Students from every medical school in Quebec held a protest against Bill 20 on Monday in front of the National Assembly.
Early Monday morning students met at McGill University, L'Université de Montreal, the University of Sherbrooke and Laval University are united against the proposed changes to healthcare.
Medical students have said they are not walking out to support the so-called austerity protests being held by students at other universities and CEGEPS, but are solely concerned with Bill 20.
They argue that forcing family doctors to have quotas would have a negative effect on care, and encourage doctors to give patients ever-decreasing amounts of time.
Nebras Warsi, president of the McGill Student Society of Medical Students, said students object to the heavy-handed nature of the changes.
"This bill arrived without any major consultation," said Warsi.
"This bill is basically distracting away from real, measured healthcare reform."
He added that many medical students think the unintended consequences of Bill 20 could be Quebecers having fewer family doctors.
"People are worried they're going to be forced to leave, or be forced to leave family practice," said Warsi.
"In devaluing the importance of preventive medicine and family practice, it's going to dismantle much of the work that's already been done."
Health Minister Gaetan Barrette argues Bill 20 is necessary, saying that despite the province spending more money on healthcare it is still too difficult to find a doctor.
Following the protest he said he was not impressed by the notion that students might leave Quebec after graduation, and said family doctors would be hard-pressed to find better working conditions anywhere else in North America.
Multiple analyses of medical payments in recent years have shown that family doctors in Quebec are paid less than the Canadian average.
Several weeks of public hearings about Bill 20 have already taken place, with multiple doctors' groups saying the legislation will not have its intended effect.
