Internationally-Educated Health Professionals Seeking Entry into the Canadian Labour Market: Exploring Adjustments of Post-Secondary Institutions

1
Internationally-Educated Health Professionals
Seeking Entry into the Canadian Labour
MarketExploring Adjustments of Post-Secondary
Institutions

• Lillie Lum, Ph.D.
• York University, Ontario, Canada
• 8th National Metropolis Conference, March 23-26,
  2006

2
Acknowledgement

• Research jointly funded by Social Sciences and
  Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Human
  Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
  Industry Canada
• Co-Investigator Sheryl Nestel, OISE/UToronto

3
Employment Integration Problems for Immigrants

• Underutilization of highly qualified, skilled new
  immigrants (Statistics Canada, 2002)
• Exclusionary regulatory process, ie. gate being
  narrow (Alboim et al. 2005)
• Increased numbers of skilled immigrants but
  downward trend in earnings within last decade
  (Reitz, 2005)
• Solutions are ineffective in addressing health
  professions skill shortage supply and demand
  problems persist (C.N.A., 2005 Hawthorne, 2001)

4
Context What is unique about Western Health
Professions ?

• Governed by profession-specific regulatory
  colleges, eg. College of Physicians and Surgeons,
  College of Nurses, College of Teachers.
• All members must demonstrate competence in
  pre-determined profession-specific standards
  (C.N.A., 2005)
• Bridging education programs is often a
  requirement prior to licensure or registration
• Healthcare in North American is highly
  standardized and technology-based practice

5
Regulated Professions

• REGULATORY COLLEGES HAVE delegated authority
  through legislation
• set policies, procedures and practices for
  admitting new members to the registry
• issues licences or registration
• role to protect public and members through
  ensuring standardized competencies are met.

6
Success rates of International/Canadian Health
and Other Candidates on Registration Exams
(Ontario Regulators for Access, 2003)-38
Professions
7
Professional Bridging Education

• Bridging Education Programs
• Post-secondary educational programs offered by
  either community colleges (diploma granting) and
  universities (degree granting) to provide
  additional knowledge/skills based on credential
  and competency assessments part or full time
  status varies from several months to 2 years.

8
Bridging Education continued

• Success rates of students-No data available!
• In Ontario, 19 of the 30 regulatory bodies can
  refer applicants to bridging programs
• 6 of these regulatory bodies serve in advisory
  capacity to bridging programs
• Health professions bridging programs include
  nursing, midwifery, medical technicians,
  physiotherapy and pharmacy

9
Identified Best Practices Good Bridging
Programs (CIITE Report, 2004)

• Good fit between student learning needs and
  program
• Collaboration between key stakeholders, such as
  regulators and PSE
• Effective profession-specific language training
• Comprehensive academic and social support
  services
• Stable program funding
• Financial assistance (student loans,
  scholarships) and access to additional
  non-financial resources
• Faculty development to upgrade expertise
• Genuine administrative support for continuity of
  program
• Alumni follow-up to job entry

10
Overview of Post-Secondary Institutional
Adjustment

• many institutions report overall
  under-funding
• Bridging education is not a big revenue generator
• Major differences in mandate between colleges
  (skill development) and universities
  (scholarship, innovation, research) in
  educational philosophy and operations (Rae
  Report, 2005)

• Curriculum tends to be based on Westernized as
  compared to global view of healthcare/education
• Specialized programs, such as bridging education
  are not part of mainstream
• Operate independently of industry demands, health
  professions, regulatory and government directives

11
Why are there so few good programs?.

• Operational Issues
• -limited access for students
• -lack of sustained program funding
• -debate regarding integrated or independent
  programming
• -lack of best practice standards regarding
  curriculum design and teaching/learning practices
• -tend to be marginalized from mainstream
• Leadership Issues
• -competition between colleges and university for
  funding
• -lack of collaboration between professions,
  industry
• -role of government unclear, possibly not
  desired

12
Proposed Changes to PSE Bridging Education

• Student Perspectives
• Financial support mechanisms, e.g. bursary,
  loans for part time students
• Integrated language training courses, with a
  focus on technical professional concepts
• Comprehensive technological and academic student
  services
• Opportunities for socialization into
  profession-specific practices

13
Proposed Changes to PSE Bridging Education

• PSE Institutional Perspectives
• Integrated programs with sustainable funding for
  educational program and other student services
• Faculty development in curricular and teaching
  practice
• Increased role of government in provision of
  funding support development of best practice
  standards
• Partnerships with regulators, professional
  associations and employers

14
Bridging EducationCertificate of Excellence

• Post-secondary Institution for outstanding
  performance and lasting contribution on

• Granted May 3, 2014