Medical Doctors: General & Specialist Physicians
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
General practitioners and family physicians diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics.
Specialist physicians work in clinical medicine, in laboratory medicine and in surgery. Specialists in clinical medicine diagnose and treat diseases and physiological or psychiatric disorders and act as consultants to other physicians. Specialists in laboratory medicine study the nature, cause and development of diseases in humans. Specialists in surgery perform and supervise surgical procedures. Specialists in clinical medicine usually work in private practice or in a hospital while those in laboratory medicine and in surgery usually work in hospitals. (National Occupational Classification)
This profile page includes information on physicians in Family Medicine, Surgery, Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Medicine, except for Psychiatry. Please select the links at the bottom of this page to learn about that specialty area of medicine and related occupations.
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information:
- Overview: A Career in Medicine - from ExploreHealthCareers.org (U.S.)
- Interview: Family Doctor - from StudyinCanada.com
- Interview: Emergency Doctor - from StudyinCanada.com
- Career Mentor profile - U of M alumnus, Family Physician
- Medical Specialty Profiles - overview of medical specialties with demographics and data on workload and job satisfaction from the Canadian Medical Association
- Profiles of Medical Residents- from Resident Doctors of Canada
- Medical Officer - opportunities with the Canadian Armed Forces, includes video
- Let's Talk Science Career Profiles:
- Careers in Clinical and Translational Research - feature stories of MDs research and practice from Science Careers magazine
- Alternative Careers in Medicine - Resources from McGill University
- Sokanu - occupational information and videos:
- Family Physician
- Specialists: Cardiologist, Pediatrician, Surgeon, Internist, Oncologist, Radiologist, Ophthalmologist, Immunologist, Plastic Surgeon, Orthopedic Surgeon, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Hospitalist, Dermatologist, Anesthesiologist, Gynecologist, Neurosurgeon, Pulmonologist, Otolaryngologist, Gastroenterologist, Urologist, Pathologist
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Health Researcher (video) - University of Manitoba
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- College of Medicine - Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
- Health Careers Access Program (HCAP) - prepares Indigenous Manitobans for entry to the health professions
- Professional Health Access Program - supports Indigenous students who have been accepted into a professional health program
Exploring Other Education Options
- Canadian Medical Schools - Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools
- Admission Requirements guide - Association of Faculties of Medicine Canada
- U.S. Medical Schools - Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
- Medical School Directory - listing of North American programs from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
- World Directory of Medical Schools - from the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER)
Information for foreign-trained family physicians and specialist physicians - Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Canada Job Bank - Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Doctors Manitoba Collective Agreement (see Salary Schedule) - Manitoba Government
- Physicians in Canada Infographic report - this report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information includes demographic and salary information
- Workforce Studies - physician demographics and supply and demand information from the Association of American Medical Colleges
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- College of Physicians & Surgeons of Manitoba
- Canadian Medical Association
- Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
- College of Family Physicians of Canada
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
- Listing of national specialty societies
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- Society of Rural Physicians of Canada
- Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
- American College of Surgeons - listing of specialty societies
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Regional Health Authorities - Province of Manitoba
- Health Regions in Canada - listings and maps from Statistics Canada
- Children's Healthcare Canada - members
- Canadian Radiation Oncology Centres - from the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology
- Directory of Palliative Care facilities - Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
- Canadian Association of Community Health Centres - members
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Leaders in Healthcare - campus student group
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program (Facebook page)
- Manitoba Medical Students Association - list of interest groups
- Max Rady College of Medicine - Career Planning resources for current medical students
- Canadian Federation of Medical Students
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- MCAT Fee Assistance Program - Association of Faculties of Medicine Canada
- Canadian Residency Matching Services (CaRMS) - program descriptions with placement numbers
- Doctors Without Borders
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada - Health Systems and Policy
- Physician Data Centre - Physician Workforce Surveys
- Health Data & Reports - Canadian Centre for Health Information
- Canadian Medical Residency Guide, 10th edition (pdf) - view Section C: Residency Profiles and Section D: Career Profiles for medical specialty and residency program descriptions, physician surveys and average physician salaries
- HealthyDebate.ca - articles on health care issues, a weekly podcast on new research from medical journals, and more
- White Coat Black Art - CBC Radio podcast and blog focused on the world of medicine
- Health Care Career Guide
- The Student Doctor Network - See forum for discussions of medical specialties from doctors and students
- Doctor Diaries Documentary - PBS Nova
- Article: Changes ahead for international medical graduates hoping to practice in Canada
- Article: Too many Canadians studying medicine overseas from CBC includes demographic and tuition data