Insight into

1. Recruitment of General Practitioners and
Family Physicians (NOC 3112)
Description
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 patient health. 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 unit group.
Example Titles
• family physician
• general practitioner (GP)
• medical doctor
• resident, general practice
Duties
General practitioners and family physicians perform some or all of the following
duties:
• Examine patients and take their histories, order laboratory tests, X-rays and
other diagnostic procedures and consult with other medical practitioners to
evaluate physical and mental health
• Prescribe and administer medications and treatments
• Perform and assist in routine surgery
• Provide emergency care
• Provide acute care management
• Inoculate and vaccinate patients
• 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
• Co-ordinate 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.

2. Skills
General practitioners and family physicians need the following skills and abilities:
Essential skills:
• ability to relate well to a wide range of people and gain their confidence
• ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• good problem-solving and decision-making skills
• emotional stability, maturity, integrity, reliability, realistic self appraisal
• ability to cope with stressful situations
• physical stamina and manual dexterity
• good listening and observational skills
• good verbal and written communication skills
• knowledge of computers
Technical skills:
• operation of technical medical equipment
• supervisory skills in directing and instructing staff
• administrative skills such as basic accounting, human resources and materials
management
• may be required for physicians operating their own offices
Employment Requirements
• Graduation from an approved medical school and two to three years of family
medicine residency training are required.
• It is mandatory to be licensed and registered with the College of Physicians
and Surgeons in the province of employment.
•
• Earnings
There is no cap on earnings in most provinces in Canada. Family Physicians
generate income from $120,000 up to $650,000.
Career Paths
General practitioners and family physicians work in community health centres,
hospitals, clinics or may operate their own private practice. Executive positions in
health centres, hospitals and clinics are options for family physicians and general
practitioners.
Physicians may also be employed in the private sector by insurance companies,
clinical research, pharma employers.
General practitioners and family physicians have the option to become specialist
physicians with additional education and training.
Outlook
Employment prospects for general practitioners and family physicians are
projected to be strong due to shortages for many years. This is especially true in
rural and remote areas of Canada. The medical needs of an aging population will

3. ensure a continued and growing requirement for general practitioners and family
physicians. A proportionally larger number of jobs for general practitioners and
family physicians are located in urban areas.
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