Quebec concerned about vacancies in family medicine residencies
![Doctors Doctors](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/2/1/doctors-1-6752393-1706832220498.jpg)
The popularity of family medicine continues to decline among Quebec students. According to data from the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), 91 family medicine residency positions remain vacant after the first round of matching.
CaRMS is the pan-Canadian organization that assigns medical graduates a specialty for their residency.
This year's results also show that only six specialty residency positions remain vacant. In other words, over 90 per cent of all unfilled medical residency positions in the province are in family medicine.
"It doesn't surprise me, but it saddens me deeply. It's a great disappointment', said Quebec Physicians Federation (FMOQ) president Dr. Marc-André Amyot.
According to the FMOQ, over the past 12 years, nearly 600 family medicine training positions have not been filled, meaning that 600 doctors will not be available to provide services to Quebecers for the next 30 years.
"That's catastrophic," said Amyot.
It is expected that family medicine residency positions will be filled in the second round of twinning. Last year, for example, 26 positions were filled between the first and second rounds, reducing the number of vacancies from 99 to 73.
"We'll have to see at the end of the second round how many vacancies remain, and then we'll know whether we've managed to fill the vacancies," said Amyot.
He pointed out that 25 per cent of family doctors in Quebec are over the age of 60, and that more and more are leaving every year.
He is concerned to see that the public network has lost around 40 family doctors in the last year, adding to the actual shortage of over 1,200 family doctors.
"We are currently seeing difficulties in access (to a family doctor) and all this reflects a severe shortage of family doctors. And if we don't correct the situation, the shortage won't get better, it will get worse," warns the FMOQ president.
In his view, the priority is to correct the differences in remuneration between family doctors and other specialists. He also believes that the provincial government must eliminate legislative measures that he considers coercive and do more to tackle the administrative burden and work overload.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 21, 2024.
The Canadian Press health content receives funding through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977485.1721935249!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
LIVE UPDATES Rain reduces wildfire activity, aids firefighters: Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials said Thursday night that rain over the day resulted in "minimal fire behaviour and spread."
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.