Ontario Medical Schools' Contribution to a Socially Accountable Primary Care Workforce: Associations with Pursuit of Extended Training and Practice in Rural or Remote Areas

Abstract

Background: This thesis examines how Ontario's medical schools contribute to the primary care workforce.

Methods: We used data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to conduct two cross-sectional cohort studies of the association between family medicine graduates' characteristics and our two outcomes: pursuit of extended training and practice in rural/remote settings.

Results: Between 1995 and 2021, 25.3% family medicine graduates pursued extended training. After adjustment, Queen's University graduates had significantly higher odds of pursuing extended training compared to NOSMU (males: OR=2.03; 95% CI: 1.31-3.16; females: OR=5.32; 95% CI: 3.48-8.14). Among 2263 recent graduates, 10.4% were practicing in rural/remote areas. Graduates from the University of Toronto (OR=0.12; 95% CI: 0.07-0.21) and McMaster University (OR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.14-0.38) had the lowest odds of practicing in rural/remote areas compared to NOSMU.

Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for policy and training reforms to support a socially accountable workforce.