ACCES Employment’s Health English Language Pro (HELP) is expanding with new funding from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Foundation. The $645,000 investment over three years will support the expansion of the program which pairs newcomer or internationally trained physicians (ITPs), with Canadian physicians to provide practical insight into communication and clinical expectations in Canada. These partnerships help ITPs strengthen the language and communication skills they need to successfully integrate into the healthcare sector in Canada.
ITPs bring valuable clinical expertise and experience, but many face a complex, fragmented path to licensure and limited opportunities to practise professional English in a Canadian clinical context. Often the most prominent barrier isn’t skill, it’s access: to mentorship, to channels for clinical discourse, and networks that support informed career decisions. HELP was designed for this very reason.
Founded in September 2024 by Dr. Eva Grunfeld and delivered in partnership with ACCES Employment, HELP received some early support from the Future Skills Centre, pairing newcomer physicians with Canadian physician volunteers for structured, weekly virtual sessions. Participants build medical English fluency, practice case-based communication, and learn the norms of Canadian healthcare, including privacy, consent, collaboration, and patient-centred language.
“There are so many barriers for internationally trained physicians to enter the workforce, yet at the same time our healthcare system continues to be strained,” says Allison Pond, President and CEO of ACCES Employment. “This support from the CMA Foundation is a powerful signal that the medical community is motivated to be part of the solution and can play a significant role in a newcomer physician’s success.”
Scaling what works
With additional funding support for over three years from the CMA Foundation, ACCES Employment will expand HELP and strengthen the volunteer and learning infrastructure behind the program.
Funding will support:
- 110+ new physician-to-physician partnerships
- Monthly online group sessions reaching up to ~500 participants per year
- Improved learning resources and toolkits
- Communities of practice that support both participants and physician volunteers
- Program capacity and communications to sustain growth
This expansion will increase access to mentorship and targeted language supports, helping more newcomer physicians move forward, whether toward licensure or transition into other healthcare roles.
Why partnerships matter
Healthcare workforce gaps won’t be solved by one organization alone. HELP shows what becomes possible when community partners, healthcare leaders, and funders align around a shared goal: helping skilled newcomers integrate sooner.
By expanding mentorship and targeted communication support for ITPs, HELP aims to advance health equity, strengthen cultural competence, supporting a more culturally responsive, diverse healthcare workforce.
Learn more about HELP.
