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Specialties and paths that pay more

• Board-certified specialist

  A 1-year internship plus a 3-year residency in surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, oncology and others. Specialists earn $150,000 to $250,000 or more.

• Emergency and critical care

  24-hour hospitals pay premiums for nights and weekends.

• Large animal and rural practice

  Severe shortage. Some provinces pay grants to vets who set up in underserved areas.

• Practice ownership

  The traditional route to top income. Corporate chains now buy many clinics, so ownership is less common than it was.

• Government and industry

  See the next cards.