Dear Members,
At the Spring 2025 Representative Forum, we engaged extensively with delegates on topics ranging from Negotiations 2026 to daily interactions with government. Across microphone comments, hallway conversations, breakout groups and live polling sessions, one word stood out: respect.
History may remember this era as the "Age of Disrespect," marked by the rise of misinformation, social media trolls, authoritarianism, assaults on human rights and challenges to the rule of law – all of which erode institutions and our trust in leaders. Sadly, these are the times that we are living in, but the message from our colleagues is clear: physicians feel disrespected in their roles.
The CanMEDS framework is a model used in Canadian medical education to describe the key roles and competencies that physicians need in order to provide high-quality patient care. It outlines seven core roles that doctors should fulfill:
CanMEDS FrameworkWe are facing challenges in every one of these roles we play. On top of this, Alberta is also one of the hardest hit provinces when it comes to recruiting and retaining physicians and learners.
In these times, we can address challenges and focus on long-term goals, but only if we can survive professionally, mentally and financially. Appropriate compensation is crucial to keeping our lights on, maintaining healthy work environments, safeguarding our mental health and delivering the government-funded care that Albertans need. It’s about being there for patients, preserving the autonomy of the physician-patient relationship and respecting physician leadership in driving informed reform.
Fair physician compensation impacts our system's capacity to deliver patient care, but fair compensation is under constant threat. Government has been resistant to years of AMA advocacy toward system solutions. Recently, threats of further cuts and continuing instability also feel like disrespect.
There have been some positive developments, and I’m thankful to the Minister for making herself available for ongoing discussions, and to her team for their continued collaboration toward implementing the Primary Care Physician Compensation Model. I am also grateful for our agreement and its dispute resolution mechanisms – the value of which was recently demonstrated in the outcome of the Cancer Care Alberta (CCA) Physician Agreement.
In all of this, we keep going. I just wanted you to know that when you feel that our profession and the care we provide is being disrespected, I feel it too.
Take the 2025 CMA National Physician Health survey
On a related note, the 2025 Canadian Medical Association National Physician Health survey is now open.
Physicians and medical learners continue to experience unprecedented pressure, impacting their mental health, job satisfaction and capacity to respond to the high demand for care. The National Physician Health survey, conducted every four years by the CMA, provides crucial data on burnout, anxiety, depression and other wellness indicators in medicine.
Please take the survey by Tuesday, April 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Thank you for your emails and calls and the hard work you do every day in our system. Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to work and advocate on your behalf.
Sincerely,
Shelley Duggan, MD, FRCPC
President, Alberta Medical Association