McMaster University's Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine will be increasing its medical school enrolment to assist in solving the physician shortage, as a result of the provincial budget announced by Ontario's finance minister Greg Sorbara.

The exact number of additional students is not yet determined, however, they will join the current class of 138 first-year medical students.

McMaster is proposing a unique approach, which will have medical students and residents take more of their training outside of the Hamilton-based academic hospitals, said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

The McMaster Community and Rural Education program (Mac-CARE), to be implemented this fall, places undergraduate student clerks as well as family medicine and specialty residents in underserved communities, including the Niagara region, Kitchener-Waterloo and Brantford. Internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine and surgery residents will all increase their exposure to under serviced areas through the Mac-CARE program.

Kelton said: “We feel this is an important initiative because studies show students often stay and practice where they learn, and doctors stay in their rural communities longer if they teach. We also believe that communities with medical training have an easier time recruiting new doctors, and this would be a tremendous boost for the under serviced areas around Hamilton.

“As well, using the new technologies, physical presence is not always required to receive a total educational experience.”

McMaster currently offers over 20 positions in rural and underserved communities to first and second year family medicine residents and these programs are very popular.

McMaster's Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine recently received the prestigious Keith Award from the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC), as the medical school that best selects and trains physicians who choose to practice in rural communities.