Health human resources in Canada.

The article scrutinizes the different health professions in the socioeconomic setting of Canada. This country has a surplus of physicians and, at the same time, shortages in some specialties. In the discussion of the imbalance in the numbers and distribution of this manpower, it is indicated that certain factors affect all occupational groups including: the development of a data system on the health field, the effects of new technologies, and the size of education institutions. In the past, many physicians and other health professionals, attracted by the labor market, have come to practice in Canada. In addition, the supply of home-grown professionals has greatly increased. Based on a national study, four proposals are made to reduce the current and future surpluses: restrict the immigration of physicians, develop regional graduate training programs, reduce medical school enrollments, and address the joint problems of distributing and reducing the supply of health manpower.