N. Ontario Physician Workforce Opportunities & Resources

Northern Ontario has much to offer! Stay for a bit or stay for a lifetime – there are a wide variety of opportunities for you to explore.

At NOSM University, we are working hard to support a shift from a historically fragile workforce to one with is flourishing – both clinically and academically.

Physician Employment Opportunities

Interested in locuming or a longer term career opportunity? We are working with our partners to help share opportunities that are available now. View details below.

The Health Force Ontario (HFO) portal lists many work opportunities for physicians. Sign in is required.

A selection of jobs in the communities of Northern Ontario can be viewed on this site: jobconnect.health. No sign in is required.

A summary of permanent and locum work for family physicians in Northern Ontario can be viewed in this PDF.

Last update: September 2022

Recruitment and Locum Resources

There are a number of tools available to assist with recruitment and planning for locum coverage.

Ontario Medical Association Physician Human Resources (PHR) Planning Toolkit/Checklist & Practical Considerations with accompanying Infographic
Health Force Ontario Resources for Family Medicine Locums in Rural and Northern Communities
Health Force Ontario Providing Locum Coverage
AMC joule Locum Evaluation Checklist
Ontario Hospital Association Professional Staff Credentialing Toolkit – Chapter 4 contains information on Planning and Recruitment
The second guide in the First Five Years Essentials series is now available: Contract Negotiation Basics – Locum Edition. These guides offer helpful information and tips for common challenges during the transition to practice. Visit the First Five Years website for more resources and check out First Five Years Essentials: A Brief Guide to Locuming in Family Medicine.
The Making it Work: Framework for Rural Remote Workforce Stability describes the necessary elements of a strategy to ensure the recruitment and retention of the right professionals to provide needed services in rural and remote locations. View the website or download a brief overview or full framework description.

Other Resources

The Rural Health Service Decision Guide is a 5-step, systematic process to making objective, evidence-based decisions for sustainably delivering health services to rural populations.

View the CPSO’s FAQs on Supervision and the Supervised Routes to Practice in Ontario infographic.

Canada Student Loan Forgiveness – Did You Know?

Family medicine residents working in an under-served, rural, or remote community in Canada may be eligible for the Government of Canada’s Canada Student Loan Forgiveness for Family Doctors and Nurses program.

As a resident or family doctor, if you complete at least 400 hours total of in-person service over a 12 month period, you may be eligible for up to $8000 in loan forgiveness for that year. You could receive up to $40 000 in Canada Student Loan forgiveness over a maximum of five years ($8000 per year).

For more information about the program, eligibility criteria and application details please view the Government of Canada’s website. To determine if a community qualifies under this program, use the Postal Code Lookup Tool. Find a postal code on the Canada Post website.

Practice Management & Community Exploration Conference

2021 was the inaugural year for our annual Get Ready to Go & Make a Difference Practice Management and Community Exploration Conference and Job Fair. This conference aimed to help connect learners and residents with future learning and work opportunities. Recruiters and physicians from a number of communities across Northern Ontario attended to share employment opportunities and information about their respective communities and work places. During the first conference, there were virtual opportunities to network in chatrooms and hear about the unique experiences communities and practices have to offer.

We are gearing up for our 2nd annual event being held on October 21st & 22nd, 2022 – Finding Your True North: Planning for Your Future Career. Educational sessions and panel discussions for learners, residents and their families will focus on planning electives, future work, and finances and include practical tips. There will also be an opportunity to connect with community representatives. Registration is now open! See details on our event page!

Interested in what last year’s conference and job fair had to offer?

Learn about communities and what they have to offer under Community Visit Rooms.
See what opportunities were highlighted at the conference.
View presentation materials.

Want to Know More About Communities?

From beautiful landscapes to unique experiences and exciting work opportunities, Northern Ontario has so much to see and do. Information about some of our communities can be found at Communities-at-a-Glance.