CPSO Licenses Physician No. 100,000

Record-breaking number of doctors licensed in 2012

TORONTO, May 6, 2013 /CNW/ - The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is pleased to announce that Dr. Alaina Aguanno is Physician No. 100,000 to be licensed for practice in the province since it started issuing registration numbers in 1866.

She joins an illustrious line of doctors licensed by the College in its 147-year history, including Dr. Norman Bethune, Dr. Frederick Banting, Dr. Jenny Trout, Dr. William Osler, and Dr. Roberta Bondar.

Dr. Aguanno is completing her certification in emergency medicine and will join the London Health Sciences Centre in July as a staff physician. She graduated from the University of Calgary's faculty of medicine in 2010. A native of Toronto, she graduated near the top of her class at Etobicoke Collegiate.

In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Aguanno has an undergraduate degree in Biological Anthropology from Harvard University and a Master's degree in Health Policy and Health Economics from the London School of Economics.

"CPSO welcomes Dr. Aguanno to the profession and congratulates her on being Physician No. 100,000 in the province. The College wishes Dr. Aguanno every success in her medical career," said College President Dr. Eric Stanton.

The CPSO also released a report today that shows more physicians were licensed in 2012 than ever before. A record-breaking 4,149 certificates of registration were issued, a rise of 4% from the previous year.

The substantial increase in issuance of new licences in the last decade has significantly improved the overall physician supply in Ontario, which has risen by 4,791 physicians, up 23% since 2001.

"College registration policies and government funding of more residency positions have helped pave the way for international medical graduates to enter medical practice, and the results demonstrate our success," said Dr. Stanton.

In fact, in 2012 more licences were issued to international medical graduates than to Ontario graduates, a trend that has continued for nine years.

"We are pleased with the progress made and will continue to work with our partners in government, medical education and training, and specialty certification to ensure access to qualified medical care," said Dr. Stanton.

The CPSO issues postgraduate education certificates to physicians in training and practice certificates to all other candidates. Of the 4,149 certificates issued last year, 1,759 were practice certificates, the highest number ever issued. International medical graduates received 40% or 696 of those licences.

The full report, Registering Success 2012, is available online at www.cpso.on.ca.

SOURCE: College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario

Media Inquiries: 

For an interview with Dr. Aguanno:   

Prithi Yelaja
[phone] ext. 402
[email protected]

For an interview about the registration report:

Kathryn Clarke
[phone] ext. 378 
[email protected]