Future trends in ophthalmology health human resources in Canada

Abstract

Projections of future Canadian ratios of ophthalmologists to population have fluctuated because of changes in numbers of residency spots and retirement rates. Although this ratio plateaued in recent years, the ratio of ophthalmologists to the population over 65 years of age is projected to steadily deteriorate. All graduating residents are going to be needed to meet the upcoming workload, yet current graduates are finding increasing difficulty obtaining full-time positions with operating room privileges. This problem is affecting all specialties who require hospital facilities, and exploration of this problem by the Royal College, Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Resident Doctors of Canada, and council of the Provincial Deputy Ministers of Health is presented. Proposed solutions to the current job shortages include residents starting in positions outside of major metropolitan areas, clinicians in practice giving up some operating room time to make way for new graduates, government increasing infrastructure commensurate with the increased number of medical school positions, and optimizing use of current resources by running operating rooms for longer hours and on the weekends.