NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Provincial Government Expands the Definition of Newfoundland and Labrador Resident for Faculty of Medicine Admissions

The Provincial Government is announcing regulations under the Memorial University Act to expand the definition of Newfoundland and Labrador Resident for the Faculty of Medicine application process. The Memorial University Regulations under the Act were posted in the Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette on June 26.

The definition of Newfoundland and Labrador resident is being expanded, effective immediately, to include individuals with strong and ongoing ties to this province, specifically members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their immediate families. Students applying this summer for admission to Memorial University's Faculty of Medicine will be able to avail of the expanded definition of Newfoundland and Labrador resident. This change supports the Provincial Government's ongoing commitment to improving access to medical education and addressing physician recruitment and retention across the province.

Memorial University is making necessary changes to its admission materials to reflect this updated definition of a Newfoundland and Labrador resident. These changes will be finalized as soon as possible and posted online to ensure there is no delay for students who wish to apply to the Faculty of Medicine.

The Provincial Government recognizes that these families may have experienced time away from Newfoundland and Labrador as the result of service-related postings. Out-of-province postings for service members may prevent such individuals from meeting the Memorial University Act's current definition of a Newfoundland and Labrador resident, thereby requiring these applicants to compete for a limited number of out-of-province seats. This path significantly reduces the likelihood of admission to the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial despite the applicant's substantive ties to the province. This outcome is neither consistent with the intent of the Act, nor with the university's historic mission as a living memorial to those who have served.

The expansion aligns with broader Provincial Government efforts to:

• Increase the number of locally trained physicians.
• Strengthen recruitment and retention, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
• Recognize and support individuals whose careers, including military and policing service, have required mobility outside the province.

Memorial University's Faculty of Medicine has long prioritized admission of qualified applicants from Newfoundland and Labrador which recognizes that students with local connections are more likely to remain in the province to practice. The revised criteria will better reflect today's diverse circumstances, including individuals who have spent time away for service-related postings, but maintain enduring ties to the province.

The Provincial Government will continue to work closely with Memorial University and health care partners to strengthen the province's health human resources and ensure a sustainable, responsive health system.

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"We recognize how important this issue is to military and RCMP families who are serving our country. By expanding the definition of a Newfoundland and Labrador resident in regulations under the Memorial University Act, we help members of those families apply to the Faculty of Medicine as residents and stay here at home. This strengthens the opportunity for people with strong ties to our province to pursue medical training here, ensuring them a fair application process while respecting the autonomy of the university over admissions."

Honourable Paul Dinn, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development