Society of Rural Physicians of Canada
	Société de la médecine rurale du Canada

Comparative Regional Statistics

GP/FP Numbers

The physician numbers are from the Canadian Medical Association who are currently using a common definition of rural as areas outside urban areas over 10,000 population. (Statistics Canada labels these areas Census Agglomerations and Census Metropolitan Agglomeration (CA/CMA).  A census agglomeration (CA) is a large urban area (known as the urban core) together with adjacent urban and rural areas (known as urban and rural fringes) that have a high degree of social and economic integration with the urban core. A CA has an urban core population of at least 10,000, based on the previous census.  A CMA has an urban core of over 100,000).

Note that while the areas described by this definition are certainly rural, the definition is quite restrictive as many areas that most doctors would consider rural are excluded.  By example the Yukon and North West Territories have high "urban" percentage populations because of the concentration of the population in Whitehorse (pop 21,405 at 2001 census pop 22,898 at 2006 census) and Yellowknife (pop 16,541 at 2001 census pop 18,700 at 2006 census).
 
 

Crude headcount ratios were determined using CMA data from January of the year and comparing it to census data based on the same definition.  In Canada in 2005 the population was 21% rural served by 16% of family physicians and 2% of specialists.  In Canada in 2007 the population was 19% rural served by 16% of family physicians and 2% of specialists. Workforce data shows that not only is the rural population older and sicker, rural GP's serve a different role in the country.  Rural GP's provide a broad range of services that are usually done by specialists in the city.

In 1998 the rural generalist was 2.8 times more likely to be male than female but the median ages of these groups (m=47 f=39) indicates that this ratio is narrowing as new graduates enter the rural workplace. A study shows that physicians entering rural practice between 1994 and 1998 were as likely to be female as male.

Specialist Numbers

In 1998 Canada Medical specialists (19,307) outnumber Surgical specialists (7,529). In rural Canada the difference is less striking (446 Physicians to 310 Surgeons). In 2007 Canada Medical specialists (22,723) outnumber Surgical specialists (8,260). In rural Canada the difference is less striking (459 Physicians to 298 Surgeons).