Adrian Brijbassi

Dr. Navsheer Gill earned a residency spot.

For Sanjay Vashishtha, the journey toward becoming a practicing physician in Canada has been “a process filled with massive doubts.” In recent days, the outlook has become much more clear and optimistic. A family physician for nearly two decades with the Army Medical Corps of India, Vashishtha recently attained residency status in Ontario, along with 219 other internationally trained medical graduates (IMGs). Once he completes his training, he will be eligible for certification as a practicing physician in Ontario.

In a ceremony attended by Minister of Health Deb Matthews and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Eric Hoskins, the new residents were feted on Wednesday night for their hard work, perseverance and accomplishment. Vashishtha said the rigorous, often deflating journey “took every ounce of energy I had,” as he worked two jobs while also studying for the exams.

When asked when he slept, he smiled and shook his head, and his wife, Sonnicca, answered, “He doesn’t sleep.”