24/7 confidential helpline

Phone: +1 800 663-6729

By calling, you can access in-the-moment counselling, set up short-term counselling with a master’s-level, registered clinical counsellor, and be connected to other PHP services.

This is the most efficient way to access counselling. You may also call this line anonymously if you want to learn more about how PHP can support you or a colleague.

Note: PHP is not a crisis service. If you are in crisis or require immediate medical attention, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Non-urgent support: Contact PHP

For non-urgent support, complete our online intake form and a PHP staff member will reach out and support you in accessing PHP services. Please note, form submissions are only monitored during business hours. After hours submissions will be followed up within the next business day.

Physician Health Program intake form

For program related support and queries, contact our offices directly:

  • Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PT
  • Email: info@physicianhealth.com
  • Phone: +1 604 398-4300 (Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PST
What happens when you call
  1. We will schedule a call or connect you with a PHP Clinical Coordinator and/or a Program Physician as soon as possible.
    • Our clinical team will connect with you to learn more about your needs and recommend appropriate community services. You can connect with a Program Physician for peer support, advice, consultation, and help to identify appropriate resources.
    • PHP Clinical Coordinators and Program Physicians do not provide direct counselling or treatment services.
  2. Your PHP clinical team will work with you to develop a personalized plan and offer you the appropriate PHP services to meet your needs. Your Clinical Coordinator will follow up with you via phone and email to ensure that your needs are being met.
  3. Your case file will stay open with PHP for as long as you need support for your well-being. Our PHP clinical team will continue to check in as you connect to the services you need.

Services offered

For physicians, residents, medical students and their families

Note: Family includes spouses, partners, and dependent children (25 years old or younger).

Short-term counselling

  • We offer short-term counselling, typically six sessions per year, from a network of master’s-level clinical counsellors who are trained and experienced in supporting physicians.
  • Our counselling service is provided in partnership with Telus Health, and our PHP Clinical Coordinators offer proactive follow-up to ensure your needs are being met.

Referrals to specialized coaches and therapists

  • Based on your plan, we connect physicians with specialized coaches, counsellors, or therapists for communication, life, and executive functioning coaching.
  • Note: These professionals are outside the PHP network and will require self-payment. There are certain circumstances where the PHP will provide funding on a limited case-by-case basis.

Help support a physician you are concerned about

  • If you’re concerned about the health and well-being of another colleague, PHP can work with you to ensure they get the support they need. This can include providing you with coaching on how to approach your colleague and offer support.

For physicians, residents, and medical students only

Physician-to-physician peer support

  • We provide direct, peer-to-peer support from experienced Program Physicians for personal or professional issues, including complaints, negative clinical outcomes, workload stress, and more.

Primary Care Provider (PCP) matching service

Psychiatric consultations

  • We offer one-time psychiatric consultations by our in-house psychiatrist. This service is only available through recommendation by PHP clinical staff.

Return to work (RTW) or school facilitation

  • We provide comprehensive, tailored support for physicians and trainees—including medical students, residents, and fellows—transitioning back to their professional or academic roles after a leave of absence, whether medical or personal.

Occupational health consultations

  • We support you with understanding the relationship between your work and health. We may offer recommendations on what accommodations could be considered to ensure a healthy working environment for you.

“It's really, really common to feel stressed out during residency. One recurring theme is the question of competence. That's a big thing in residency: not feeling like you're ever good enough. Probably all residents feel this way to some degree. Not everybody talks about it, and people deal with it in different ways. But it's important to recognize that it's okay if you are feeling this way. There are so many places that will support you, and that will respect your confidentiality.”—Early career physician