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There is no doubt, schools of medicine need to do a better job at selecting prospective doctors if we are going to meet the health care needs of the public. The need for committed, community-oriented family practitioners is top of mind for Ontarians.

For TMU’s School of Medicine, we studied the best practices of medical schools across the country to ensure that our admissions protocols provide the best possible opportunity to select individuals who will become, and stay, great doctors. The truth is, virtually every medical school in Canada is seeking the same kind of student doctors we are seeking, for the same reasons.

In addition to providing prospective doctors with the highest level of medical expertise, we also need to develop their skills in communication, collaboration, and health advocacy, to name a few of the attributes that are not reflected in grade point averages (GPAs) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, but make for great physicians.

So how do you find such people? When admitting students, GPAs are relevant (three of the six existing medical schools in Ontario have GPA minimums that are lower than TMU’s), but we know from looking at best practices that there are other factors that are even more significant. We also know that MCAT scores do not necessarily indicate future success — seven of 18 medical schools in Canada (including TMU) no longer require them.

We are in dire need of students who are well adjusted and well rounded, who come from different kinds of backgrounds with different life experiences — that includes a focus on equity and diversity, because we are developing the medical profession to reflect what Canada looks like now, and into the future.

We also know that historically a high percentage of children of doctors apply to medical school. I was one of them. But for those who don’t have role models in their family, and are thinking about being a doctor, they should see that it is possible, and be encouraged to take steps toward that objective.

TMU is committed to admitting a majority of students through equity pathways and aspires to have a school with a majority of diverse learners who have demonstrated academic excellence. Learners who are representative of, and have a connection to, the communities we serve and who are committed to serving there after graduation.

A recent provincial government announcement is requiring medical schools to prioritize seats for Ontario residents to boost the number of doctors who remain practicing in the province after their studies here, and to help bridge the gap for those who do not have access to a regular primary physician. This supports TMU’s vision of providing leading health care to our own communities.

The admissions process will be designed to purposefully identify and admit applicants interested in primary care practice. As for concerns about constraining international applicants, recent data suggests that less than 1 per cent of undergraduate medical school students are from outside of Canada.

There is a rigorous system for approving new medical schools in Canada. Quality control is critical, as it should be. TMU’s medical school has met all the components of having a great medical program, and we are very proud of our accreditation. Experts from all over the country have looked at our plans and our curriculum and have recognized the value.

We, and many other medical schools, are inspired by the experience of , which decades ago faced criticism for taking bold steps to develop a new kind of medical school and a new kind of doctor.

McMaster reinvented the way medical students are taught, so that they would treat their patients better and more effectively — while always maintaining the highest medical standards. Now, McMaster’s model is what other medical schools are trying to emulate, because it is working.

We cannot solve health care issues without embracing positive change and finding solutions that offer a better way forward. How we select potential physicians for medical school is a critical component and ultimately, we need to unlock the potential for great doctors whatever they look like, and whatever their background may be.