Benefit from Up to $115,000 in Incentives
Compensation is an important consideration in any career move. Our lifestyle and financial incentives are designed to attract and retain physicians to designated areas on Prince Edward Island. To be eligible, physicians must be relocating from out of province, or be a participant in the PEI Family Medicine Residency Training Program (and not presently in another return-in-service commitment). We offer Return-in-Service (RIS) grants, moving reimbursement incentives, a site visit program, and a locum support program.
Return-in-Service Grants
Family Medicine Physicians
Family medicine physicians may be eligible for a financial grant with a return-in-service (RIS) commitment up to a maximum of $115,000 (location of position will determine financial grant offering). To learn more about RIS commitments for Family medicine physicians, please contact physicianrecruiter@gov.pe.ca or visit our website.
Specialist Physicians
Physicians in Anesthesia (including Family Practice Anesthesia), Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine and other specialist physicians may be eligible for a $100,000 return-in-service incentive with a three (3) year return in service commitment.
Specialty positions, which become vacant, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and a decision on eligibility for financial incentives will be made depending on labour market demand and other relevant factors.
Note: Physicians are only eligible to receive one (1) financial incentive from the Department of Health and Wellness in Prince Edward Island (excluding financial incentives offered by the Prince County Hospital Foundation).
Moving Expense Reimbursement
Physicians who are relocating to Prince Edward Island may receive reimbursement of eligible moving expenses up to $10,000, attached to a three-year return-in-service (RIS) agreement with Health PEI.
To learn more about moving expense reimbursement, please connect with the recruitment team by emailing physicianrecruiter@gov.pe.ca.
Site Visit Program
In-Person Site Visits
Not familiar with the Island? Consider a site visit to Prince Edward Island.
Every physician has unique needs and interests, and we know visiting before committing to relocating to a new province may be important to you. Our recruitment team would be happy to chat with you about the possibility of a site visit to our beautiful Island.
So what does a site visit look like? It’s an opportunity to experience what our Island has to offer, and more importantly, ensure all your questions are answered. You’ll get to visit potential practice locations, meet with future colleagues, and get introduced to some of the exciting offerings in our vibrant communities. Don’t worry, we’ll ensure your interests are kept in mind when planning your trip. We know both work and lifestyle play a role in your decision.
NEW! Virtual Site Visits
We know how challenging it can be to take time away from your current work to consider your next career opportunity. We want to help you make an informed decision by making it as easy as possible. That’s why we have created Virtual Site Visits for select locations. We have partnered with one of PEI’s many innovative businesses and created virtual immersive tours of our healthcare facilities, cultural and sporting centres, and schools.
Ask about our in-person or virtual site visits today—contact our recruitment team by emailing physicianrecruiter@gov.pe.ca
Please note: You must be eligible for licensure in Prince Edward Island and work with a recruiter to obtain approval from the Government of Prince Edward Island prior to your visit. Physicians may be required to first participate in an interview process prior to a site visit.
Locum Support Program
Prince Edward Island’s Locum Support Program is an opportunity to test drive our Island and its wonderful offerings. Have you been considering a move to PEI, but you’re not quite sure where to start or which locations may be most suitable to you? A short-term locum opportunity is a great way to get your feet wet.
Locum opportunities range from one week to one year in length. In various specialties, picking up a few shifts over a weekend or holiday may also be a possibility. The Locum Support Program is also an excellent relief program for our full-time physicians who may need to take a leave from their respective practice.
Our Locum Support Program will cover a variety of costs for your locum opportunity, including the cost of your PEI medical license through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of PEI.
For more information on financial support, please visit our Locum Support Program page.
To discuss locum opportunities, locum incentives, and arrangements, contact our physician recruitment team at physicianrecruiter@gov.pe.ca.
Compensation Model Options
Not only does how much you are paid matter, but how you are paid can also be an important factor in deciding where you want to work. PEI offers multiple payment modality options.
Salaried physicians enter an employee/employer relationship with Health PEI. In this model, Health PEI hires a physician under a contract of employment which assigns the hours worked, duties, and responsibilities. As part of this model, physicians are also offered (if conditions are met) an additional payment valued at 31% of their base salary. As an employee you have access to a suite of benefits, including health and dental, paid vacation and sick days, life insurance, RRSP matching, and more.
This payment model is common across Canada. The model allows physicians to be compensated for each service provided, based on a fee scheduled within the Master Agreement. It provides physicians with more flexibility in terms of how, when, what volume, and in what way they provide their services. As income earned on a fee-for-service basis may be claimed through a professional corporation, this modality may provide tax advantages. Most physicians using this model are required to pay an overhead fee (on average 25% of overall billings). Fee-for-service physicians do have access to negotiated benefits programs through the Master Agreement, but do not have paid employment benefits such as vacation, health and dental, or RRSP matching through the provincial health authority.
The less common modality, but preferred by some, is the Contract for Service where physicians are compensated on an hourly basis, as per the Master Agreement. Contract for Service physicians have access to benefits through the Master Agreement (i.e. parental leave), but do not have paid benefits such as vacation, health and dental, or RRSP matching. The hourly rate increase includes an amount for “in lieu of benefits” to compensate for those benefits. As income earned on a contract basis may be claimed through a professional corporation, this modality may provide tax advantages.
Earning Potential Guides
The Medical Society of Prince Edward Island – one partner in the Physicians Recruiting Physicians Program – has created Earning Potential Guides to help physicians understand the various payment options and potential compensation to make an informed decision.
Additional Benefits of Working and Living in PEI
While compensation and financial incentives are key to your career decision, we have been asking physicians what is important to them when choosing a new job. The following are other factors that may help entice you to work on PEI:
- A job for your spouse – See our Spousal Support Program
- Access to an electronic medical record
- PEI has one provincial EMR solution available for all community-based physicians. Learn more here
- A supportive work environment
- 85% of PEI physicians would recommend PEI to their physician colleagues
- 74% of PEI physicians feel valued by their colleagues
- Emphasis on your wellness and wellbeing
The Medical Society of PEI offers a robust selection of programs designed to help you achieve the highest level of professional satisfaction. The programs vary and include things like a Peer Support Group, a Physician Health Program, one-on-one coaching to help you achieve your full personal and professional potential, and access to grant dollars to bring to life ideas that will make your workplace a better place for you and your colleagues.