Is it true that it's easier to be a doctor in Canada versus America?

Fai

One who wants to be many
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I'm an American citizen who will more than likely attend medical school here. With that, I understand that Canada has an extreme shortage of FM doctors.

But nevermind the demand for doctors in Canada. Is it true that the healthcare system is a lot less 'intrusive' on the physician's salary, paperwork, malpractice not common and the such? I've heard many attendings complain about paperwork here in the States and about ambulance-chasing lawyers that made Malpractice more of a hassle.

I mean, I'm sure Canada has it's flaws (i.e wait times, more patient load due to shortage etc) but is the general lifestyle of any physician easier over there then here?

I feel like our current health care system is not helping either parties (health care professionals and patients) and my pre-med friend believes that no one really cares about the physicians and don't care if their compensation gets slashed with more patient load and health insurance-related paperwork required.

So basically, do Canadian doctors have a better living there then the American doctors here, with politics/law not as heavily influence against it?

Thanks in advance and sorry if this post was all thrown around.
 
Are you a joke?

Canadian doctors have it as, if not more, tough as their American counterparts. Sometimes many Canadian doctors move down South to the US because of better opportunities which could include income, lifestyle etc etc.

But again, you cannot generalize. Canadian doctors probably do enjoy some benefits that you cannot down South (for example low litigation rates) but then that is overcome by other challenges such as paperwork and government intrusion and of course shortage of jobs. Many Canadian orthopods, cardiac surgeons are out of jobs right now. As a surgeon in Canada, you are lucky if you can get 2 OR days. Usually it is 1 OR day, 2-3 clinic days, rest teaching/paperwork.
 
I'm not sure from the business end of things, but I have a Canadian attending surgeon and from what I understand admission rates, board scores, and testing are more competitive (for surgical subspecialties, at least).
 
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