Internationally trained doctors in Ontario, including Ashok Kumar Biswas from Ottawa, are celebrating a recent policy change that allows them to apply for medical residency positions. Biswas, who studied medicine in India and holds two postgraduate degrees, has spent six years working towards practicing medicine in Canada. He was preparing to apply for residency this fall when the Ontario government introduced a new policy that disqualified most international medical graduates from the first round of the residency matching program.

This abrupt policy change left many, including Biswas, feeling hopeless about their chances of practicing medicine in Canada. However, a recent court ruling granted an injunction against the controversial policy, allowing these graduates to apply for residency positions. Biswas expressed his gratitude, stating, "At least we are getting a fair chance to submit our applications. Getting a chance is all it takes."

Under the previous policy, only internationally trained physicians who had completed at least two years of high school in Ontario were eligible for the first round of residency matching. This restriction primarily affected those who had studied abroad and returned to Ontario to practice. Completing residency training is essential for physicians to obtain a license to practice in the province.

The policy change was implemented while many international graduates were preparing their applications. Although there is a second round of matching, competition is fierce, and most positions are filled in the first round. Critics of the policy have labeled it arbitrary and discriminatory, warning that it could exacerbate Ontario's existing doctor shortage. Some international doctors feel the policy sends a message that they are not welcome in the province.

The Canadian Medical Association and other organizations have urged the Ontario government to reconsider the policy. A spokesperson for Health Minister Sylvia Jones defended the change, stating it would create more opportunities for Ontarians who began their medical education abroad. "We know that medical school residents are likely to practice in the region where they receive their training, and this will ensure Ontario has a strong pipeline of world-class, Ontario-trained doctors for years to come," the spokesperson said.

In response to the court's injunction, members of the provincial NDP have called on the Conservative government to reassess its policy. NDP MPP Robin Lennox remarked, "It never should have taken a court challenge for these physicians to be treated fairly. Ontario is facing a detrimental shortage of family doctors and specialists. The government’s sudden rule change risked shutting out highly qualified international medical graduates who have already made Ontario home and contribute every day to our communities."