How to become a general practitioner or family physician
Official title: General practitioners and family physicians
Also called: Family doctor, Family physician, Company physician, Physician resident, Resident physician, Family practitioner, Industrial physician, Primary care physician, Public health physician, General practitioner (gp), General practice physician, Industrial medicine physician
General practitioners and family physicians diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients. They provide primary contact and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Residents in training to be general practitioners or family physicians are included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Examine patients and take their histories, order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures and consult with other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
- Prescribe and administer medications and treatments
- Perform and assist in routine surgery
- Provide emergency care
- Provide acute care management
- Vaccinate patients to prevent and treat diseases
- Deliver babies and provide pre-natal and post-natal care
- Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
How to become one
A bachelor's degree or in Quebec, completion of a college program and one year of pre-medicine university studies is usually required. Graduation from an approved medical school and two to three years of family medicine residency training are required. Completion of the qualifying examinations of the Medical Council of Canada or the Collège des médecins du Québec and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
Ways in
- University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 15 universities in Canada
- Licence or registration: Completion of the qualifying examinations of the Medical Council of Canada or the Collège des médecins du Québec and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $232,227 a year
- About 76,000 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 103,000 are projected by 2033. (+35.5%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a general practitioner or family physician?
A bachelor's degree or in Quebec, completion of a college program and one year of pre-medicine university studies is usually required. Graduation from an approved medical school and two to three years of family medicine residency training are required. Completion of the qualifying examinations of the Medical Council of Canada or the Collège des médecins du Québec and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
How much does a general practitioner or family physician earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $232,227 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)).
Is a general practitioner or family physician a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 36% by 2033, from about 76,000 to about 103,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a general practitioner or family physician?
Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03