OMA factsheet
As the representative of Ontario’s physicians, we advocate for the health of Ontarians and provide leadership for an accessible, quality health-care system.
About the Ontario Medical Association
Ontario is home to world-class medical professionals who are transforming the delivery of patient care, leading breakthrough research and contributing to the evolution of our publicly funded health-care system. Ontario is also a major training ground to prepare physicians and health leaders for the future.
Founded in 1880, the Ontario Medical Association has approximately 43,000 members, including all of Ontario’s 31,500 practicing physicians. Membership also includes retired physicians, medical students, and Ontario physicians currently out-of-province.
As the representative of Ontario’s physicians, we advocate for the health of Ontarians and provide leadership for an accessible quality health-care system.
The activities of the OMA are wholly funded by membership dues. The OMA receives no funding from either the government or corporate interests.
The OMA is governed by a board of directors. The board is made up of 11 directors: eight physician directors and three non-physician directors. The officers of the board are the chair, president, president-elect and the immediate past president. The president-elect and immediate past president are non-voting observers on the board.
The General Assembly is another large member body that collects member input to help identify and recommend organizational priorities to the board, including opportunities and challenges facing the profession. The General Assembly is comprised of networks, the PLG, the GASC, panels and working groups.
The OMA has three subsidiaries including OntarioMD Inc., OMA Insurance and Ontario Medical Foundation. Through the work of the subsidiaries, OMA members have access to various services and supports, including digital health solutions and a range of insurance products and services. As the philanthropic arm of the OMA, the Ontario Medical Foundation provides financial bursaries for medical students and also engages in various social impact and fundraising initiatives.
What we stand for
Mission
Advocate for and support doctors. Strengthen the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients.
Vision
To be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.
Core values
Respectful
We treat everyone with dignity and value diverse experiences and perspectives.
Innovative
We seek opportunities to be creative and explore future possibilities.
Bold
We courageously pursue best practices, new ideas, solutions and opportunities to improve.
Responsive
We listen to understand and connect.
Transparent
We are genuine and candid in our interactions, and we hold ourselves accountable.
Physician remuneration
The vast majority of physicians are not government employees but are independent contractors and small-business owners who bill OHIP for services they have provided to patients. As such, they are not eligible for employer benefits or pensions, paid vacation, or sick leave.
Physicians’ billings are gross earnings out of which they must pay all the expenses to run their practice, including staff salaries and benefits, office space, medical equipment and supplies, electronic health records, utilities and more.
On average, physician overhead accounts for approximately 30 per cent of gross billings, however, this can be 50 per cent or higher depending on the physician’s speciality and practice model.
Average gross payment for a family physician: $307,149 (2016-17)
Average gross payment for a specialist: $383,531 (2016-17)
By the numbers
Ontario physicians
Number of practicing physicians: 31,443[1]
Number of OMA sections: 49, from addiction medicine to vascular surgery
Average number of patient visits per day: 340,000
Total patient visits in 2018: 124 million
Family and general practice: 61 million
Specialists: 63 million
Average age of practicing physicians in Ontario: 50.87[1]
Average age of OMA members: 49.51[1]
OMA members by gender: 58 per cent male, 42 per cent female[1]
Contributions to the economy
In Ontario, total physician practice overhead spending generates:
- $5.6 billion in GDP for the economy
- $1.4 billion in total tax revenue
- 95,000 full-time jobs in Ontario[2]
Medical schools in Ontario
Number of medical schools: six
Number of satellite campuses: four
- Michael C. Degroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton (satellite campuses in Waterloo and Niagara Regions)
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine
- Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London (satellite campus in Windsor)
- University of Toronto (satellite campus in Mississauga)
- University of Ottawa
- Queen’s University, Kingston
Number of students enrolled in Ontario medical schools in 2017-18: 3,717[3]
[1]Ontario Medical Association, as of August 2019
[2]B.Kralj, OMA Economics Department and E. Mansfield, MNP LLP. “Impact of physician practice overhead spending on the Ontario economy”. Ontario Medical Review (May 2013).