More doctors will be graduating in the North.
The announcement came from Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli on Thursday. He says the provincial government is expanding the number of undergraduate seats and post-medical training positions at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSM).
There will be 14 new undergraduate and 22 new training positions. It will bring the total number of undergraduate seats at the university to 108, along with 123 postgraduate seats by 2028.
NOSM has campuses in Sudbury and Thunder Bay. It’s become a yearly tradition for some of the school’s graduating students to get a tour of Bracebridge by the mayor. The town as well as other municipalities and Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) have a close relationship with the school.
“The new medical seats allocated to the NOSM University will ensure there are more doctors to provide the high-quality health care Ontarians need and deserve in Northern Ontario,” said Fedeli. “This expansion will help build a stronger, more resilient health care system that everyone can access, in our northern communities.”
“NOSM University is grateful to the Ontario government for supporting medical school expansion,” said Dr. Sarita Verma, President, Vice Chancellor, Dean and CEO of NOSM University. “Their attention to addressing health inequities in Northern Ontario and emphasis on resources to train physicians is urgent and much appreciated. NOSM University, as Canada’s only independent medical University, will continue its success in delivering to the needs of the communities in Northern Ontario.”
The expansion is part of the province’s Your Health plan which, according to Fedeli, includes initiatives to hire more healthcare workers.
With files from Brad Aubin
