Dear Editor,
How to solve the problem of Canada’s shortage of medical and technical people? We’re crying the blues about it, when the solution is obvious.
Recruitment of doctors, nurses, technologists, and lab and research people is the solution. Recruiting teams need to go out there in the big wide world and get them to come to Canada to work.
There are universities producing medical people in many countries. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to find them. I can think of many of them. When I worked at UBC we had hundreds — literally, hundreds — of applications from foreign students to attend medical school every year. They are out there. So are lab technicians and X-ray technicians.
The quality of education in foreign universities varies, of course. Some are better than others, but the best ones have standards that meet the standards here.
It is time we got off our high horse and educated ourselves. We assume our standards are superior, and maybe set the bar too high. On the other hand, we can attract inferior people too. Our little village has had a few in the past.
In years past, we did try to attract doctors, nurses, teachers, academic professionals. Canada is one of the G7 countries that is most attractive. Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines: the list of places with universities that produce the people needed here is long. It’s time we get out there, travel, and meet the potential people we need so desperately.
Esther Darlington
Ashcroft, B.C.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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