Holding a patient’s new baby. Catching a cancer early enough that it can be treated. Helping a longtime patient ease into healthy old age. Family doctors say these are the moments that bring them joy.

But in recent years, the job of doing family medicine has become harder in Ontario. The costs of running a practice have escalated, patients’ medical needs are higher and a sharp rise in administrative tasks is leading to burnout. Joyful moments are now eclipsed by a long list of challenges, and it’s pushing an increasing number of doctors away from providing comprehensive family medicine.

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