The paltry financial and intellectual rewards offered by an urban practice have even led some of our best members to abandon university practice - and these were the upcoming generation's future teachers. This situation is all the more incomprehensible in that doctors in a university setting, owing to the nature of their work, which includes teaching, research and other administrative duties, already have an income that is generally below that of their colleagues working outside university hospitals. It took three years of unacceptable discrimination toward three cohorts of medical specialists and confirmation of the negative impact predicted in 1995 for an amendment to the FMSQ-MHSS agreement to be made. While this is a move in the right direction, it is unfortunately incomplete. Any discriminatory measure must be abolished, whether it targets young medical specialists or young family doctors.
Equity is needed immediately.
Just because it affects only a small group of people does not make injustice any the less unacceptable. Let us put incentives in place that will enable us not only to better cater to Quebecers' needs, but also to ensure fairness within the medical profession. Qu bec, Montreal.