Each day, Frank Peters surveys the large map of Nova Scotia that hangs in his office. It is dotted with red push pins.

The pins represent communities that require additional doctors -- both family and specialists -- and the work that Nova Scotia's physician recruiter has before him. He could use another 20 to 25 physicians, but he concedes Nova Scotia is doing better than other parts of the country.

Ninety-four per cent of adults here have regular access to a family doctor, which puts Nova Scotia in second place, behind Quebec.

At least 100 doctors across the province are accepting new patients, mostly in Halifax.

But in communities such as Weymouth, only one doctor remains to handle 3,000 patients after the town's other physician died. But even in places with more than one doctor, family physicians, such as Ken Buchholz, are stretched to capacity.

In Annapolis Royal, a small town on the southwestern coast, Dr. Buchholz also cares for 3,000 patients -- at least twice what is considered ideal.

Annapolis Family Practice Associates employs three other doctors, but is looking to hire at least one more right away after losing two last year. They have about 14,000 patients and the area has two medium-sized nursing homes.

Last week, a typical morning for Dr. Buchholz went something like this: He planned to attend an emergency planning meeting in a nearby town first thing, but a patient showed up with coronary problems. A second came along who was having a heart attack.

He normally arrives at the Annapolis Community Health Centre, a six-bed emergency facility, shortly after 8 a.m. He sees his first outpatient by 8:30. Then he moves on to his own office, seeing patients by 10 a.m. through until 2 p.m. He's lucky to leave by 4 p.m. Then his extracurricular activities begin.

"I spend a great deal of time in emergency, in the office, [and I] have a satellite clinic on the Bear River Indian Reserve."

He also practises industrial medicine, caring for employees at several plants in the area. In addition to house calls he looks after the largest nursing home in town. His waiting list at the clinic is a month long.

He also teaches and takes on third-year students from Dalhousie University, mentoring them in the clinic and billeting them at his home. He teaches life support and coaches paramedics, and oversees the emergency personnel in several nearby counties. He never takes lunch. Is burnout a concern?

"Oh yes," Dr. Buchholz said. "I've cut back my hours a lot. I'm a self-confessed workaholic, so I watch I don't overdo it. In the old days I wouldn't get out of the office until 7, but now I am usually out by 4. You've got to have balance to stay sane."

And herein, he said, lies part of the problem. New doctors aren't taking on the workloads of their predecessors.

At the same time, patients are more demanding. "Years ago, you'd never encounter someone wanting their birth-control prescription adjusted at 11 o'clock on a Friday night," Dr. Buchholz said. "That happens more frequently, mostly in larger centres. The hardest thing for me, for most doctors, is saying 'No.' "

The Romanow report on the future of health care has recommended Ottawa add $15-billion over five years to the system, with an emphasis on primary and home care, with $1.5-billion for rural areas.

It shouldn't be difficult to lure physicians to one of the most beautiful places in Canada, yet it is. Even though the cost of living and quality of life are tough to equal, most new doctors want to work in Atlantic Canada's largest city.

So on top of aesthetics and affordability, the province offers sweet rewards -- travel expenses, continuing-education expenses, guaranteed salary plus annual bonus and debt assistance for new graduates.

"It's a myth there's a doctor shortage," said Morris Green, spokesman for Nova Scotia Health Minister Jamie Muir. "I'm not denying we could use more, but we're not in nearly the same bad shape as other provinces."

Mr. Peters would like to see a few dozen more doctors scattered throughout the province, mostly in small places such as Weymouth and Digby.

But Dr. Buchholz sees part of the problem as patients' high expectations, saying that people who think nothing of driving a half-hour to the mall don't want to travel the same distance to a doctor.

Mr. Green concurs: "People in rural areas have to accept there's a range of services they'll have to adapt to. Unless you have an acute illness you don't need someone right around the corner."

Originally from Manitoba, Dr. Buchholz's family became Bluenosers in the late sixties. He studied medicine at Dalhousie and joined the Armed Forces. But he returned to southwestern Nova Scotia as soon as he could.

"Rural practice isn't for everyone," he said. "It can be very rewarding, but it's totally different from city practice."

When he began practising in Annapolis Royal he received an offer to move to a family-practice clinic in Halifax, but turned it down. His like-minded colleague, Bob Barkwell, who also works in the Annapolis Royal Clinic, spent last week in Toronto interviewing prospects for the open position. They are hopeful it will be filled.

"It's never really been that hard once people see us," Dr. Buchholz said. "It's a pretty fine place to work."