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Montreal, May 7, 2008 – The four Québec universities that have a faculty of medicine have confirmed that, as agreed recently with Ministers Courchesne and Couillard, the files of medical graduates from outside Canada and the United States who were not accepted for residency this year are now being reviewed again. This will ensure that no candidate who meets the postdoctoral medical training program criteria has been overlooked despite the careful residency admission process.

“Throughout this process, the medical faculties endeavour to maintain equity between Québec, Canadian and international graduates and ensure the quality of the future doctors who will serve Québec’s citizens”, noted Dr. Guy Breton, Chair of the CREPUQ Medical Affairs Committee (MEDU) and Executive Vice-Rector at the Université de Montréal.

Already, 68 international medical graduates (IMGs) have been accepted in the regular 2008 contingent; this is 14 more than last year, and a historical peak. Nearly 50% of the applicants for residency in Québec were accepted this year, which is twice the success rate of IMG candidates in other provinces. An additional five IMGs have been accepted in the special contingent. So far, a total of 74 graduates of faculties not recognized by Canadian and US accreditation organizations will have the opportunity to begin their residency as of July 1, 2008.

Dr. Richard Levin, Chair of the Conference of Deans of the Faculties of Medicine in Québec and Dean of the McGill University Faculty of Medicine, stated that the four universities’ work with the two ministers is continuing, with a view to improving both the admission rate and the IMG residency graduation rate, which at the moment is significantly lower than that of graduates from medical faculties recognized by accreditation organizations in Canada and the U.S. “The common objective is to find a sustainable solution for the shortage of physicians in Québec”, added Dr. Levin.

In all, over 700 new residents will begin their postdoctoral medical training soon, having been accepted in the regular contingent, which is the main group of future physicians who will join the ranks of Québec medical personnel. This is an unprecedented number, an increase of 11.5% over 2007 admission and 60% higher than the situation that prevailed only eight years ago when 441 residents were accepted in the regular contingent.

The four Québec universities with faculties of medicine will issue the final results of the 2008 postdoctoral medical training admission process in about 10 days when the process is completed.

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For information:
Michel Giguère
Senior Research Officer
514 288-8524, ext. 208