Half of doctors still facing burnout: CMA survey

Canadian doctors are still suffering from mental health challenges, says a new report released Wednesday.

Five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of Canadian physicians say they’re still dealing with high levels of burnout.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has released preliminary findings from its 2025 National Physician Health Survey, offering a snapshot of how doctors are faring.

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The survey reveals 46 per cent of physicians report high levels of burnout, a slight decline from 53 per cent in 2021, but still well above pre-pandemic levels.

“A lot of physicians just don’t have the resources, whether it’s human resources and support and personnel and just investment in the institutions and the settings that we work in to deliver the high-quality, effective care that we’re trained to do and that we really want to give to patients,” said Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi, the CMA’s president-elect.

Roughly 74 per cent of physicians reported experiencing bullying, harassment, microaggressions, or discrimination while on the job.

Doctors also report working an average of 10.4 hours per week on administrative tasks, much of it outside regular clinic hours.

The CMA points to this administrative burden as a major contributor to physician exhaustion and distress.

“This is not what we got into medical school for,” said Ogunyemi. “I mean, sure, it’s part of the job, but it ends up being an increasing proportion of time, and we would rather be seeing patients.”

The CMA says lasting improvements will require structural changes across the system — not just to help doctors survive, but to allow them to thrive.

New technologies, like artificial intelligence, are reducing the burden on doctors, the survey indicates.

Of those who have used those tools, 59 per cent say it has reduced their time spent on paperwork.

Still, the data shows growing openness among physicians to seek help.

Sixty-five per cent say they accessed at least one wellness support, up from 54 per cent in 2021.

Work-life satisfaction has also improved, rising from 49 per cent to 60 per cent in the same period.

Family doctors a growing concern

The CMA is also sounding the alarm about access to primary care.

Currently, one in six Canadians do not have a family doctor, according to the association.

“We need to ensure Canadians have a longitudinal family doctor,” said Ogunyemi. “The data is clear: patients connected to a family physician have better health outcomes, reduced inequities and lower overall health-care costs.”

It is calling for an increase in the number of family physicians, along with investments in team-based care and a pan-Canadian medical licence to allow for more flexibility in staffing and recruitment.

Ogunyemi explained that the cross-Canada licence model could allow for a doctor living in a major centre to travel to a territory or rural area on a rotation.

“So this type of practice is sustainable and actually has good outcomes,” he said. “They’re still able to provide longitudinal care to these patients.”

The survey included responses from around 3,300 doctors.