The Ministry will consider applications by physicians for exemption where physicians are providing services to under-served populations, or practising in a unique sub-specialty or viewed as a provincial resource.

Exemptions under the Underserviced Area Program and the Specialist Retention Initiative will continue for 1998/99. Further exemptions will be considered for:

• family physicians who practise in undersupplied communities requiring four or fewer family physicians where vacancies currently exist.
  
  
• physicians whose practice is dedicated to providing specialized services where shortages exist, such as AIDS, palliative and French language care.
  
  
• specialists in significantly undersupplied areas, or who are providing a highly specialized service in their field.
  
  

All applications for physician practice exemption must be made to the Underserviced Area Program by March 1, 1999, for fiscal year 1998/99. For more information on this initiative please contact the Northern Health Programs and Planning Branch, Underserviced Area Program, 159 Cedar Street Suite 406, Sudbury, Ontario P3E 6A5. Telephone (705) 670-7280. Facsimile (705) 670-7231.