Canadian Medical Association

For too long, a crumbling health system has been the norm. The CMA unites physicians who believe in a better future. Together, we’re advancing solutions to complex challenges in health, health care and the health workforce.


Our community

100,000+
Physicians and medical learners

We work on behalf of all physicians and medical learners, to help drive system change for the profession and for patients. Our voice is influential on issues ranging from physician safety and mobility to national health funding and workforce planning.

80+
Health sector

The CMA works with provincial and territorial medical associations, specialty societies, national health organizations and other key stakeholders, bringing the voice of the medical profession to critical committees, working groups, policy making bodies and others to support system improvements and change.

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Patients

The best health systems are shaped with the patients they serve. Participants in the CMA’s Patient Voice share their perspectives to inform our work. We also do broader outreach through regular public polling and engagement with patient organizations.

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Indigenous Guiding Circle

The CMA is working with a Guiding Circle, our second, to help us meet the aspirations of our Indigenous health goal and provide an important lens on the CMA’s efforts to advocate for a more accessible and equitable health system.

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CMA Media Network

We’re working with a network of physicians to advocate for change, amplifying each other’s call to action on social media and other platforms.

600+
Ambassadors

The CMA Ambassador program enables early-career physicians to take an active role in the profession and build leadership skills.

Membership brings together the medical profession and supports a strong national voice.

Our influence

Working with government

In addition to speaking with federal officials more than 170 times in 2022 – earning the CMA the top spot in The Hill Times’ annual ranking of health lobbyists – we’re an active participant in House of Commons Standing Committees as well as groups like the federal government’s Coalition for Action for Health Workers and HEAL, a 40-member coalition for health action.

Global impact

The CMA contributes to global conversations on issues related to our priorities. We partner with the Lancet on the Canadian report for their annual Countdown on Health and Climate Change, we have special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), we present to the UN Working Group on a Convention for the Rights of Older Persons and we participate in the work of the Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change.

Trusted health system news

The CMA recognizes the critical role of journalism in advancing debate and policy decisions. Through CMA Media, we’re contributing directly to the quality and quantity of health system news through original reporting and collaborations on other forms of storytelling.

Connecting on critical issues online

The CMA’s social media channels connect the public, the profession and policy-makers on critical issues in health care and the essential work of physician advocates. Physicians’ perspectives are seen by more than 6.3 million users across CMA’s social media channels – and our reach keeps growing. That our followers have nearly doubled in the last few years reflects the trust Canadians place in us as the national voice of the profession.

Having conversations that matter

The CMA brings the right people together to address complex challenges. At our in-person and virtual events, physicians, patients, advocates and thought leaders engage in candid conversations on the health system we have, and bold ideas for a better future.

In 2023, the CMA officially launched CMA Community, a platform for candid discussions on big ideas and issues in health care.

Supporting changemakers

The CMA Foundation provides grants to charitable organizations to further excellence in health care. As part of the CMA’s commitment to reconciliation in health care, CMA Foundation has contributed $2 million for the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund to advance community-based and Indigenous-led wellness initiatives in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, and $1 million to the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada for a national mentorship program for Indigenous medical students and to enable capacity building within the organization. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, CMA Foundation committed more than $40 million to address urgent needs and support research, the medical profession and vulnerable populations in cities and communities across the country.

Informing the profession

The country’s leading medical journal, CMAJ informs and provokes debate on health issues that affect people in Canada and around the world. CMAJ.ca drew more than 7.8 million page views in 2022, and our articles were seen by more than 4.2 million users across CMAJ media channels – a 52% increase in engagement over the past two years. CMAJ’s articles have an impact factor of 17.4, are regularly covered in the media, cited by health leaders and inform federal, provincial and public health officials on critical issues, from emergency department pressures to infectious disease threats like monkeypox and COVID-19.


Help lead the change

Membership gives physicians a voice when it matters most. Together, we can influence meaningful health care reform across the country, and within the culture of medicine.

See how you can get involved with the CMA
 

Questions about CMA membership?

Our Member Service Centre can be reached toll-free at 1-888-855-2555 or through our Member Services form. See our Contact page for our current hours of operation.

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