A volunteer program to help immigrant doctors speak better medical English just got a huge shot in the arm. The program, named HELP (Healthcare English Language Program), pairs retired Canadian physicians with immigrant doctors. Together, they conduct virtual dialogues that increase communication ability in a clinically relevant way.
Launched by Dr. Eva Grunfeld, HELP launched in 2024 with the help of ACCES Employment, a Toronto-based non-profit employment service. The program helps to address the growing issue of physician shortages across Canada. Currently in 2022, there is almost a 23 thousand family doctors deficit in the health care system. HELP matches experienced Canadian physicians with newcomer physicians who have recently immigrated to Canada. Federal support helps make the transition easier for international medical graduates and better ensures continuity of patient care.
The program includes nearly a dozen virtual dialogues that help to connect elder physicians and immigrant physicians. This arrangement fosters both a highly structured and fluid learning experience. Dr. Romel Castillo is a family physician with Cuban roots. He immigrated to Canada in 2021 and currently resides in Brampton, Ontario. Although Dr. Castillo was fluent in English, he was not immune. Luckily, HELP trained him in the intricacies of medical English, deepening his skills in engaging meaningfully with patients.
“I think it really rekindles your love of medicine to see it through someone else’s eyes,” said Dr. Janet Nuth, a retired family and emergency physician from Ottawa who volunteered her time with HELP. Dr. Nuth was instrumental in supporting Dr. Castillo through tough patient conversations. These discussions are a prerequisite for practicing medicine in our Canada.
Jeff Sisler is a supporter of physician education and communication. He speaks passionately about the need to learn the language of medicine and connect in deeper ways with patients. You have to negotiate with physicians because that’s the collaborative clinical setting and how you’re essentially evaluated, if you will, subtly. And yet you require an entirely different approach to communicating with patients,” he said. In order for immigrant doctors to have any hope of being integrated into the healthcare system, Sisler said communication and understanding is key.
HELP has experienced significant expansion since the program first started. The program has achieved the recruitment of its 135 volunteer Canadian physician recruits and matched 291 newcomer physicians with mentors across the country. This expansion is critical, particularly as Canada continues to face an undersupply of family physicians.
Dr. Grunfeld’s inspiration for HELP grew out of her experiences assisting one Syrian obstetrician-gynecologist improve her medical English. This initial interaction revealed the specific and complex challenges that immigrant doctors face and became the catalyst for creating a more formalized program.
Dr. Castillo’s journey is a testament to what HELP can do. Reflecting on his experiences, he noted that in his home country, the healthcare dynamic was different. “In my country, it’s like you prescribe the medication, they take it.” In Canada, he came to understand that the model demands far more delicate discussions around treatment options and patient priorities.
The new grant of $645,000 recently announced by the Canadian Medical Association Foundation. Thanks to this funding, HELP will be able to expand its capacity and reach even more newcomer physicians. This vital investment will supercharge the program’s expansion. Through this expansion, more vetted, talented, and qualified doctors will enter our healthcare systems, ensuring they have the tools at their disposal to succeed in this new world of medicine.
