Why don’t we have enough family doctors? with Dr. Ruth Lavergne
As Canada faces a family doctor shortage, Tara calls up her friend Dr. Ruth Lavergne, a primary care researcher at Dalhousie University, to ask how we ended up an estimated 23,000 doctors short — despite training more in recent years. Together they explore how the work of family doctors has grown more complex, why more are choosing focused practice or shorter hours, and how payment reforms are shaping — but not necessarily solving — the challenge. Along the way, they reflect on the moral and emotional strain of family medicine, the choices doctors make to preserve balance and meaning, and what it would take to make family medicine not just better paid, but a better job. Stay tuned to the end, when several family doctors sound off about their own practice choices — whether full-service or something different — and what led them there.
Research mentioned in this episode
The federal report estimating Canada is 23,000 family doctors short
Tara’s research on the shift away from full-service family medicine
Ruth’s research on career choices and administrative burden in primary care
Dive into the commentary on physician payment that was a Ruth-Tara platonic meet-cute
Here's the cross-country comparisons on physician payment mentioned in the episode
MAINPRO CREDITS: Family doctors can claim Mainpro Credits by completing a linking learning exercise.
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