TORONTO — The province has approved an increase in enrolment for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, as part of the largest expansion of medical school education in Ontario in over a decade.
All six existing medical schools are receiving increases both in the number of undergraduate seats and the number of postgraduate positions.
"We won big in the allocation," says Dr. Sarita Verma, the CEO of NOSM.
NOSM is approved for 30 more medical degree spots and 41 residency training spots over the next five years.
It's a significant increase, as the school currently enrols 64 MD students and 60 first-year residents per year.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Tuesday in Brampton, where the new Ryerson School of Medicine is expected to open by 2025.
Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop said the expansion will increase access to family and specialty physicians and other health care professionals in every corner of Ontario.
The allocations are as follows:
- NOSM - 30 new undergraduate and 45 new postgraduate positions
- Univ. of Toronto - 30 undergraduate and 45 postgraduate
- Queen's University - 20 undergraduate and 30 postgraduate
- Western University - 28 postgraduate
- McMaster University - 28 postgraduate
- Univ. of Ottawa - 28 postgraduate
- Ryerson University (2025) - 80 undergraduate and 95 postgraduate
In an interview with TBnewswatch, Dr. Verma said the increase for NOSM is particularly important because Northern Ontario currently has a shortage of 300 doctors, even without taking into account anticipated retirements over the next five years.
A main focus of the school is to train doctors from Northern Ontario who stay in the region to practise.
Verma said NOSM will continue to teach medical students at its main campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, but is also looking to build regional campuses in locations such as Kenora and Sault Ste. Marie.
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine officially transitions to NOSM University on Apr. 1, 2022.
