To maximize the investments in physician recruitment, we must collectively turn our effort toward creating a supportive transition into practice, so that the recruited physicians decide to stay in Nova Scotia.   

Onboarding supports

Every new physician arriving in Nova Scotia must feel welcomed and supported as they begin practice here. This includes immigration support, licensing support, help identifying schools and jobs for family members, and feeling welcomed by people in the health-care system and in the community.

Retaining medical learners 

About 60 new doctors graduate each year in Nova Scotia. Our province must strive to hire them all to fill vacancies. Job offers should be made before they've completed their medical training and before other provinces try to recruit them away. Medical students need to know they are wanted and valued in Nova Scotia.

Supports for international medical graduates

Doctors who have trained outside of Canada (international medical graduates, or IMGs) who enter practice in Nova Scotia face unique challenges. Many feel isolated, experience racism and feel unsupported when entering practice. International medical graduates are typically not connected to a community (cultural, religious, etc.) and live far from their extended families. To retain IMGs in our province, we need to be aware of these challenges and work together to support the physicians and their family members.  

Physician retention coordination committee

While our province is working hard to recruit physicians, it also needs to invest in retaining our medical students, residents and international medical graduates (IMGs).  Our province must develop a provincial committee comprised of health-system partners to focus on supporting physicians transitioning to practice in Nova Scotia. This committee would coordinate onboarding efforts, identify potential issues, provide important practice and compensation information, and ensure physicians starting practice in Nova Scotia are positioned for success. 

Other priorities

Invest in primary care infrastructure and collaborative clinic implementation 

Our province must continue to support primary care and work to remove barriers for the successful implementation of collaborative care practices. Learn more 

Prioritize physician wellness

Our province must invest in physician wellness. Continuing to reduce unnecessary physician administrative burden is one important facet of this work. Learn more 

Prioritize interoperability

Our province must continue to work toward an integrated digital Nova Scotia health system that supports physicians and is easy to access in hospital settings and in the community. Learn more

What can you do?

Talk with local candidates on these important health-care priorities. The candidates will want to hear directly from physicians as community leaders. Personal contact is the most effective form of communication.

Read the health care platforms for the three main political parties before meeting with candidates:

• Liberal plan
• NDP plan (not yet released)
• PC plan (not yet released)

Resources to support your advocacy 

• List of election candidates
• DNS advocacy tool kit
• Working Together: Doctors Nova Scotia's 2024 election priorities