New policy aims to prioritize local students and address physician shortages by reserving medical school admissions for Canadian applicants
The Ontario government has announced that, beginning in 2026, international students will no longer be eligible to enroll in Ontario's medical schools. Premier Doug Ford stated that this measure aims to prioritize Ontario residents in medical school admissions to help address the province's ongoing physician shortage, especially in underserved regions.
Ontario has faced a persistent shortage of physicians, particularly in rural and remote communities, where healthcare access remains a significant issue. Sylvia Jones, Ontario's health minister, remarked that the policy aims to ensure that medical education slots are allocated to Ontario residents more likely to stay in the province and work within the province's healthcare system.
International students currently represent less than one per cent of admissions in Ontario medical schools in the 2023-2024 school year, with the remainder being Canadian residents. The policy shift intends to reallocate these seats exclusively to Canadian students to address the province's healthcare needs. The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
The province will reserve 95 per cent of seats for Ontario residents, with out-of-province admissions accounting for the remaining five per cent.
With this ban, many international pre-med students will need to seek alternatives. Riya Patel, an international undergraduate student at McMaster, spoke to the Silhouette about how this will effect international students with aspirations of applying to medical school in Canada. "I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now? They went into these good schools [for] pre-med and now, what are their chances, what are their future paths?," said Patel.
I know so many people who are crushed by this because what are [they] supposed to do now?
Riya Patel, international undergraduate student
Alongside the new ban, the Ontario government is introducing a series of programs to encourage Ontario-trained physicians to work in Ontario as family doctors. The government will cover the cost of 1,000 of these students' tuition for those who agree to stay and practice family medicine in Ontario, costing the government $88 million. This subsidy is expected to be put in place starting in 2026 along with the ban on international students.
Adam Van Koeverden visits for 125th Anniversary
McMaster alumnus and Olympic medalist Adam Van Koeverden visited Hamilton on Monday as part of McMaster’s 125th Anniversary celebrations. The luncheon, hosted by the Alumni Association at the Hamilton Convention Centre, was sold out.
Van Koeverden spoke about the City of Hamilton and his time at McMaster as a Kinesiology student. He expressed his affection for the city that is well known for its blue-collar nature. He also spoke candidly about Rob Ford’s dismissal as Mayor of Toronto.
Amidst the talk about McMaster and Hamilton, van Koeverden was also asked about a controversial tweet he posted on Friday. During the Vanier Cup, the kayaker wrote: “I hate Laval. I went there one time and I just really hated it.” At the luncheon, he was not interested to talk about the incident and only said, “it’s not an issue. I refuse to talk about my tweets.”
Mac medical student wins Takeda Scholarship
Some students look forward to coming to Hamilton for its city atmosphere. But one McMaster medical student is excited to have the opportunity to try the small town life.
Pinhas Ephrat, a student at Mac’s Michael Degroote School of Medicine, was awarded the Takeda Family Medicine Scholarship a the 50th Annual Scientific Assembly on Nov. 26. The award, valued at $5,000, was developed in conjunction with the Ontario College of Family Physicians, and is designed to encourage medical students to pursue family medicine.
Ephrat will be moving to Fort Erie to practice medicine.
“I left a successful career in medical biophysics to pursue family medicine because it provides a unique opportunity to interact with patients one-on-one and make a real difference in their lives,” he said. Ephrat grew up in Israel, and after completing a master’s at Tel Aviv University he immigrated to Canada with his family. He earned a PhD in medical biophysics at Western, but realized that he preferred interacting with patients and enrolled at McMaster’s medical school Niagara Regional Campus.
The Canadian Medical Association, in their annual National Report Card on Health Care, said that Canadians with a family physician are overall happier with the health care system than those without.
Mac partners with Joseph Brant Hospital
McMaster medical students now have a new venue for learning.
On Nov. 23, McMaster administration and the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital reached an agreement, making the hospital a new clinical education campus.
John Kelton, Dean and Vice President of the Faculty of Health Sciences, called the agreement “a win-win-win…for McMaster, the hospital, and the community.”
While the hospital has hosted McMaster students in past, the new deal will see a significant increase in the number of students and the total teaching hours.
Alan Neville, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, told the McMaster Daily News that “the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital is enlarging its educational mission, and bringing in new learners will be a benefit for the people of the community. At the same time, this hospital is an excellent place for our students to learn valuable skills and the breadth of practice.”
Additionally, the University has invested $460,000 for new call rooms and workspaces to facilitate the partnership.
