How to become a specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine
Official title: Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
Also called: Lung specialist, Skin specialist, Child specialist, Heart specialist, Nerve specialist, Specialist doctor, Medical specialist, Clinical pathologist, Specialist physician, Acute care specialist, Cardiology specialist, Clinical immunologist
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine diagnose and treat diseases and physiological or psychiatric disorders and act as consultants to other physicians. Specialists in laboratory medicine study the nature, cause and development of diseases in humans. Specialists in clinical medicine usually work in private practice or in a hospital while those in laboratory medicine usually work in hospitals. Residents in training to become specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine are included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Anesthesiologists
- Administer anesthetics prior to, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures
- Internists, general
- Diagnose and provide non-surgical treatment of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults who have a wide range of problems associated with the internal organs
- Pediatricians, general
- Diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries
- Psychiatrists
- Diagnose, treat, and help prevent disorders of the mind
How to become one
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 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 specific specialty training are required. Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required. Specialists in clinical medicine Four to five years of specialty residency training are required. Two years of subspecialty training may also be required. Specialists in laboratory medicine Four to five years of specialty residency training are required.
Ways in
- University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 15 universities in Canada
- Licence or registration: Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $311,297 a year
- About 34,000 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 42,200 are projected by 2033. (+24.1%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine?
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 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 specific specialty training are required. Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required. Specialists in clinical medicine Four to five years of specialty residency training are required. Two years of subspecialty training may also be required. Specialists in laboratory medicine Four to five years of specialty residency training are required.
How much does a specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $311,297 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)).
Is a specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 24% by 2033, from about 34,000 to about 42,200 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a specialist in clinical and laboratory medicine?
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