Canadian Medical Association

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is pleased that Atlantic Canadian premiers have announced their intention to improve physician mobility throughout the region. This follows the recent announcement from Ontario that it intends to recognize the credentials of health professionals already licensed elsewhere in Canada.

Physician mobility is a key solution to the current health care crisis in Canada that the CMA continues to champion. The CMA maintains that a pan-Canadian licensure model that would enable physician mobility across all Canadian jurisdictions is a more comprehensive and impactful approach than the current siloed provincial and territorial model. Within a pan-Canadian licensure model, physicians can practise or train in any Canadian jurisdiction without having to acquire more than one license or pay additional licensing fees. A recent CMA poll showed that 95% of physicians and medical learners support pan-Canadian licensure. That same poll also showed that physicians were more likely to provide coverage to rural and remote communities under a pan-Canadian model.

The CMA awaits further details of how the Atlantic Physician Register will function. It appears to be a positive step toward improving working conditions for physicians and access to care for patients across Atlantic Canada. We appreciate the Atlantic premiers’ forward-thinking approach to our current health systems crisis.

Dr. Alika Lafontaine
President, Canadian Medical Association

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