Family Physicians and General Practitioners

(NOC 3112)

in All Health

Family physicians and general Practitioners (GPs) diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact and continuing and comprehensive care to patients of all ages. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Residents in training to be general practitioners and family physicians are included in this group.

Job Outlook

Good

Read more

  • Estimate Strong growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 365 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Health

  • Estimate 3550 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 6335 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Health care demands from an aging population and a restricted supply of workers contribute to opportunities for this occupation. There are ongoing reports in the media of doctor shortages in Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Health Authority has been actively recruiting, and some positions remain difficult to fill. Extensive recruiting may be necessary at times to fill a position.

Hourly Pay

N/A

Minimum

N/A

Median

N/A

Maximum

Annual Pay

$78,147

Minimum

$197,386

Median

$362,764

Maximum

Compared to: All Health

Hourly Pay

$16.70

Minimum

$26.60

Median

$43.30

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,740

Minimum

$43,853

Median

$88,944

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Family physicians and general Practitioners (GPs) diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact and continuing and comprehensive care to patients of all ages. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Residents in training to be general practitioners and family physicians are included in this group.

Job duties

Family physicians and general practitioners:

  • Examine patients and take their histories, order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures and consult with other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health.
  • Prescribe and administer medications and treatments.
  • Perform and help in routine surgery.
  • Provide emergency care.
  • Provide acute care management.
  • Vaccinate patients to prevent and treat diseases.
  • Deliver babies and provide pre-natal and post-natal care.
  • Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness, and accident prevention.
  • Provide counselling and support to patients and their families on a wide range of health and lifestyle issues.
  • Perform patient advocacy role.
  • Coordinate or manage primary patient care.
  • Provide continuous care to patients.
  • Supervise home care services.
  • Report births, deaths, and contagious and other diseases to governmental authorities.

Sample job titles

  • doctor of medicine (MD)
  • family doctor
  • family physician
  • general practitioner (GP)
  • intern
  • medical doctor
  • medical officer of health (MOH)
  • primary care physician
  • public health physician
  • resident physician

Skills

  • Compassion, sensitivity, and a desire to help people are important. Physicians must take final responsibility for their decisions and the effects they have on patients' lives. Therefore, emotional stability, ethics, maturity, and good judgement are essential. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are important. You should be able to inspire confidence and put people at ease. You must be willing to continually update your knowledge and skills. Good health and stamina may be needed, as physicians often work long hours.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's degree.
  • Graduation from an approved medical school and two to three years of family medicine residency training are required.
  • Completion of the qualifying examinations of the Medical Council of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.

Other considerations

  • Most physicians are self-employed and administer their services through private practices. Most physicians are paid by fee-for-service where earnings depend upon the fees paid by the government for various services and the number of patients served. Some physicians are paid through alternative funding plans. Family physicians tend to work long and irregular hours, especially those physicians who operate their own practices or work in small groups. General practitioners and family physicians may become specialist physicians with additional training.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,640

employed in 2016

89.3%

employed full-time

50.9%

self employed

48.8%
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51.2%
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48

median age

Compared to: All Health

36,515

employed in 2016

75.7%

employed full-time

9.6%

self employed

83.6%
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16.4%
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43.5

median age

Where will I likely work?

59.8%

Halifax

N/A
14.3%

North Shore

N/A
11.0%

Annapolis Valley

N/A
8.2%

Cape Breton

N/A
6.7%

Southern

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

96.4%

Health care and social assistance

3.6%

Educational services

What is the age of Employment?

26.0%

45-54

23.0%

25-34

21.0%

55-64

19.0%

35-44

9.0%

65+

1.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Health

24.0%

25-34

23.9%

45-54

21.9%

35-44

18.4%

55-64

7.7%

15-24

Top levels of education

82.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$80,760 median annual income
11.6%

Master

$88,481 median annual income
3.0%

Doctorate

$78,497 median annual income
1.8%

Bachelor

N/A
0.6%

High school

N/A

Compared to: All Health

38.4%

College Diploma

$40,033 median annual income
27.1%

Bachelor

$61,668 median annual income
8.7%

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary, Optometry

$81,191 median annual income
6.8%

High school

$24,829 median annual income
5.1%

Master

$69,296 median annual income

Education & training

Medical Scientist (MSc, PhD)

University Program

This includes any undifferentiated clinical science program that prepares graduated physicians (M.D. or D.O.) as research scientists in various areas.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Medicine (MD)

University Program

These programs prepare students for the independent professional practice of medicine, involving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses, injuries, and other disorders of the human body. They courses in the basic medical sciences, clinical medicine, examination and diagnosis, patient communications, medical ethics and laws, professional standards, and rotations in specialties such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, neurology, ophthalmology, radiology, clinical pathology, anesthesiology, family medicine, and psychiatry.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Physician

Right to Title and Practice: This job is regulated. The job title is protected, and you may not use it without a professional licence. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.

Regulating body:
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Doctors Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Ottawa, ON