VICTORIA is where you build the career and life you want

There is a significant and ongoing need for family physicians in Victoria. The city has one of the largest attachment gaps in BC, with a substantial population still without access to a family physician. An ageing physician population and anticipated retirements are expected to create continued need for new family physicians in the coming years.

As Vancouver Island’s largest medical and academic centre, Victoria is home to teaching programs, hospitals, specialized clinics and community- based health services. This gives family physicians the flexibility to build a varied practice, combining longitudinal family medicine with work in areas such as sexual health, addictions care, surgical assist, hospital medicine, long-term care, urgent care, teaching or research. Explore our Family Medicine Career Pathways guide for more examples of how you can shape your practice.

Family physicians in Victoria can choose from several payment models, including the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Payment Model, fee-for- service, and eligible contract options. The LFP model compensates physicians for time, patient interactions, and the size and complexity of their patient panel.

Use this LFP income calculator to estimate your potential earnings. This Doctors of BC’s Family Physician Payment Model Comparison provides a side-by-side overview of the options. The Victoria Division of Family Practice and Doctors of BC can also provide one-on-one support to help physicians understand payment models and navigate billing.

You can take over an existing patient panel, build a new panel gradually, or combine the two. If you’re building a panel, there is no obligation to attach any particular patient. Our Health Connect Registry Coordinator can work with you to build a panel that fits your practice style and clinical interests. For example, if you’re interested in gender-affirming care, care of the elderly, women’s health, or another area of practice, they can help identify patients looking for care who may be a good fit.

Victoria is home to the UBC Island Medical Program and a UBC Family Medicine residency program, with opportunities to teach medical students and residents. Continuing education is available locally, with organizations like the Victoria Division of Family Practice offering free educational opportunities throughout the year, including Mainpro+ accredited CME, Dine & Learn sessions with local specialists, and other workshops and learning events.

Taking time off in Victoria is made easier through Locum Connect, a joint program of the Victoria and South Island Divisions of Family Practice that helps match family physicians with locums for vacation and other planned absences. It’s one of the ways our medical community supports a commitment to work-life balance, making it easier for physicians to step away from their practice when they need to.

If you live and work in Victoria, even if you choose a practice outside your neighbourhood, the average commute is only 10–15 minutes. Many clinics are located in or near residential neighbourhoods, making it possible to live close to work. Victoria also has an extensive network of bike lanes and multi-use trails, which, paired with the mild climate, makes walking or cycling to the clinic year-round common. If living close to work is important to you, we can help identify clinics with available opportunities in or near your preferred neighbourhood.

When you reach out to Gillian, you’ll get one-on-one support to help you understand the current practice landscape in Victoria, explore your options, and connect with clinics that fit what you’re looking for. She can remain your central point of contact throughout the process, so you have someone local to ask questions, make connections, and help you navigate next steps.
Once you’re practising in Victoria, the Victoria Division of Family Practice also provides ongoing support through CME, practice and attachment supports, physician networking, and other programs and resources.