Doctor shortages in Souris have forced the cutting back of clinic hours. CBC

Dr. Clark Newhall, a medical lawyer and emergency room physician practicing in Utah who summers in eastern P.E.I., said Friday that the process to license foreign doctors needs to be clearer and easier.

After spending 10 summers in the province and witnessing the doctor shortage in Souris firsthand, Newhall inquired about filling in at the hospital during summer and potentially immigrating to Canada permanently.

He said he gave up after encountering red tape and poor communication from the provinces medical community.

“For many years we’ve talked about immigrating to Canada,” he said. "I talked to the Health PEI person who’s in charge of recruiting and I sent in an application with all the licensing information."

Newhall said he was directed to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island and told he would have to travel to Memorial University’s medical school in Newfoundland.

“That seems counterproductive,” he said.

He said he was left with an impression that in order to practice on the Island, he would have to undergo an assessment and months of training.

“Why would I have to do that? I’m board certified in the U.S., I’ve practiced emergency medicine for many years, I’ve done office practice for many years. I know what I’m doing.”

"I guess I’m not going to go any further with it. I don’t think I ever got any kind of followup call from anyone,” Newhall said.

Dr. Cyril Moyse, registrar for the College of Doctors and Physicians, said the licensing practice isn’t overcomplicated, but it varies by doctor.

“It depends on their experience, and their experience in particular with the Canadian system, how much they would be allowed to do,” he said.

“Because the Canadian system is really, I guess, unique in the world.”

Moyse said that for doctors from outside of Canada it is standard policy to assess their credentials and skills before they can work on P.E.I.