Lambton politicians back effort to boost physician numbers

Petrolia’s Marilyn Gifford is nearing her goal of collecting 1,000 signatures on a petition calling for local physician residency spots to help Lambton County attract more family doctors.

Gifford, who was backed Wednesday in a vote by Lambton County council, believes offering residency spots in Lambton, particularly for graduates of medical schools outside of Canada, could help solve its doctor shortage.

“There is no doctor shortage,” she said. “But there is a residency shortage, and that’s the key issue.”

Gifford said she believes there are locally-raised graduates of overseas medical schools who end up living and practicing medicine in the US and other countries because they can’t secure a residency spot in Ontario, a step required to become a licensed physician.

“We need them here,” she said.

Gifford said her campaign began after hearing from her own family doctor about issues and challenges with the province’s residency system, and the role that plays in the shortage of physicians in communities like Lambton County.

“I said, ‘Why don’t you do something?’”

After her doctor said he didn’t have enough time to take it on, “I said, ‘I’m 71, I’ve got the time.’”

Gifford said she has heard “horror stories” while collecting signatures, from both local residents unable to find a family doctor and graduates of overseas medical schools unable to secure residency spots needed to become licensed physicians in Ontario.

Gifford said she began by writing to Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey in October about the issue.

Gifford told county council she would like to see a pilot program created that would bring medical residency spots to Lambton to help more medical school graduates become family doctors.

“It is a political issue, but I think, as a community, we have to come together to make this happen,” she said.

“If we raise our voices, and we make our voices heard, we can solve this problem.”

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley praised Gifford’s “strong grassroots advocacy” and urged county council to vote for a motion saying, “We believe this is the direction the government should look at.”

Ontario’s recent budget said London’s Western University’s medical school will receive an additional 16 undergraduate seats and 22 postgraduate residency training positions during the next three years as part of efforts to increase the number of new physicians in the province.

“Time is of the essence,” Gifford said about the need for Lambton to take advantage of the announcement.

“We need more doctors,” she said.

Anthony Rizzetto, with Bailey’s office, said Gifford’s letters were forwarded to the health minister’s office.

“In the last budget, there were some announcements of additional residency spots in the province, so that’s all positive,” Rizzetto said.

He added Bailey’s office has reached out to the ministry about Gifford’s proposal for a local pilot project “to see if that’s possible,” and is waiting to hear back.

“She is very passionate and positive” and “I think the government has been responsive,” Rizzetto said.

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