Physician and Family Support Program
AMA's PFSP
CALL1.877.SOS.4MDS (767.4637)International: 403.930.0529 (you may call collect)CONFIDENTIAL 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year |
The AMA's Physician and Family Support Program provides confidential support and help with personal health issues and enhances the quality of patient care and public safety by promoting health and well-being for the medical profession that cares for all Albertans. Download our program info-sheets.
I need help now
Physicians, residents and medical students need to be able to voluntarily seek help with the assurance of confidentiality. Working with the AMA Physician and Family Support Program is one way to ensure that difficulties can be identified and mitigated before a crisis or concern about patient safety arises.
Physician Health Resources
Visit the links below to access personal and workplace health information for all stages of your career, sorted by subject.
PFSP Services
New to the AMA's Physician and Family Support Program? Want to know more about the process or what to expect when calling in? Watch our series of short informative videos.
Substance use disorder
What is substance use disorder (SUD) and how can the AMA's Physician and Family Support Program help Alberta physicians? PFSP and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta have partnered with Dr. Teresa Eliasson to create a video to educate physicians about SUD: what it is, how to identify it and where to seek help.
Dr. Marnie Hinton Resident Award for Physician Wellness
The Dr. Marnie Hinton Award for Resident Physician Health, jointly sponsored by the Alberta Medical Association’s Physician and Family Support Program and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta, is awarded annually to medical residents who have demonstrated an interest in physician health.
Physician Wellness #GOAT
Physician Wellness #GOAT is an AMA Physician and Family Support Program initiative that celebrates physicians supporting colleague wellness and who create a more open, supportive and compassionate culture for Alberta physicians.
PFSP e-book
The PFSP e-book – The Well-Being of Medical Relationships: Striking a Balance with Your Spouse, Colleagues & Self – by Sara Taylor, BSc, MD, CCFP – is a helpful resource for physicians to refer to for assistance with developing and maintaining healthy, happy personal and professional relationships.
Physician wellness news and events
Battling physician burnout
March 16, 2021
In the March 16 episode of the Canadian Medical Association's podcast "Sound Mind," Dr. Caroline Gérin-Lajoie talks to Dr. Jillian Horton about her book, 'We Are All Perfectly Fine,' a chronicle of how medical culture has harmed physicians, and her own personal journey to overcome burnout.
Our trusted provider of psychological PPE
January 13, 2021
Dr. Sue Reid, Staff Anesthesiologist, Grey Nuns Hospital and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, shares her personal experience with PFSP. She highlights the critical role PFSP has played in her own life and shares the voice of other physicians in Alberta.
The impact of an adverse event in early practice
December 30, 2020
Dr. Marc Cherniwchan (Assessment Physician, Case Coordination Program, AMA PFSP) writes about his experience with a $750,000 lawsuit regarding an adverse event that had occurred during his very first year in practice.
Video: AMA President on physician mental health and PFSP
December 11, 2020
Stress, anxiety, burnout and depression are commonplace among physicians – even before facing a global pandemic. Mental health issues can have devastating consequences on the individual, their family and the profession. AMA President Dr. Paul Boucher discusses physician mental health and accessing peer-to-peer support through PFSP from a province-wide network of highly trained therapists with experience working with physicians and their families.
A Physician's Story of Addiction, Depression, Hope and Recovery with Dr. Adam Hill
November 27, 2020
View a recording of the webinar, "A Physician's Story of Addiction, Depression, Hope and Recovery with Dr. Adam Hill." Member login required. On October 2, 2020, the AMA's Physician and Family Support program and partners hosted a physician wellness webinar to hear one physician’s story of addiction, depression, hope and recovery. Dr. Adam Hill shared his personal journey and reflections on factors that cause distress in the medical workforce, including the obstacles and barriers preventing mental health treatment and the effect of stigma and stereotyping of mental health and addiction. Through his personal account he helps to reduce the stigma of physician addiction and instill hope about recovery.
Physician Wellness: Feeling Distress, Understanding Loss and Finding Meaning
June 16, 2020
On June 16, the AMA, PFSP collaborated with Well Doc Alberta to host a physician wellness webinar, as an opportunity for physicians to consider and better understand their distress during these times. Along with knowledge expert Fleur Yumol, the webinar co-facilitators guide viewers through short pauses for self-reflection. This webinar is designed for physicians to enhance literacy and self-reflection about their wellness during times of rapid change, however, family members are encouraged to join.
