Medical Registration
An Overview
Every province in Canada has its own rules, requirements and processes for licensure. There are plans to introduce a universal system across the country but the time taken for approval currently varies from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the college.
The first step to applying for a license in any province is to submit an application to the College of Physician and Surgeons (each province has its own College). Each college has its preferred method of application, either online, email or by post. There is usually a small processing fee that is later deducted from the license fee once approved.
There are several types of licenses for international doctors, the main two being provisional and full. We recommend applying for a provisional license as the process is quicker and your license can be upgraded at a later date.
The process and paper work of applying for medical registration in Canada may seem complicated, but Global Medics’ dedicated registrations and administration teams in Australia and the UK are able to assist you.
- Global Medics will provide you with all the relevant forms and advice on how to complete them to smooth the application process. All you will need to provide us with is your CV and three work references. If you don’t have details of your references, please provide their email address and we will contact them.
Application Form Completion
The basic core requirements for medical registration in Canada are:
- A medical degree from any country that is listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED)
- GP or specialty training that has been completed in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK or USA
- Authentication of medical certification by the Physicians Credentials Registry of Canada (PCRC). http://www.pcrc.org/ Some provinces require full verification before they will issue your license. Others will allow you to complete PCRC verification after starting work in Canada
- Most provinces also require completion of the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (MCCEE)
Before taking the MCCEE, internationally-trained physicians must apply to the Physician Credentials Registry of Canada (PCRC) and send a certified copy of your final medical diploma. The MCCEE is a computer-based examination available at 500 test centers in 72 countries. Further information about the MCCEE is available at http://www.mcc.ca/
Guide to medical registration by province
Global Medics can provide in-depth details for the licensure requirements and application process for every province in Canada. We currently work within these five provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario and Saskatchewan. If you are looking to work in other parts of the country, we will still be able to assist you.
ALBERTA
Family Physician:
- An acceptable medical degree or osteopathic degree as listed IMED
- MCCEE
- Successful completion of a post graduate program of medical training of at least 24 months duration outside Canada containing 8 months of community-based primary care; minimum 8 weeks each of three of the following: Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery and Internal Medicine
- Practice-based assessment satisfactory to the registrar
Specialist:
- An acceptable medical degree or osteopathic degree as listed in IMED
- One of:
- Successful completion of postgraduate specialty training in Canada and one of LMCC, USLME, COMLEX, or certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCP, FRCS), or
- At least 48 months’ post graduate specialty training obtained outside Canada, specialty certification and recognition in the discipline of training by another medical regulatory authority, and successful completion of an assessment satisfactory to the Registrar, or
- At least 36 months’ post graduate specialty training obtained outside Canada, specialty certification and recognition in the discipline of training by another medical regulatory authority, and successful completion of an assessment satisfactory to the Registrar. (Candidate may not be eligible for specialist recognition in Alberta)
For further information visit: http://www.cpsa.ab.ca/Services/Registration_Department/What_We_Do.aspx
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Family Physician:
- An acceptable medical degree as listed in IMED
- MCCEE
- • Have successfully completed a minimum of two years of accredited postgraduate training acceptable to and recognized by the registration committee with a basic core of 44 weeks, consisting of 8 weeks in each of Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics and 4 weeks in each of Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine and Family/General Practice
Specialist:
- An acceptable medical degree as listed in IMED
- MCCEE
- Completed postgraduate training and obtained certification in the applicant’s specialty from an international accrediting body where such training meets the criteria for postgraduate specialty education as set out by the RSPSC (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons) regarding standards, content and duration which, in the opinion of the registration committee, should provide access to the RSPSC specialty examinations
For further information visit: https://www.cpsbc.ca/physicians-area/registration
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Family Physician:
- An acceptable medical degree as listed in IMED
- MCCEE
- Completion of minimum 1 year postgraduate training acceptable to the College
- The applicant may also be required to demonstrate a reasonable fluency in the English language
Specialist:
- Applicants who have graduated in medicine from an approved faculty or school of medicine and who have completed minimum 4 years postgraduate training in the specialty in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK or USA. Such applicants may be required to have passed a specialist higher qualification examination administered by a medical authority responsible for specialist training in the country where the applicant completed postgraduate training.
For further information visit: http://www.cpsnl.ca/default.asp?com=Pages&id=5&m=67
ONTARIO
To practice medicine independently in Ontario, whether as a Family Physician or Specialist, International Medical Graduates (IMGs) must have all the required Canadian post graduate qualifications.
- An acceptable medical degree as listed in IMED
- Part 1 and Part 2 of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE) or one of the acceptable alternative examinations. (see www.mcc.ca/en/exams for details)
- Certification, by examination, by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
- Completion in Canada of one year of postgraduate training or active medical practice with pertinent clinical experience
- Canadian citizenship of permanent resident status
Family Physicians
Family Physicians who have a degree from a medical school on the WHO directory MUST have postgraduate training from Australia, Canada or USA. There are plans to include the UK in the future.
Specialists
Specialists who are eligible for the RCPSC exams but do not have numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the above requirements may apply to the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons. It can take a few months to assess your qualifications but if successful they can send a letter with no pre-conditions to the College of Physician and Surgeons of Ontario allowing you a restricted license to practice.
You will need to complete and pass within 3 years the LMCC (this is awarded once you have completed all 3 of the Medical Council of Canada examinations, the evaluating and qualification exams part 1 and part 2).
UK-trained specialists
Any UK-trained specialists who are eligible to write the Royal College exams may be granted a restricted license with supervision for a defined period of time (approx.18-36 month), during this time they would have to pass the MCCQ, LMCC I & II and the Royal College (speciality) exams before obtaining an independent license to practice in Ontario. There is the possibility of academic licenses which have to be applied for through the medical school/large academic centers provided they are interested in a candidate. The only exemption to the LMCC exams in Ontario is for the physicians who have passed the USMLE step I, II & III.
The first step for any UK trained physician should be to apply to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Canada for an assessment of their training. If their training is acceptable then the RCPSC would issue a letter "Royal College Eligibility" which is generally the basis for the CPSO to start considering an application. More information about RCPSC, CPSO, LMCC and USMLE can be found by contacting them directly.
Details on gaining eligibility for the Royal College exams: http://rcpsc.medical.org/residency/certification/index.php?page_title=Examinations
For further information on any of the above visit: http://www.cpso.on.ca/registration/
SASKATCHEWAN
The College of Physician and Surgeons of Saskatchewan have recently changed their process for licensure. The core requirements are now:
Family Physician:
- An acceptable medical degree - listed in the International Medical Education Directory (IMED)
- Completion of a minimum of 1 year postgraduate training acceptable to the College (at least 8 weeks’ rotations in Surgery, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics) NB: You automatically qualify for this if you have the MRCGP, FRACGP or ACGME
- The Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (MCCEE)
Specialist:
- Applicants who have graduated in medicine from an approved faculty or school of medicine and who have completed a minimum of 4 years of postgraduate training in the specialty in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK or USA. Such applicants may be required to have passed a specialist higher qualification examination administered by a medical authority responsible for specialist training in the country where the applicant completed postgraduate training.
- The Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (MCCEE)
There are plans in the future to allow doctors trained in any country in the world to apply for licensure in Saskatchewan. The requirements for this are currently being put together by the College and hope to be announced by mid-late 2011.
For further information please check their website: http://www.quadrant.net/cpss/registration/index.html