Canadian Medical Association

Established	1867
Type	Professional association
Purpose	Advocacy on national health and medical matters
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Region served	Canada
Official language	English, French
President	Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi (2026-2027)
President-Elect	Dr. Courtney Howard (2027-2028)
Past-President	Dr. Margot Burnell (2025-2026)
CEO	Alex Munter
Website	www.cma.ca

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA; French: Association médicale canadienne, AMC) is a national, voluntary association representing physicians and medical learners in Canada. It engages in policy advocacy and collaborates with provincial and territorial medical associations on health-related matters.

CMA publishes the Canadian Medical Association Journal (often abbreviated as CMAJ) which is a peer-reviewed medical journal that includes original clinical research, commentaries, and reviews of clinical topics, health policy, and practice updates.^[1]

Vision

According to its 2024 strategic plan, Impact 2040, the CMA states that its vision is “a vibrant profession and a healthy population.”

The plan outlines goals such as supporting accessible health systems, promoting well-being within the medical profession, and addressing barriers to equitable health outcomes across Canada ^[2]

Membership

The CMA represents Canadian physicians and medical learners across stages of training and practice. It works with provincial and territorial medical associations and other national organizations on shared policy priorities.  Membership is open to every medical learner and physician; it is complimentary for students, residents, the first five years of practice and retirees, and costs $195 every two years for those six or more years in practice.

History

Efforts to form a national medical association date back to 1844, when Quebec physician Dr. Joseph Painchaud and colleagues discussed ways to support physicians and their families.^[3] There were false starts in attempts to form an association, but soon after Confederation, practicing physicians were successful in developing a national body.

A formal meeting to establish the Canadian Medical Association took place in Quebec City on October 9 to 11, 1867, with 164 physicians attending to discuss medical education and licensure.^[4][5][6]Sir Charles Tupper, later Prime Minister of Canada, served as the association’s first president.^[7]

The CMA Code of Ethics and Professionalism has existed in one form or another since 1868. As recently as 2015 this document was considered by the CMA to be "arguably the most important document produced by the CMA. It has a history of providing ethical guidance to Canada's physicians. The Code is reviewed and updated periodically with the most recent revision to be released in 2026 at the direction of the CMA Board.^[8]

In its first 25 years, meeting attendance was small. There was a notice of motion in 1894 to disband it and in 1921, the association faced insolvency.^[9]

The Montreal Medical Journal became the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1911.^[3]

The CMA played a role in the establishment of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Canadian Medical Protective Association, and the Medical Council of Canada.^{[10][11][12][13]}

The association participated in public health responses to the 1918 Spanish Flu, the 2002 SARS outbreak, and the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza pandemic.^[14]

In the 1930s, the CMA contributed funds toward the creation of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), using proceeds from donations made to a national jubilee fund for King George V’s silver jubilee.^[15]

Since the 1950s, the CMA has publicly opposed tobacco use and supported policies restricting tobacco marketing in Canada.^[16]

In 1957, the CMA helped develop the Registered Retirement Savings Plan, aimed at improving retirement security for Canadians.^[17] It later created MD Financial Management to provide financial services for physicians and their families. The CMA sold it to Scotiabank in 2018 for $2.6 billion, under a 10-year collaboration agreement — a decision that drew both support and criticism within the profession.^[18]

In 2018, the CMA withdrew from the World Medical Association (WMA) in protest over plagiarism concerns involving the incoming WMA president’s speech.^[19][20] In 2025, the CMA announced it was rejoining the WMA “at a time when global health issues are demanding increasing attention and collective action.”

On September 18, 2024, the CMA issued an apology for its role and the broader medical profession’s involvement in harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Canada’s health system.^[21]

Advocacy and Policy Work

The CMA engages in advocacy on health issues affecting Canadians and the medical profession. It develops policy positions through consultations with members, stakeholder organizations, people with lived experience of the health system and scientific reviews.^{[22][23][24][25]}

Areas of focus have included:

• Improving access to primary care
• Supporting Indigenous health and reconciliation in health care
• Advocating for climate-resilient health systems and environmentally sustainable health care
• Reducing physician burnout
• Improving physicians’ working conditions
• Addressing false health information ^[26]

Physician health and wellness

The CMA conducts the National Physician Health Survey (NPHS) — a benchmark for physician wellness across Canada — to measure rates of burnout, anxiety, depression and other forms of psychological distress among doctors and medical learners. The survey was conducted in 2017, 2021 and 2025. Results from the 2025 survey show that after the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors are still struggling with excessive workloads, exhaustion and burnout, leading some to reduce clinical hours or consider leaving practice altogether.

Provincial and territorial medical associations

The CMA collaborates with organizations representing physicians from coast to coast to coast, including:

• Doctors of BC
• Alberta Medical Association
• Saskatchewan Medical Association
• Doctors Manitoba (the Manitoba Medical Association in the association's bylaws)^[38]
• Ontario Medical Association
• New Brunswick Medical Society
• Doctors Nova Scotia
• Medical Society of PEI
• Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association
• Northwest Territories Medical Association
• Yukon Medical Association

Governance

The CMA Board of Directors includes 19 members, representing physicians, residents, medical students and a lay representative. The board meets four times a year and sets the association’s policy direction.^[39] The association holds a public annual general meeting to review financial statements and discuss business matters.^[40]

In 2018, the association launched the CMA Patient Voice, a group of 12 individuals that provide a patient’s perspective to the CMA’s work. ^[41]

The CMA also established at Indigenous Guiding Circle of First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, experts, Elders and Knowledge Keepers to guide its work in advancing truth, reconciliation and equity in health care for Indigenous Peoples.

Subsidiaries and related organizations

CMA Impact Inc. oversees business and operations aligned with the CMA’s strategic priorities.^[42]

The CMA Foundation provides charitable funding to registered Canadian health charities physicians support initiatives.^[43]

The CMAJ Group publishes a range of peer-reviewed publications that support physicians and the medical profession.^[44]

Leadership

See also

• Canadian Medical Association Journal
• Canadian Medical Protective Association
• James Thorburn: President, CMA, 1895
• List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canadian Medical Association.

• Official website
• Works by Canadian Medical Association at Faded Page (Canada)