Doctors With Borders

Physicians trained abroad have long struggled to find work in Canada. COVID-19 was supposed to change that

- JAGDEESH MANN

AT THE START of 2020, Suvash Pokhrel was in danger of becoming a cliché. The thirty-eight-year-old had worked as an internal medicine specialist in Nepal, but since becoming a Canadian permanent resident, in 2018, he hadn’t been able to practise medicine. Instead, the physician spent his days taking online courses, so he could stay abreast of developments in his field, and caring for his kids.

The difficulty of practising medicine in Canada as a doctor trained outside the country is well known. Pokhrel was luckier than many others in his position: he was eligible for a loan to cover the thousands of dollars needed to take his two recertification exams. But that’s just one step. The relicensing process for international medical graduates (or IMGs) involves verifying one’s medical degree and previous practical experience, passing a language- proficiency test, and completing a Canadian medical residency or practicum. According to one researcher, all this can take up to a decade to complete and, accounting for factors like textbooks, commuting, and the study time that could have been spent earning income can cost as much as $28,000.