinar geared toward medical school officials and administrators about the 2026 Main…
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Society for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad:
We all hear that most Canadian provinces have a significant shortage of doctors and that many Canadians cannot find family doctors and often endure long waiting periods to see specialists, too often to the detriment of their health. What most Canadians don’t know is the extent that our public universities, elected governments and supporting professional agencies go to sustain current systems that favour and protect graduates of Canadian universities. Their lack of transparency is not aligned with Canadian values for inclusion, diversity and fairness. Canadians deserve new, transparent oversight mechanisms to ensure that system changes like those recommended below are carried out consistently, fairly, and transparently within each province, and nationally.
GOOD NEWS - We have enough doctors: There is a readily available pool of qualified Canadian and Permanent Resident doctors who have graduated from medical schools overseas (IMGs). They are more than eager to serve as evidenced by the number who apply each year to limited numbers of medical residency positions.
BAD NEWS - many are blocked from obtaining Canadian medical licences: The many layers of entrenched bureaucracy and politics, combined with unclear accountabilities, prevents these qualified doctors from serving Canadians as licensed physicians. The key reason is a system of exclusion comprised of barrier after barrier that, collectively, prevent fair and equal access by IMGs to Canadian post-graduate medical residency positions and thus access to the primary pathway to medical licensing in Canada. Government support this system, perhaps because it supports their over-simplified belief that controlling physician numbers and limiting access to residency positions will reduce health care costs. These policies drives poor patient outcomes and is therefore a false economy.
SOCASMA is working to Change the System - Focus on Fair and Equal Access
SOCASMA formed to advocate for fair and equal opportunity to all Canadians and Permanent Resident qualified medical graduates to access to compete for the same residency positions on the same terms, regardless of the place of graduation. This will ensure the most qualified doctors obtain a license to practice medicine in Canada, and will motivate Canadian graduates and medical schools to compete successfully for their residency positions, instead of advocating for a non-competitive entitlement to residency positions.
FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES to the status quo system are required:
1) Equal Opportunity to Compete for Residency Positions
Allow all Canadian and Permanent Resident medical graduates, who have passed the national examinations, to compete on an equal footing on the basis of merit for the residency positions presently reserved for graduates of Canadian and American medical schools;
2) Uniform examination / evaluation and timing of evaluation for all qualified candidates. Nope - this is not currently the case!
This including CMGs, IMGs and USMGs (as well as Visa trainees). Today CMGs write their qualifying exams after starting their residency, whereas IMGs must write them a year before finishing medical school!
3) Ensure Consistency and Fairness in Return of Service (ROS) Contracts for all Canadians and Permanent Residents. Nope - also not currently the case!
The use of ROS contracts must be applied fairly and equally to CMGs, IMGs and USMGs by offering identical program-based ROS contracts for all candidates &/OR offer optional ROS contracts, available to all, that could be used to prioritize entry to certain programs. ROS contracts should not prevent doctors from moving forward with Fellowship or specialty training (e.g. further training should not be considered a breach of contract).
SUPPORTING ENABLERS will improve the overall fairness of an overhauled post-graduate medical training system:
4) Equal access to Medical Elective experiences
Electives are important for all Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents regardless of location of medical school attended. Ministries of Health can direct medical schools, as public educators, to ensure both a blinded University sponsored elective assignment lottery and to permit privately arranged electives. Medical schools can still provide electives for their students.
5) Increase the number of Residency positions for Canadians and Permanent Residents. Three key funding sources for residency
a) Ministries of Health fund residencies and targeted specialties focused on public future need;
b) Department of National Defense - want to increase funded residencies to support future military need;
c) **NEW** allow community or privately funded residency positions - e.g. municipalities, corporations, and community groups with particular needs
6) Prioritize training resources for Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents.
It would help Enabler #5 if we simultaneously reduce or suspend foreign visa trainee positions to ensure adequate training resources are available.
7) Establish a formally recognized and designated role of “Supportive Physician” within hospitals & community settings for unmatched CaRMS qualified candidates.
