Working in Canada

Medical Licensure in Canada:
In the country of Canada, licensing of physicians is the responsiblity of  provincial and territorial governments to practice medicine within its boundaries. As for Canadians in general, licensure to practice medicine in Canada demands completion of an recognized postgraduate training program, as well as the completion of national qualifying and certification exams, namely the Royal College of Canada and College of Family Physicians of Canada . The individual province and territory will have different requirements.

Medical Council of Canada (MCC)
Successful completion of the MCCQE Part I (comprised of 4 theory examinations) and MCCQE Part II (a practical exam, the Physician receives the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC), often recognized as the gold standard, and is then added to the Canadian Medical Register. The LMCC is without debate prerequisite that provincial  medical regulatory authorities require for a Canadian medical graduate to be grnated license to practice medicine in their geographical area.

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) does not grant licensure to practice medicine; this is issued by the medical regulatory authorities of each province. Also, the MCC plays no role in the certification. verification or registration of physicians as specialists.

Certification
It’s essential that physicians obtain certification from the appropriate certifying body:
• College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
• Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ)

Family Physicians: To obtain certification by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), Canadian graduates complete a two-year postgraduate family medicine training program and pass the College certification examination.

Specialists: Certification in a specialty of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), graduates must complete a postgraduate training program in the discipline of choice (four or more years) and also pass the certification exam.

As for  International Medical Graduates, Canadian Colleges (Certifying and Licensing) generally only accept specialist qualifications and postgraduate training from certain countries the USA, UK & Ireland, Australia & NZ; however each province acts differently in this regard.

Provincial Registration
The Province and Territory will have varying levels of registration. Full registration usually requires the completion of LMCC as well as CFPC or RCPSC certification. Generally, most Provinces and Territories will offer a time-determined provisional, temporary or conditional license for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) wanting to work in Canada.

Depending on the province or territory, provisional, temporary or conditional licensure may involve:
• Licentiate (or any part thereof) of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)
• language proficiency tests (IELTS; TOEFL etc)
• credentialing ( check the PCRC section below)
• postgraduate training/assessment (CAPE etc.)
• return-of-service agreements (usually found in underserviced regions of the country for a set period of time)

This short-term registration will usually have a defined timeframe within which you will need to successfully complete full relevant LMCC and CFPC/RCPSC requirements, especially if you have the intention of practicing long-term or permanently.

A sure rule when it comes to Provincial medical registration is the more in demand the Province for working, the more demanding eligibility criteria !