It is unreasonable for medical graduates to spend their time, energy, and money on medical school just to find out they don’t get matched to a residency – the last step to become a practicing doctor.
According to the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, the number of unmatched Canadian medical graduates has increased from 46 in 2016, to 68 in 2017.
By 2021, the expected number of unmatched grads will increase to 140.
This increase in unmatched CMGs is unacceptable and ruins the reputation of Canadian medicine for three reasons: costs, health, and time.
The cost of medical school is extremely high. Students are paying at least $13 thousand dollars a year for tuition alone.
Ontario’s medical schools are the most expensive with students paying at least $22 thousand dollars a year, according to Statistics Canada.
This price tag is too high, especially for those graduates who don’t get matched. It is wasted money and, unfortunately, students still have to pay it all back.
Along with paying back the three or four years of tuition, CMGs face the devastating feeling that all their time spent studying has lead them to nothing.
Robert Chu, a medical school graduate from McMaster University, didn’t get accepted into a residency two years in a row. He took his own life in 2016.
This should be alarming and needs to be taken seriously.
Medical students spend their time working hard. Everything is geared towards the final step: residency.
According to medical school grad Josh Liu from UofT, the course load in medical school is overwhelming for most students. This is when stress comes in, resulting in anxiety and depression.
All of this time on medical school can lead to a potential unmatched resident.
The provincial government needs to do something to increase the number of spots available for medical graduates.
Support programs or even an added fifth year in medical school could help future doctors make their dreams come true of getting matched to a residency.
Every medical school graduate needs to be rewarded for their hard work and determination.
