Idle hands? What we know about surgeon unemployment in Canada

The topic of unemployment and underemployment of Canadian general surgeons is being discussed more frequently despite relatively little evidence on the magnitude or impact of the problem. Using existing and new sources of health human resource data, a more accurate understanding of the situation can be attained. Although outright surgeon unemployment is rare, there is a population of dissatisfied new graduates who feel cornered into underemployment or locums. The number of practising general surgeons has outpaced population growth in recent years. However, the number of new trainees peaked in 2010 and has been decreasing steadily since then. There are many pressures that stand in the way of more accurate management of the general surgery workforce. A better understanding of the subject and better leadership at the national level may help improve system performance.