Health Minister talks about benefits of adding seats at MUN for students wanting to be doctors

In the past month, more physicians have agreed to practice here including Bonavista, Springdale and on the Burin Peninsula.

Health Minister Tom Osborne says another ten seats at Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine will mean a higher rate of physician retention in the province. Government has issued a request for proposals to review the increase from 80 to 90 students. The Health Minister says if the capacity is there it can be done.“There are logistics to look at and we will take guidance from the RFP,” he says. “We are looking to expand the number of seats and students that learn in this province, tend to stay here.” Minister Osborne says they added 5 seats last year and hope to add more next year. Dr. Dolores McKeen, Dean of Medicine says it’s important to consider the quality of life for these students and future doctors. “It sounds like ten seats is a small ask but it’s actually ten seats every year, “ she says. “We have to do our due diligence in order to explore all the implications.”  Health Minister Osborne says incentives like this are keeping doctors here. “The numbers speak for themselves and we’ve had 42 residents this year signed on to do a  3 year return in service and 11 students in the pre-med program have also signed on.” In the past month, more physicians have agreed to practice here including Bonavista, Springdale and on the Burin Peninsula. A physician has also agreed to offer service via virtual clinics for Bishop’s Falls.