Alberta’s government is committed to strengthening primary health care, ensuring every Albertan has access to a primary health care provider no matter where they live. This new compensation model is designed to not only support physicians in their essential work but also to enhance access to family doctors across the province.
Developed in partnership with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), this model was announced in December following months of collaboration. With the AMA meeting the threshold of 500 enrolled physicians, the program is now set to officially launch on April 1. As of March 24, 789 family physicians have signed up to receive compensation through the new model.
“Implementing the new primary care physician compensation model is an exciting milestone in our journey to strengthen Alberta’s primary health care system. The model will support family physicians and be a recruitment and retention tool to give more Albertans access to the primary care they need.”
The new compensation model will ensure Alberta’s family doctors are competitively paid while promoting patient-focused care. Incentives include increases for:
- Maintaining high panel numbers (minimum of 500 patients), which will incentivize panel growth and improve access to primary care for patients.
- Providing after-hours care to relieve pressure on emergency departments and urgent care centres.
- Enhancing team-based care, which will encourage developing integrated teams that may include family physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, dietitians and pharmacists to provide patients with the best care possible.
- Adding efficiencies in clinical operations to simplify processes for both patients and health care providers.
Alberta’s government is committed to improving access to family physicians. This new model fosters growth while addressing patient complexity, striking a balance that enhances access to quality care for all Albertans.
“This new model will strengthen comprehensive, cradle-to-grave primary care. These practices are the foundation of our health care system. The model will help us to retain the family medicine specialists and rural generalists we already have and will go a long way toward attracting more to Alberta.”
“Family physicians welcome this announcement. For us, it signals government’s commitment to making primary care a priority within our health care system. I know many physicians are eager to begin working under this new model so they can stabilize their practices and focus on providing high-quality care to their patients.”
“Primary Care Alberta is pleased to see the extensive training, experience and leadership of family medicine specialists recognized. Primary care providers play an integral role in the health of Albertans. We look forward to working with government and family medicine specialists across the province to increase access to comprehensive primary care for all Albertans, particularly in rural and remote communities.”
“The PCPCM model is an important step forward in connecting every Albertan with a family physician and medical home.”
Alberta International Medical Graduate Program changes
Alberta’s government is also making changes to the Alberta International Medical Graduate Program (AIMG) to better support Albertans who are studying medicine abroad and help them complete their residency in Alberta. The program assesses the qualifications of Alberta international medical graduates (IMGs) to determine their eligibility for medical residency positions at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary, but it does not select who is chosen for a residency position.
The changes will adjust the graduation deadline and remove the requirement for an externship assessment, which previously required Alberta IMGs to complete a clinical assessment period in Alberta before beginning residency. Now, they can begin right after graduation. The application period for 2026 is from May 1 to May 30, 2025.
For the 2026 application cycle, applicants will be eligible if they graduate by July 1, 2026. Previously, applicants would have had to graduate by Dec. 31, 2025. These changes will make it easier for more Albertans to complete their residency here, helping to retain skilled health care professionals and build a stronger, more sustainable health care workforce for years to come.
Quick facts
- If passed, Budget 2025 will provide $66.3 million for postgraduate medical education programs in 2025-26, including $2.3 million for the AIMG Program.
- Alberta offered 55 IMG residency seats in 2025, with plans to expand to 70 by 2028, and additional IMGs will also have the opportunity to fill unfilled Canadian medical graduate seats.
- Adjustments to the AIMG program will go into effect for the class of 2026; physicians wanting medical residency positions need to apply to the program in May 2025.
Related information
- Primary care physician compensation model
- Alberta International Medical Graduate Program
- Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS)
Related news
- New pay model, better access to family doctors (Dec. 19, 2024)
- Competitive compensation for resident physicians (Oct. 9, 2024)
- Modernizing how family doctors are paid in Alberta (April 17, 2024)
- Stabilizing Alberta’s primary health care system (April 4, 2024)
- Helping primary care providers support patients (Feb. 8, 2024)
- New funding to stabilize primary health care (Dec. 21, 2023)
- Strengthening health care: A collaborative effort (Oct. 24, 2023)
- Strengthening health care: Improving access for all (Oct. 18, 2023)