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Why doesn’t Saudi Arabia train its own specialists? I have been involved in medical schools that were established with overseas help, in both the Caribbean and Kenya. The specific early goal was to provide doctors for these countries/regions. The next goal was to send some of their graduates to train as specialists in centres of excellence abroad. On return, they established local programs to further train their own cadre of specialists. Both goals were achieved.

By contrast, the University of Toronto has trained more than 1,000 Saudi specialists in 40 years, and adding those in other Canadian faculties, that number is probably four times larger. In four decades, it would appear that the Saudis have not developed their own specialty and sub-specialty programs. While I cannot comment further on that, my cynical conclusion is that the continued influx of Saudi trainees to Canadian medical schools is due to two dishonourable reasons here: money, and free extra pairs of hands to help in the day-to-day running of university teaching hospitals.

The impact of training Saudi Arabian doctors on both the training of Canadian doctors and on our medical manpower needs are vital issues. Canada is short of many doctors, notably family physicians, and particularly in rural areas. In spite of this, it is an alarming fact that this year 115 new graduates from Canadian medical schools did not match to a Canadian residency program, and so have been unable to train and practise here. Even if this unfortunate group were granted training positions, it would have made little dent in our doctor shortages.