Minister of Advanced Education and Training Sarah Guillemard speaking in the Brodie Centre
Manitoba government announces 80 physician-training seats to be added
The Manitoba government announced they will be providing funding for 80 additional physician-training seats, which includes 40 new undergraduate physician-training seats, a 10-seat increase in the one-year international medical graduate program and 30 seats in the two-year postgraduate medical education program for internationally educated medical students.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Manitoba, so prospective physicians can find a place to learn and grow in their chosen career path in the province,” said Sarah Guillemard, Minister of Advanced Education and Training, inside the Brodie Centre at Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.
“The Manitoba government will be investing in the education of those who will provide care to Manitobans for years into the future, recognizing that our workforce needs to attract students from Manitoba, across the country and around the world. This work will also support the overall goal of adding 2,000 health-care providers as part of our government’s Health Human Resource Action Plan.”
This funding will ensure access to undergraduate medical education programs will keep pace with Manitoba’s population growth, while supporting a sustainable and growing number of physician graduates able to work in the province’s health-care system, Guillemard added.
“Thank you to the Government of Manitoba for today’s crucial announcement on addressing our province’s physician shortage. We are pleased with this three-pronged approach of expanding medical school seats, increasing the number of international medical graduates and increasing the number of postgrad residency seats in family medicine aimed at Canadians studying abroad,”said Dr. Peter Nickerson, dean and vice-provost (health sciences) and dean, Max Rady College of Medicine.
Manitoba Health Minister Audrey Gordon
“We want to be able to educate and train a sufficient number of physicians to meet the health care needs of Manitoba’s growing population and today’s announcement lays the groundwork for this vital expansion.”
These investments are part of the Manitoba government’s Health Human Resource Action Plan, a $200-million initiative announced in November 2022 to help retain, train and recruit 2,000 health-care workers.
“Our government is making significant investments to heal health care and we know that physicians will be essential in that healing process,” said Health Minister Audrey Gordon. “We recognize the enormous contributions of primary-care providers and pediatricians and the care they provide to Manitobans. ”