Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Canada: Training, Salary & Practice

An Obstetrician-Gynecologist is a specialist doctor that focuses on surgical, medical and obstetrical and gynecological knowledge for the diagnosis, management and prevention of a broad spectrum of condition's affecting women's reproductive and general health.

It is the combination of two specialties which are Obstetrics, which is the providing of care throughout pregnancy, labour and puerperium (This is the time after childbirth) and Gynecology which focuses on the overall health of the female reproductive system and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders. 

Delivery of Care Settings

The Obstetrics and Gynecology role offers physicians the chance to practice skills such as prenatal detection of sexually transmitted diseases, Pap Test screening, menopause, endometriosis, osteoporosis, and both endoscopy and invasive surgery.

This specialty also allows the physician to pursue other interests such as psychiatry, oncology, endocrinology, fertility, oncology and adolescent obstetrics, and gynecology. Obstetrician and Gynecologist usually work in hospitals, academic health centres, clinics and private offices. 

Canadian Training General Requirements

After completing medical school, an additional 5 years of Royal College-Approved residency training is required. This includes the following training:

• 1 Year of Chief Residency experience in Obstetrics/Gynecology.
• 1 Year of rotations in 4 specialties; Obstetrics/gynecology; endoscopic surgery, gynecological pathology; colposcopy; critical care medicine; gynecological oncology; gynecological urology; maternal/fetal medicine; obstetrics/gynecology ultrasound, pelvic pain investigation and management; research in obstetrics/gynecology' reproductive endocrinology & infertility; ambulatory obstetrics/gynecology; community-based obstetrics/gynecology.
• 3 months elective in the areas listed above;
• 1 year of basic clinical training in; internal medicine; general surgery; emergency medicine/critical care medicine, palliative medicine; neonatal-perinatal medicine; obstetrics/gynecology ambulatory clinics; anesthesia; and sexual medicine/pelvic pain.
• 1 Year of core experience in obstetrics/gynecology as a senior resident, a minimum of 9 months of subspecialty experience in gynecological reproductive endocrinology & infertility, gynecological oncology and maternal/fetal medicine. 

Applying to Canadian Medical Schools

Canada has 17 accredited faculties of medicine, distributed geographically across the country. Canadian medical schools are accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

According to The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), the number of places available is determined by provincial governments based on educational and financial resources, as well as Canada's future physician workforce requirements. Medical schools have an increasing number of applicants every year, while the number of positions available for entry does not increase significantly.

Can International Students Apply to Canadian Medical Schools?

Since the universities are under provincial jurisdiction, the majority of places in a faculty of medicine are allocated to permanent residents of the province in which the university is located. So, although 14 out of the 17 medical schools accept international students, the number of actual positions is limited.  

What International Medical Schools are Recognized in Canada?

 Anyone with a Medical Degree (MD) from outside of the accredited Canadian and American programs who wants to undertake residency training or practice medicine in Canada is considered an International Medical Graduate (IMG). This includes Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) has a helpful guide to the acceptable medical schools as defined in the Model Standards for Medical Registration in Canada.

How are Obstetrician-Gynecologist Paid? 

 The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) which provides essential information on Canada's health systems and the health of Canadians and has the following data:

• Most physicians receive compensation through multiple models, including both fee-for-service and alternative payments.
• Alternative methods of paying physicians include salaries, sessional and hourly rates, capitation models and contract-based payments.
• The largest payment program as a proportion of total gross clinical payments to physicians in Canada is fee-for-service, at about 73% of total payments in 2018–2019.
• Fee-for-service services provided by physicians can be split into 2 broad types: consultations/visits and procedures. 

What are Obstetrician-Gynecologist Paid in Canada? 

The gross range of potential annual earnings can vary based on factors including hours, experience, province, rural or urban location, clinic setup, as well as incentives and bonuses offered. A range we see for Obstetrician-Gynecologist across Canada is $260,000 - $600,000.  

Demand for Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Canada

According to Canadian Occupational Projection System, this occupational group is expected to face labour shortage conditions over the period of 2019-2028 at the national level.

This page is a general guideline only and is not intended as financial or other professional advice. Remuneration ranges are from both source information and our job board. All content is subject to change.