Professional Support Program

Doctor thinking at his desk

Professional Support Program

Doctors Nova Scotia’s Professional Support Program (PSP) provides confidential peer-to-peer support for members and their families who are dealing with personal or professional problems. Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association and Nova Scotia Dental Association members and their families may also access support, as well as dental and veterinary students, and veterinary assistants.

The PSP program responds to the mental health and wellness needs of members and also supports initiatives, workshops and other resources that promote wellness, resiliency and balanced living. Based across Nova Scotia, PSP counsellors have no affiliation with licensing and regulatory bodies or related university training programs of the professions they serve. 

This program is made possible in part by the support of the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Canadian Medical Association and MD Financial The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), MD Financial Management Inc. (MD) and Scotiabank together are firmly committed to supporting the medical profession and advancing health in Canada. As proof of this commitment, Scotiabank, in collaboration with the CMA and MD, is investing $115 million over 10 years to support physicians and the communities they serve across Canada.

CMA Wellness Support Line

The CMA Wellness Line ended on Nov. 30, 2022. The support line was launched in June 2020 during the height of the pandemic to provide additional mental health support and counselling to physicians, medical students and their immediate families. As Canada emerges from the acute phase of COVID-19, the CMA is returning to its core focus on fostering a new culture of medicine that supports physicians as people as well as professionals and advocating for a better future of health through system reform.

The PSP continues to serve the mental health and wellness needs of DNS, NSDA and NSVMA members and their families.

Frequently asked questions

Help is a call away

You can access these services by calling 902-468-8215 or 1-855-275-8215, or emailing professionalsupport@doctorsns.com.


Who we help

The PSP supports a variety of health professionals and their families, including practising and retired physicians, dentists, and veterinarians; medical students, residents and fellows; veterinary students and assistants; dental students; and the partners and dependent children of those professionals.

Confidential support

All information physicians share with the PSP counsellors is confidential, including personal and health information, and the fact that they have contacted the PSP for help. Counsellors do not collect, use or disclose information without consent or as required by law.