Physicians in Nova Scotia provide fulfilling patient care that embraces family life, professional development, and community involvement. The province is supporting the development of practices that offer team-based, collaborative care to their patients. The size and scale of Nova Scotia allow for good connections across the healthcare system.
While there is a need for increased access to primary care, this is the case across Canada and Nova Scotia is supporting those who are unattached to a primary care provider with access to physicians through virtual care and designated primary care clinics for unattached patients who meet certain criteria, such as a new cancer diagnosis or those recently discharged from hospital. The practice of medicine is fulfilling, and life is good in Nova Scotia.
To make the process easier for US-trained physicians looking to relocate to Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Health has developed a webpage specific to American Board Certified physicians that can be found here – this includes everything from medical registration to finding a job and understanding the healthcare system.
Medical License/Registration
Nova Scotia is the first province in Canada to offer a pathway to full medical licensure to physicians who have completed their American board exams and are American Board Certified (includes both MD and DO backgrounds).
There is no longer a requirement for Royal College or Canadian College of Family Physicians certification (i.e. no additional exams needed for a full license!). The Nova Scotia College of Physicians and Surgeons will also accept enrolment in the relevant continuing professional development (CPD) program in the United States in lieu of the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program with the Royal College or the Mainpro+ program with the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
Finding a Job
You can find all current opportunities and apply through the Nova Scotia More than Medicine provincial job board. American Board Certified Physicians are also encouraged to connect directly with the Nova Scotia Health Physician Recruitment Team by completing the form here.
If there is no current job posting that is the right fit, connect with the recruitment team through the form and share what you’re looking for, as there are often things in the works that may not have been posted yet.
For American Board Certified Physicians, the process to practice in Nova Scotia is much more streamlined than in the past. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) relies on the Medical Counsel of Canada and their Physicians Apply Portal to verify medical documents and credentials. The Physicians Apply portal can be found here.
Once documents are verified, the CPSNS issues a Letter of Practice Eligibility, which allows Nova Scotia Health to make job offers.
Immigration
An accepted job offer means physicians are eligible for a provincially nominated and supported work visa. Immediate family members are also eligible for open work and student visas connected to the physician’s work visa.
The province also has an immigration support specialist as part of their Recruitment Team who is knowledgeable and can move things along efficiently when needed. On arrival in Nova Scotia, physicians and their families then become eligible for a Canadian Permanent Residency application, which is generally approved in about two years.
Salary & Work Culture
While salaries in Nova Scotia can vary depending on the specialty and whether you’re in an academic or community position, Canada offers competitive pay with a strong emphasis on collaboration and a balanced lifestyle.
Physicians work as independent contractors and are not employees of the province. A full-time family physician is expected to earn about $375,000 CAD annually in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The Physician Master Agreement with the province of Nova Scotia is publically available. It includes information about salaries, physician benefits and negotiated raises. The current agreement is for the 2023-2027 and can be found here.
Benefits to physicians outside of direct salary include maternity/parental leave benefits of $2,000 CAD per week for up to 26 weeks, yearly CME funding, grants to help cover the cost of your Electronic Medical Record license, a teaching benefit of $5,000 CAD per year for having medical learners, plus a daily stipend and enhanced billing on days learners are in your practice. There is also a retirement fund matching program and yearly rural retention funding for specialists who practice for more than three years outside urban areas. For those new to the province, there is a Site Visit Program that fully reimburses you and a guest to visit potential practice sites, up to $20,000 CAD per physician to reimburse moving costs and return of service incentives for those in their first ten years of practice.
In Canada, physicians also benefit from a secure environment to practice medicine without concerns of insurance complications. In Canada, physicians focus on their patients, knowing that insurance is not a barrier to treatment. There is no minimum FTE that a physician must work to have coverage through provincial medical insurance programs. It is also a low litigation environment and there is excellent support for medico-legal issues if they arise through the Canadian Medical Protective Agency (CMPA), which all physicians must hold and is subsidized by the provincial government.
In general, Nova Scotians are interested in and care about each other. They want to know you and your story, to feel connected to each other and the place where you have decided to come to work and live. Most physicians’ children attend the excellent public school system and local universities. There are opportunities for all interests, including sports, arts, restaurants, city or rural living and great outdoor recreation and ocean/lake access.
Bottom Line
Practicing in Nova Scotia has been incredibly rewarding. The work environment is supportive, and I’ve been able to build a practice that suits my lifestyle and interests. Nova Scotia has not only been a great place to grow my career, but it’s also provided a wonderful quality of life for me and my family. If you’re considering making the move, I’d encourage you to take the leap—you’ll find a welcoming community and a fulfilling career that’s worth every step of the journey.
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Dr. Emily Rice is a Family Physician practicing Palliative and Hospitalist Medicine in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She has informally supported local physician recruitment for years, hoping others will come and experience the great work environment and quality of life in the area. More recently, Dr. Rice has been working with Nova Scotia Health in a formal recruitment capacity as one of the province’s MD Leads for Recruitment and Retention.
