Recent data compiled by the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicate that the number of physicians relative to the population has stayed stable over the last few years and currently stands at 185 per 100 000 population. In 1993 there was 1 physician for every 528 Canadians, compared with 1:541 today. (Figure)
Provinces that exceed the national rate of physicians per 100 000 population include British Columbia (193), Nova Scotia (196) and Quebec (211). Furthest from the average are Saskatchewan and the Yukon (149) and the Northwest Territories (92).
As of December 1998, there were 56 203 active civilian physicians in Canada. As has been the pattern for many years, the distribution between family physicians (including GPs) and specialists is close to 50:50; the 1998 figures indicate that 51% of doctors are FPs and 49% are specialists.
Female physicians comprise 28% of the practising pool but the numbers are growing steadily. Almost half (47%) of all family physicians under age 40 are female.
Almost one-quarter (24%) of Canada's practising physicians are graduates of foreign medical schools. They comprise 69% of physicians who graduated over 30 years ago but account for only 7% of practising physicians who graduated within the last 10 years. This points to much tougher entry requirements for doctors trained outside Canada.