I do schedule my wellness visits when leaving my wellness visits so yes, a year in advance. Just in case, and so that I will do it. But can get in for urgent care if needed, same or next day. And stuff like prescriptions they can often do online without an appointment if it’s an ongoing one. About a month wait for non urgent specialist care, sometimes two-three (that is often because I refuse to travel to outlying areas though, so wait for a local appointment)

And I do NOT live in any sort of medical desert. Lots of doctors offices here, probably more than most similar size cities. Several hospitals, a medical college, so many doctors.

It’s not worse than I remember it being in the 90s, I remember 6 months wait for dermatologist, months for pediatric orthopedic (there is an orthopedic urgent care though, which has saved us from going to emergency at least ten times) . I remember thinking back then that people who said “but in Canada they have to wait for care” were idiots, we wait here too!