SFUs new medical school no blanket solution to health-care crisis Doctors of BC

The Doctors of BC organization cautions that Simon Fraser University's new medical school will not solve the ongoing physician shortage in British Columbia. President Charlene Lui emphasizes that while the school may help alleviate the family doctor deficit, it will take years for the first graduates to join the health-care workforce. She calls for additional government investment to attract and retain physicians, stressing the complexity of the issue. Another significant challenge is securing enough faculty to train the new generation of medical students, as there is already a shortage of professors at the University of British Columbia's medical school. SFU's School of Medicine is set to commence in spring 2026, marking the first new medical school in Western Canada in over 50 years.

The school is currently accepting applications. B. C. Premier David Eby noted that while the first cohorts will attend an interim space, a permanent facility is under development and expected to be completed by 2030. This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to address the health-care crisis in the province, but significant obstacles remain.