Physicians moving abroad
CMAJ 1997;156:744
© 1997 Canadian Medical Association
In 1995, the number of active Canadian physicians moving abroad (674) decreased by 13% from the record high level set in 1994 (777). Preliminary data compiled by the CMA in January indicate that the number leaving in 1996 remained very close to the 1995 level, but there were some significant regional differences. Some provinces, such as Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta, lost a disproportionately high share of their active physicians during 1996.
Each year numerous physicians return to active practice in Canada, with 256 returning in 1995. However, while the number of physicians returning has been more or less stable since the 1980s, the number leaving has increased significantly in the 1990s, with a corresponding increase in the net loss of physicians. The net loss in 1995 was 418 physicians, which was double the 1990 loss of 207 physicians. [Although this represents less than 1% of the active-physician roster, it is equivalent to the 199697 undergraduate output of 5 medical schools chosen at random -- Memorial, Dalhousie, Laval, Ottawa and Queen's. -- Ed.]
In recent years there has been much discussion about the demand for primary care physicians in the United States. It is interesting to note that the proportion of general and family physicians leaving Canada increased from 40% of the total in 1993 to more than 54% in 1995 and 1996.
These data were provided by the CMA Masterfile and the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Table 1
This column was written by Lynda Buske, chief, physician resources information planning, CMA. Readers may send potential research topics to Patrick Sullivan (sullip@cma.ca; 613 731-8610 or 800 663-7336, x2126; fax 613 523-0937).
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