A General Practitioner (GP), more commonly called a family doctor or family physician in Canada, is a medical doctor providing primary healthcare to patients of all ages. GPs serve as the first point of contact for most health concerns, providing preventive care (checkups, vaccinations, screening), diagnosing and treating common illnesses, managing chronic conditions, prescribing medications, and referring patients to specialists when needed. The patient-GP relationship enables continuity of care—understanding a patient's history, circumstances, and preferences over time. Canada faces significant primary care challenges: millions of Canadians lack regular access to a family doctor due to physician shortages, maldistribution, and practice capacity issues. Walk-in clinics and emergency departments fill gaps but can't provide the ongoing relationship primary care requires. Provincial health systems are exploring team-based care models and other innovations to improve primary care access.