Ontario grapples with healthcare worker shortage, unaccredited program leaves students without jobs
(Last Updated On: April 5, 2023)
Ontario is currently experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers, and yet more than 90 students who graduated from a private college program to become ultrasound technologists have been told they won’t be allowed to work in their chosen field.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Canadian All Care College was not accredited, meaning that students cannot take the Canada Sonography Exam and, therefore, cannot be hired as ultrasound technologists. The students were shocked to learn this after graduating last year in March, and they feel that they have wasted two years of their lives and incurred unnecessary costs.
Najmah Hashmine, an Etobicoke student who took the program, said that it’s very painful for all the students. They tried their best to become sonographers, but everything changed all of a sudden. Another student, Roya Shahrullah, who also took the program, said that it was her dream to work in the healthcare field, and she wanted to serve society.
A spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities explained that Accreditation Canada had determined in November 2022 that Canadian All Care College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Program did not meet the professional standards set by the College of Medical Radiation and Imaging Technologists of Ontario (CMRITO) and had revoked CACC’s status.
The Superintendent of Private Career Colleges then followed Accreditation Canada’s lead to revoke the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Program at Canadian All Care College because the program no longer met the conditions of program approval. Since then, the Ministry has been engaged with CACC to ensure that all students are notified of recommended next steps, including seeking refunds to which they are entitled, finding new institutions to continue their training, and providing documentation.
Refunds, but can’t recoup wasted time
The college provided refunds to all students for their tuition and some other expenses, but some students say they had other costs and also feel like they have wasted two years of time. Shahrullah said that everything they did was not worth it. They have to start all over again, go to another college, pay money again, and start their studies again. Two years of study in college and two years of transportation, just wasted, said Hashmine.
CTV News Toronto contacted Canadian All Care College and the president of the school, Miajan Aryan, said it was an unfortunate situation as the college had been trying to do whatever was necessary to become accredited. He said that the school had been following all ministry directives to get accredited and were working with officials to make sure the program was up to the required standards. They hired qualified instructors, have all the equipment needed, invested millions into the program, and have fourteen ultrasound machines that are not cheap.
Aryan said that Canadian All Care College has been in business for 20 years and has 15 other programs, and nothing like this has ever happened before. The process of being accredited was affected by delays caused by the pandemic, and he is hopeful that students who took the program will still find a way to work in the ultrasound field. He is also hopeful that the sonography program can be accredited in the future.
However, for now, students who took the program worry that they will have to start their schooling all over again. Hashmine said that it’s hard to finish a two-year sonography course, and now it’s like it’s worth nothing. Shahrullah added that this thing that happened to them shouldn’t have happened.
The situation that the students of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Canadian All Care College find themselves in is unfortunate. It is understandable that they feel frustrated and that they have wasted two years of their lives.
The college provided refunds to all students for their tuition and some other expenses, but some students say they had other costs, and they deserve to be reimbursed for those expenses as well.
The situation faced by the students who took the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Canadian All Care College is certainly unfortunate. After investing two years of their time and resources into the program, they were told they couldn’t pursue their career goals in their chosen field due to the program’s lack of accreditation.
While the college did provide refunds for tuition and other expenses, some students are still left with other costs and the feeling that their time has been wasted. The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities has been working to help the affected students find new institutions to continue their training and provide them with the necessary documentation.
It’s also worth noting that the pandemic has caused delays in the accreditation process, which may have played a role in the situation at Canadian All Care College. However, it’s important for private career colleges to ensure they meet the necessary professional standards before offering programs and accepting students.
The shortage of healthcare workers in Ontario has been a concern for some time, and the current situation faced by these students only exacerbates the issue. The province needs more healthcare workers, including ultrasound technologists, and it’s unfortunate that these students are unable to pursue their chosen careers at this time.
Hopefully, Canadian All Care College and other private career colleges can learn from this situation and take steps to ensure their programs meet the necessary standards.
As for the affected students, it’s important to explore their options for continuing their education and pursuing their career goals, whether it’s through another institution or a different healthcare field. Canada welcome the most amount of international students in 2022.
