P.E.I. wants to make it mandatory for Island students who access provincially-funded seats at Memorial University in St. John's to work at least three years on P.E.I. after they graduate.

Doug Currie is concerned the province is not getting a return on its investment in medical students. (CBC)

Health Minister Doug Currie spent the weekend at Memorial University talking to medical students about practising on P.E.I. Currie told CBC News his message was not welcomed by Island students at the school.

"The med students feel they don't want to be pegged in or locked into a commitment early on in their time of study, but at the same time it is a substantial investment," said Currie.

"I was very clear that in order for us to continue to make investments, I'm really concerned about our inability to retain the number of students from Memorial."

Currie said the number of provincially-funded Memorial medical students who came back to work on P.E.I. has been low for five years.

The province currently funds four seats for Islanders at Memorial, at a cost of $50,000 per student. The province plans to increase the number of seats it funds to six in 2013.