Canada lures US Docs
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Hoping to lure US physicians northward, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and Ontario are now allowing those who are board certified to start practicing medicine immediately with full licensure. They'll no longer have to start with a limited license and take additional exams or be supervised for up to a year to become fully licensed.
Canada is experiencing an acute shortage of licensed physicians that's expected to intensify over the next decade. The shortfall is estimated to be about 44,000 physicians by 2028, with family doctors accounting for 72% of the deficit.
"Reducing licensing barriers should make Canada a more attractive option for US doctors who may be considering a move north," said Tom Florence, president of AMN Healthcare's Physician Solutions division, which recruits American physicians to work in Canada.
"Canada also has a truly expedited work visa process for qualifying physicians who have a job offer and wish to practice there," said Florence. It usually takes about 6 months compared with at least 18 months for Canadian physicians who want to work in the US, he said.
Few US-trained physicians work in Canada, which has a population of nearly 39 million. Just 812 of them practiced in Canada in 2019, the last year data was collected, according to the Canadian Medical Association.
But Canada may attract American physicians who find US medicine to be fraught with ethical dilemmas and restrictions from insurance companies and elected officials, said Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, MD, an internist and immediate past-president of the American Medical Women's Association.
"Rather than give up practicing medicine, a move to Canada may be a welcome respite for some US physicians," she said.
Physician recruiters in Ontario and Nova Scotia welcomed the news. About 13% of the population is without a family doctor, according to news reports.
A number of US physicians have started practice in Nova Scotia in recent years, said Katrina Philopoulos, Nova Scotia Health's director of physician recruitment. "I think this momentum will help us," she said.
Other Canadian provinces with physician shortages are also considering making similar changes. Alberta recently announced a 5-year pilot project to waive some licensing requirements for family doctors and general practitioners trained in Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom, and the US.
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@Axtremus said in Canada lures US Docs:
See, @Jolly, doctors prefer to work for government healthcare.
Except when it is obamacare.
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@Axtremus said in Canada lures US Docs:
See, @Jolly, doctors prefer to work for government healthcare.
For somebody that likes hard data, there's almost none in that piece.
I'll make your case for you...Mississippi has some of the lowest paid famiy practice guys in the country - $170K/yr. AFAIK, the Sconies are paying north of 200,000/yr.
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@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
@George-K said in Canada lures US Docs:
@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
Is Medicare run by the government?
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@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
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@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
I really don't know about the procedure being "best in the world."
However, the US has one of the most regressive and restrictive licensing policies on the planet. Each state has its own licensing board, and to practice in another state, you have to reapply, qualify for that state. That application process always includes multiple questionnaires, forms, requests for transcripts from medical (and earlier) education, and frequently, a written exam.
Having been very focused on one area of medicine, I doubt I could pass a licensing exam.
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@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
@George-K said in Canada lures US Docs:
@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
And it was already a low reimbursement to begin with.
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@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
I really don't know about the procedure being "best in the world."
However, the US has one of the most regressive and restrictive licensing policies on the planet. Each state has its own licensing board, and to practice in another state, you have to reapply, qualify for that state. That application process always includes multiple questionnaires, forms, requests for transcripts from medical (and earlier) education, and frequently, a written exam.
Having been very focused on one area of medicine, I doubt I could pass a licensing exam.
@George-K said in Canada lures US Docs:
@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
I really don't know about the procedure being "best in the world."
However, the US has one of the most regressive and restrictive licensing policies on the planet. Each state has its own licensing board, and to practice in another state, you have to reapply, qualify for that state. That application process always includes multiple questionnaires, forms, requests for transcripts from medical (and earlier) education, and frequently, a written exam.
Having been very focused on one area of medicine, I doubt I could pass a licensing exam.
Help me to help you...
https://www.lsbme.la.gov/licensure/physicians
I think if you've had a license within x number of years, it's all paperwork.
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@George-K said in Canada lures US Docs:
@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
And it was already a low reimbursement to begin with.
@LuFins-Dad said in Canada lures US Docs:
@George-K said in Canada lures US Docs:
@Copper said in Canada lures US Docs:
Except when it is obamacare.
Medicare cut reimbursement by about 4.5% for 2023. Add inflation, and it's a bit of a hit.
And it was already a low reimbursement to begin with.
Low?
My family practice guy no longer gives all the geezer vaccines. He was losing $200/shot on one of them.
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@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
i did my fellowhsip in Canada and was able to get an educational license solely on my passing step 1 and 2 of the USMLE.
im not surprised some docs moving to canada, the system is easier to manage (all i hear is complaints about where managed care in the US is going, for working docs) so i guess if u can stand the cold, why not.
Australia and New Zealand beckon for doctors in more temperate climes
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@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
i did my fellowhsip in Canada and was able to get an educational license solely on my passing step 1 and 2 of the USMLE.
im not surprised some docs moving to canada, the system is easier to manage (all i hear is complaints about where managed care in the US is going, for working docs) so i guess if u can stand the cold, why not.
Australia and New Zealand beckon for doctors in more temperate climes
@bachophile said in Canada lures US Docs:
@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
i did my fellowhsip in Canada and was able to get an educational license solely on my passing step 1 and 2 of the USMLE.
im not surprised some docs moving to canada, the system is easier to manage (all i hear is complaints about where managed care in the US is going, for working docs) so i guess if u can stand the cold, why not.
Australia and New Zealand beckon for doctors in more temperate climes
Did your license transfer to Isreal or did you have to do it again to work there?
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@bachophile said in Canada lures US Docs:
@taiwan_girl said in Canada lures US Docs:
@George-K @jolly @bachophile What do you guys think?
It makes sense to me. I would think that the US license procedure for doctors is about the best in the world. I would think that someone with a US doctor license should be able to practice anywhere.
i did my fellowhsip in Canada and was able to get an educational license solely on my passing step 1 and 2 of the USMLE.
im not surprised some docs moving to canada, the system is easier to manage (all i hear is complaints about where managed care in the US is going, for working docs) so i guess if u can stand the cold, why not.
Australia and New Zealand beckon for doctors in more temperate climes
Did your license transfer to Isreal or did you have to do it again to work there?
@taiwan_girl I also took the Israel licensing exam but it’s basically ripped off from American tests. Same pool of questions.