What influences family doctors to practise in the Territories?

When the first National Physician Survey (NPS) was conducted in 2004, the Canadian Medical Association’s January 2004 CMA Masterfile indicated that 0.3% of all FPs in Canada were living and practising medicine in the Territories (Table 1). Forty-five FPs in the Territories and 11 041 FPs in Canada completed the NPS questionnaire in 2004. They were asked for up to 2 reasons why they selected their current practice location (Table 2) and about the environment in which they grew up before university (Table 3).

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Table 1

Demographic characteristics of FPs in the Territories and in Canada

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Table 2

Reasons for selecting current practice location

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Table 3

Environments in which FPs grew up before university

The 2007 NPS data-collection phase is wrapping up at the end of May. Practice patterns and profiles of locum tenens physicians are being explored and should help provide a more comprehensive picture of all of the FPs providing care in the Territories, whether residing there full time or acting as locos tenentes. Results will be available in the fall of 2007 at www.nationalphysiciansurvey.ca.

The NPS is a collaborative project of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. If you would like the opportunity to develop and write a future Fast Fact using the NPS results, please contact Sarah Scott, National Physician Survey and Janus Project Coordinator, at 800 387–6197, extension 289, or sks{at}cfpc.ca.