Ontario's health care system is experiencing significant challenges. Emergency rooms are either overwhelmed with long wait times or are closing their doors. Patients are facing increasing delays for surgeries and specialist appointments, while access to diagnostic testing remains limited. Many families across the province are still unable to find a family doctor.

In response to these issues, Premier Doug Ford's government has prioritized expanding medical school enrollment. Recently, he celebrated the opening of the new Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine in Brampton. This initiative aims to create more opportunities for aspiring doctors. However, the school's approach to admissions has sparked controversy.

The Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine claims to be the first in Canada built on principles of social accountability, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Its admissions criteria extend beyond traditional academic achievements, incorporating values such as "anti-oppression." The school has established specific pathways for admission, including a "Black Admissions Pathway," an "Indigenous Admissions Pathway," and an "Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway" for individuals who self-identify as disadvantaged.

According to the school, disadvantaged students include members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, those facing socio-cultural barriers, and people from low socio-economic backgrounds or racialized groups. These pathways come with dedicated selection committees and evaluation processes aimed at addressing the under-representation of identified equity-deserving groups in medical education.

Critics argue that this approach prioritizes identity over merit, potentially compromising the quality of future physicians. They contend that medicine should focus on excellence and aptitude rather than ideological considerations. Concerns have been raised that such practices could lead to a decline in the overall quality of care provided to patients.

The impact of these ideologies is evident in the broader health care environment. A recent report from the Jewish Medical Association of Ontario revealed that nearly one in three Jewish physicians are contemplating leaving the province, primarily due to rising antisemitism in the workplace. The report highlighted that over 80 percent of respondents had experienced antisemitism, with academic settings being the most common location for these incidents.

The findings raise alarms about the culture developing within Ontario's hospitals and universities. Jewish professionals, who historically faced quotas in medical school admissions, are now being labeled as oppressors and excluded from the equity-deserving framework. This shift in perception has led to a troubling environment that some argue prioritizes identity over merit, fostering exclusion and hostility in the workplace.