3111 – Specialist physicians
Specialists in clinical medicine diagnose and treat diseases and physiological or psychiatric disorders and act as consultants to other physicians. Specialists in laboratory medicine study the nature, cause and development of diseases in humans. Specialists in surgery perform and supervise surgical procedures. Specialists in clinical medicine usually work in private practice or in a hospital while those in laboratory medicine and in surgery usually work in hospitals. Residents in training to become specialist physicians are included in this unit group.
Profile
Index of titles
Example titles
- Acute care specialist
- Allergist
- Allergologist
- Anatomical pathologist
- Anatomopathologist
- Anesthesiologist
- Anesthetist
- Anesthetist-resuscitator
- Autopsy pathologist
- Cardiac surgeon
- Cardiologist
- Cardiology specialist
- Cardiothoracic surgeon
- Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon
- Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery specialist
- Cardiovascular surgeon
- Child specialist
- Clinical immunologist
- Clinical immunologist-allergist
- Clinical immunology and allergy specialist
- Clinical pathologist
- Clinical pharmacologist
- Community health physician
- Community medicine physician
- Community medicine specialist
- Cosmetic surgeon
- Critical care medicine physician
- Critical care medicine specialist
- Dermatologist
- Diagnostic radiologist
- Diagnostic radiology specialist
- Ear specialist
- Emergency medicine physician
- Emergency medicine specialist
- Emergency physician
- Emergentologist
- Endocrinologist
- Environmental medicine specialist
- Esthetic surgeon
- Eye specialist
- Forensic pathologist
- Gastroenterologist
- General pathologist
- General surgeon
- Geneticist – medical specialist
- Geriatric medicine specialist
- Geriatrician
- Geriatrics specialist
- Geriatrist
- Gynecologist
- Heart specialist
- Hematological-pathologist
- Hematologist
- Hematopathologist
- Hematopathology specialist
- Histopathologist – medical specialist
- Hyperbaric physician
- Immunologist and allergologist
- Infectious disease physician
- Infectious disease specialist
- Infertility specialist
- Inpatient physician
- Internal medicine specialist
- Internist
- Laryngologist
- Lung specialist
- Medical bacteriologist
- Medical biochemist – physician
- Medical examiner
- Medical geneticist
- Medical genetics specialist
- Medical microbiologist
- Medical oncologist
- Medical oncology specialist
- Medical parasitologist
- Medical pathologist
- Medical physiologist
- Medical specialist
- Neonatologist
- Nephrologist
- Nerve specialist
- Neurological surgeon
- Neurologist
- Neuropathologist
- Neuropsychiatrist
- Neurosurgeon
- Nose specialist
- Nuclear medicine physician
- Nuclear medicine specialist
- Nuclear physician
- Obstetrician
- Obstetrician-gynecologist
- Occupational health physician (OHP)
- Occupational medicine specialist
- Occupational physician
- Oculist
- Oncologist
- Ophthalmologist
- Orthopedic surgeon
- Orthopedics specialist
- Orthopedist
- Otolaryngologist
- Otologist
- Otorhinolaryngologist
- Otorhinolaryngology specialist
- Pathologist – medical
- Pathologist-hematologist
- Pediatric oncologist
- Pediatric surgeon
- Pediatrician
- Phoniatrician
- Phoniatrist
- Physiatrist
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
- Plastic surgeon
- Plastic surgery specialist
- Pneumologist
- Police surgeon
- Preventive medicine physician
- Preventive medicine specialist
- Proctologist
- Psychiatrist
- Psychopharmacologist
- Pulmonary disease specialist
- Pulmonary medicine physician
- Pulmonary medicine specialist
- Pulmonologist
- Radiation oncologist
- Radiologist
- Radio-oncologist
- Radio-oncology specialist
- Rehabilitation specialist
- Respiratory disease specialist
- Respirologist
- Rheumatologist
- Rhinologist
- Skin disease specialist
- Skin specialist
- Specialist doctor
- Specialist in cardiology
- Specialist in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
- Specialist in community medicine
- Specialist in critical care medicine
- Specialist in emergency medicine
- Specialist in environmental medicine
- Specialist in epidemiology and community medicine
- Specialist in geriatric medicine
- Specialist in hematopathology
- Specialist in infectious diseases
- Specialist in infertility
- Specialist in internal medicine
- Specialist in medical oncology
- Specialist in nuclear medicine
- Specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation
- Specialist in plastic surgery
- Specialist in preventive medicine
- Specialist in pulmonary disease
- Specialist in spinal injuries
- Specialist in sports medicine
- Specialist in vascular surgery
- Specialist physician
- Spinal injury specialist
- Sports medicine physician
- Sports medicine specialist
- Surgeon
- Surgical pathologist
- Surgical physician
- Surgical resident
- Thoracic surgeon
- Throat specialist
- Tropical medicine physician
- Urologist
- Vascular surgeon
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Specialists in clinical medicine
- Diagnose and treat diseases and physiological or psychiatric disorders
- Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
- Prescribe medication and treatment and refer patients for surgery
- Act as consultants to other physicians
- May conduct medical research.
Specialists in laboratory medicine
- Study the nature, cause and development of diseases in humans and the structural and functional changes caused by diseases
- Conduct microscopic and chemical analyses of laboratory samples and specimens
- Supervise laboratory activities
- Act as consultants to other physicians.
Specialists in surgery
- Assess patients’ diseases or disorders to determine appropriate surgical procedures
- Perform and supervise surgical procedures to correct physical abnormalities and deficiencies and repair injuries
- Act as consultants to other physicians.
Employment requirements
Specialist physicians
- A bachelor’s degree or in Quebec, completion of a college program and one year of pre-medicine university studies is usually required.
- Graduation from an approved medical school and specific specialty training are required.
- Completion of the certifying examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and licensing by the provincial or territorial licensing authority are required.
Specialists in clinical medicine
- Four to five years of specialty residency training are required.
- Two years of subspecialty training may also be required.
Specialists in laboratory medicine
- Four to five years of specialty residency training are required.
Specialists in surgery
- Five to six years of specialty residency training are required.
- Two years of subspecialty training may also be required.
Additional information
- Progression to management positions, such as director of laboratory medicine or chief of surgery, is possible with experience.
Exclusions
- Allied primary health practitioners (3124)
- Chiropractors (3122)
- General practitioners and family physicians (3112)
- Managers in health care (0311)
- Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (3125)
- Dental surgeons (in 3113 Dentists)
- Immunologists (in 2121 Biologists and related scientists)