(Source: AFMC Press Release)
The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) is pleased to report that the Deans of Medicine across Canada have confirmed their strong commitment to Canadian medical students and graduates from Canadian medical schools.
Given the significant increase in the number of unmatched Canadian Medical Graduates (CMGs) resulting from the residency match in the last few years, the AFMC Standing Committee on Education approved the following principles:
- Medical students in Canadian medical schools should be supported on their path to a meaningful (clinical or non-clinical) career that contributes to the improved health of Canadians;
- Faculties of Medicine should support their graduates on their path to a meaningful (clinical or non-clinical) career that contributes to the improved health of Canadians; and
- Pursuant to its commitment to social accountability the AFMC should support new policy to improve the current matching system to support their graduates on their path to a meaningful (clinical or non-clinical) career that contributes to the improved health of Canadians.
The AFMC Board of Directors, comprised of the Deans of Medicine in Canada and public members, at their October 16 meeting, approved a recommendation that each faculty must create appropriate structures, policies and procedures to support unmatched CMGs by October 2018. Recommendations to improve flexibility for resident transfers between programs, as well as to facilitate pan-Canadian planning and to preserve the integrity and fairness of a national match, were also approved at this meeting.
“The adopted recommendations were based on a robust review of all the available match data, data driven projections and key informant interviews in all provinces. This immediate action is a first step in our collective effort to reduce the number of, and increase support to, unmatched Canadian Medical Graduates,” explains Dr. Michael J. Strong, Chair of the AFMC Board.
“AFMC will undergo a broad consultation on further recommendations” says Dr. Geneviève Moineau, President and CEO of AFMC, “and our work will continue until the number of unmatched graduates from Canadian medical schools is significantly reduced”.
October 27, 2017