The Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) program of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine will increase by 28 medical residents, the province has announced.

The increase in the current class of 216 first-year PGME students at McMaster was part of the Ontario government’s announcement of its expansion of medical school education by 160 undergraduate and 295 postgraduate positions at the seven medical schools across the province.

“I’m pleased that we will be growing our postgraduate medical program by 28 students,” said Paul O’Byrne, dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

“The pandemic has put an exclamation mark on the need for expansion of healthcare professionals in Ontario, and these medical residents will be a welcome addition to our hospital and community partners now and, for their future careers as physicians, to the citizens of the province.”

Parveen Wasi, associate dean of the PGME program, said a working group including the regional deans of the medical school’s campuses in Waterloo and Niagara and in consultation with the school’s community partners, will implement the increase.