KAWARTHA LAKES-The Ontario government says it is expanding the number of undergraduate seats and postgraduate medical school positions in the Durham Region to support a growing population.
Prioritized for Ontario residents, new medical seats will be allocated to Queen’s University, and many of the new seats will be designated to Queen’s University’s collaboration with Lakeridge Health to help address the shortage of family doctors.
“Medical education expansion is a key part of our government’s plan to connect Durham Region’s growing population to health care closer to home,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “We’re training the next generation of Ontario doctors right here at home. Expanding the number of medical seats that prioritize Ontarians will make it easier for the homegrown doctors of tomorrow to receive training and provide world-class health care where it is needed most.”
This collaboration between Queen’s University and Lakeridge Health is a first-in-Canada medical education model designed to focus on training family physicians. Queen’s University will be allocated 14 new undergraduate seats and 22 new postgraduate medical training positions, bringing the total number of spots at the university to 134 undergraduate and 178 postgraduate seats by 2028.
The new positions are part of the government’s provincewide plan – announced in Budget 2023 – to create another 100 undergraduate medical school seats starting in 2023 and another 154 postgraduate medical training positions beginning in 2024 and will help more Ontario students become doctors in their home province.
“Increasing the number of doctors and other health care workers trained in Ontario will enhance access to care for communities throughout the province,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Whether these students go on to work in primary care, a hospital or in the community, this investment is another part of our plan to grow our health workforce and help connect Ontarians to convenient care for years to come.”
“Our government is adding more doctors in Durham Region so that we can connect more people in the community to the care they need where and when they need it,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Our government has the right plan to build a strong Ontario, supporting people young and old today while laying a strong foundation for future generations.”
