title: Internationally Educated Health Professionals in Canada: Navigating Three Policy Subsystems Along the Pathway to Practice.
abstract: The integration of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) into the health workforces of their adopted countries is an issue that has challenged policy makers and policy scholars for decades. In this article, the authors explore the implications of the ideological underpinnings of the policy subsystems that IEHPs must navigate in seeking employment in Canada, with a focus on Ontario.Using a policy subsystem approach, in 2015 the authors analyzed a large preexisting data set composed of articles, governmental reports, Web sites, and transcripts of interviews and focus groups conducted in Ontario with IEHPs, health care executives, human resource managers, and job counselors to IEHPs. Through this analysis, they identified three policy subsystems-the immigration system, the educational and licensure/regulatory system, and the health human resources system-that conflict ideologically and, as a result, create barriers to IEHP integration.To make substantive progress on IEHP integration in Canada, four questions should be considered. First, how can researchers bring new research methods to bear to explore why no jurisdiction has been able to create an integrated pathway to practice for IEHPs? Second, how and to what end are the institutions within the three policy subsystems regulating the IEHP pathway to practice? Third, how might the educational and licensure/regulatory policy subsystem create alternative health care employment options for IEHPs? Finally, how might health professions educators pursue a leadership role in the creation of an overarching institution to manage the pathway to practice for IEHPs?
authors: R. Paul is a PhD candidate, Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, and research fellow, Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M.A. Martimianakis is assistant professor, Department of Paediatrics, and scientist, Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. J. Johnstone is associate staff physician, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, and program director, Global Child Health Fellowship, Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. N. McNaughton is associate director, Standardized Patient Program, Faculty of Medicine, and affiliated scholar, Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Z. Austin is professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, academic director, Centre for Practice Excellence, and Murray B. Koffler Chair in Pharmacy Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Paul
authors: Maria Athina Tina
authors: MAT
authors: Martimianakis
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Johnstone
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: McNaughton
authors: Zubin
authors: Z
authors: Austin
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035082:Federal Government; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009864:Ontario; D011640:Public Policy; D013219:State Government