Quick answer: Doctors, residents, fellows and many dentists can get mortgages on better terms than their current income suggests. Professional programs let lenders count projected income for residents and new graduates, and some allow up to 95% financing at standard insurance premiums. Banks run their own physician programs, and several lenders available through a broker run competing ones, so comparing them can change both your approval amount and your cost.
Medical training is long, and income often stays low until practice begins. That timing clashes with BC home prices. Here is how professional mortgage programs bridge that gap.
Who qualifies for a professional mortgage program?
Each lender sets its own list, but programs commonly include:
- medical residents and fellows;
- practising physicians and surgeons, including new graduates;
- dentists and dental specialists;
- in some programs, veterinarians, pharmacists, optometrists and other regulated health professionals.
You usually need proof of your degree, your registration with the relevant college, and either your residency contract or your practice agreement.
How do lenders use projected income?
Instead of your current resident salary, some lenders qualify you on the income you are expected to earn. For example, Scotiabank publishes projected income figures of $185,000 for residents in their first and second years, $225,000 from the third year, and up to $300,000 for some new specialists. Other lenders use their own tables. This can raise the amount you qualify for by several hundred thousand dollars.
Can you buy with a small down payment?
Yes, in many cases. Canada Guaranty's Medical Professionals Program allows up to 95% financing at standard insurance premiums since November 10, 2025. Insured mortgages are limited to homes under $1.5 million. For more expensive homes, some lenders offer higher than usual financing to physicians on an uninsured basis, but expect a larger down payment. Our guide to insured and uninsured mortgages explains the difference.
How is your student debt treated?
Most medical graduates carry a professional student line of credit. Lenders must count it in your debt ratios, but they do it differently. Some use a small payment based on the balance, others use your actual payment. On a large balance, that difference alone can move your approval by a meaningful amount, which is a strong reason to compare lenders.
What if you are incorporated?
Many physicians and dentists run a professional corporation. Lenders then review salary, dividends and the corporation's financial statements. Some programs are more flexible with incorporated professionals than others. See our self employed mortgage page and our guide to stated income mortgages for how business income is assessed.
Which lenders offer doctor mortgages?
Most big banks run a program for physicians and dentists. Through a broker, several other lenders offer professional programs, including monoline lenders and trust companies. A broker can compare them for you in one application. We also run a dedicated site for medical professionals, newdoctormortgage.ca, with more detail on residency and early practice.
What documents will you need?
- proof of your medical or dental degree;
- registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC or the relevant college;
- residency contract, fellowship letter or practice agreement;
- recent pay stubs or financial statements;
- statement for your professional student line of credit;
- proof of your down payment.
What are the key takeaways?
- Residents and new physicians can often qualify on projected income.
- Up to 95% financing is possible on homes under $1.5 million through some programs.
- How your student line of credit is counted varies by lender and matters a lot.
- Compare bank programs with broker channel programs before you choose.
Starting residency, finishing it, or opening a practice? Book an appointment and I will compare professional programs side by side for your situation.
What other questions do readers ask?
Can a medical resident qualify for a mortgage in BC?
Often, yes. Several lenders let residents qualify on projected future income rather than their current resident salary, as long as they show their residency contract and professional registration.
Can doctors buy with 5% down on a high priced home?
Insured mortgages are capped at purchase prices under $1.5 million. Above that, you normally need 20% down, although some professional programs offer higher financing on an uninsured basis.
Do dentists and veterinarians qualify for these programs?
Many professional programs include dentists, and some include veterinarians and pharmacists. The rules and income assumptions differ by lender, so compare them before you commit.
Does my professional student line of credit count against me?
Lenders count it, but they differ in how. Some use a small payment on the balance, others the actual payment. Choosing the right lender can change your approval amount significantly.
Where do these numbers come from?
- Scotiabank: projected income for physicians
- Canada Guaranty: Medical Professionals Program enhancements (November 10, 2025)
- Doctors of BC: member banking benefits
- bestrates.ca: dentist and veterinarian mortgage programs
Published November 5, 2026. This article is general information, not personal financial advice. Rates and programs change, and every approval depends on your full application. Asim Ali is a licensed mortgage broker with Dominion Lending Centres A.I.M.I. Collective Mortgage Group.