Quebec Family Doctors Suspend Teaching to Protest Government Bill

Description: Quebec family doctors will stop teaching medical students from Oct. 1, joining specialists in protest against a controversial bill linking pay to performance.

Introduction

In a major escalation of Quebec’s ongoing healthcare dispute, the province’s family doctors have announced that they will suspend teaching medical students starting October 1, 2025. The move aligns them with specialist physicians, who are already refusing to train future doctors, as part of a pressure campaign against the provincial government. At the heart of the conflict is a controversial bill that would tie a portion of physicians’ compensation to performance targets. The decision has sparked student protests in Montreal, raised concerns about the future of medical education, and intensified the political standoff between doctors and policymakers.

Background: Why Quebec Doctors Are Protesting

The Controversial Bill

• The Quebec government has proposed legislation linking part of doctors’ pay to performance metrics such as patient throughput and outcomes.
• The bill, supported by Health Minister Christian Dubé, has been framed as a way to increase accountability in the healthcare system.
• Doctors argue the approach is “punitive, unfair, and unrealistic”, given long-standing resource shortages.

Negotiations Over Pay and Workload

• Alongside the bill, doctors are negotiating with the government on compensation and working conditions.
• Family doctors have long voiced concerns about overwork, administrative burdens, and burnout.
• Specialists have already adopted teaching boycotts as a bargaining tactic, and now family doctors have joined the movement.

The Teaching Boycott: A Serious Pressure Tactic

What the Federation of Family Doctors Announced

• On September 24, 2025, Quebec’s federation of family doctors declared that members will suspend teaching responsibilities starting October 1.
• This includes clinical training, mentoring, and supervision of medical students across the province.
• The suspension will remain in place until the government agrees to withdraw the legislation or improve negotiations.

Impact on Medical Students

• Students from four medical schools, including McGill University and Université de Montréal, staged demonstrations in Montreal to highlight the fallout.
• Future doctors fear that clinical rotations and practical training will be delayed, jeopardizing their education and graduation timelines.
• Medical educators warn that prolonged suspensions could harm Quebec’s healthcare workforce pipeline.

Political and Public Response

Government’s Position

• Health Minister Dubé has remained firm, insisting the reforms are necessary to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.
• The government argues that Quebec taxpayers deserve greater accountability for physician salaries, which already consume a large share of the health budget.

Doctors’ Counterargument

• Doctors counter that healthcare delivery is shaped by systemic limitations—long wait times, staff shortages, and underfunded infrastructure—not individual performance.
• They maintain that tying pay to performance targets would be demoralizing and could drive doctors away from Quebec.

Public Opinion and Social Media Trends

• Hashtags like #QuebecDoctorsProtest and #MedicalEducationCrisis trended on X (formerly Twitter).
• While some citizens support government accountability measures, many sympathize with doctors’ concerns about workload and fairness.

Potential Consequences for Quebec’s Healthcare System

StakeholderShort-Term ImpactLong-Term Risk Medical Students Delays in clinical training, uncertainty about graduation timelines Possible shortage of trained doctors in future Patients Indirect effects as doctors focus on protest Fewer new doctors entering system, worsening wait times Government Political backlash, protests, media scrutiny Trust erosion, strained healthcare system Doctors Increased leverage in negotiations Risk of losing public support

FAQs on Quebec Doctors’ Protest

Q1. Why are Quebec doctors refusing to teach medical students?
They are protesting a provincial bill that ties part of their salaries to performance metrics.

Q2. When will the suspension of teaching begin?
The suspension will begin on October 1, 2025, unless the government backs down.

Q3. Which doctors are involved in the boycott?
Both specialists and family doctors have adopted the tactic to pressure the government.

Q4. How are medical students responding?
Students from four Quebec medical schools protested in Montreal, warning of harm to their education.

Q5. What does the Quebec government say about the bill?
Officials argue that performance-based pay will improve accountability and healthcare outcomes.

Q6. Could this protest affect patient care?
Direct care is not being suspended, but long-term impacts could include delayed graduations and fewer doctors entering the system.

Conclusion: A Critical Moment for Quebec’s Healthcare Future

The decision by Quebec’s family doctors to stop teaching medical students marks a significant escalation in the healthcare labor dispute. While the government remains firm on linking compensation to performance, physicians argue that systemic challenges—not individual effort—are the real issue. With students caught in the crossfire and patients likely to feel long-term consequences, the dispute has become a defining moment for Quebec’s healthcare system.

👉 What’s your take on performance-linked pay in healthcare? Should doctors’ salaries depend on outcomes, or does it unfairly penalize them for systemic flaws? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion.

🔗 Related Content:

• Quebec Health Minister Stands Firm on Bill (Global News, Aug 19, 2025)
• Canadian Medical Association – Physician Burnout Report