Physician Salaries in Saskatchewan are amongst the highest in Canada. In fact, eye surgeons (ophthalmologists) are the highest paid with a total income in excess of $. That said, most all other specialists like general surgery, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, and Paediatrics in this province have incomes well over the national average, weighing in at almost 40% higher than most provinces, and that’s including Ontario. Family practitioners fare quite well too, with an average annual income of over $$$. This aggressive salary move on behalf of the government located in Saskatoon has lead to a full complement of physicians in the bigger centres and vacancies only in some of the rural communities with less population.
I can’t help but think a strong motivation on the part of physicians is money, and as was said in the movie ” Field of Dreams “, if you build it right, they will come. If you build a compensation package that attracts Canadian and well credentialed IMG’s, not only will they come but they’ll stay, and not be drawn to bigger cities in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. The lesson to be learned here is if Atlantic provinces like Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island want to attract physicians who not only enjoy work and the benefits that come from strong incomes, they’ll need to take a good dose of medicine from the political decision makers in the wonderful and ” physician wealthy” province of Saskatchewan.