I am a foreign medical doctor (MD). Can I practice medicine in Canada with my foreign license?
No. In order to practice medicine in Canada, one needs to have a Canadian License and be either a permanent resident or a Canadian Citizen.
What steps need to be taken in order to practice medicine in Canada?
First, one needs to be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada. Exceptions are made for temporary licenses for those who are citizens of common wealth countries like the UK, Australia or Ireland. Second, the foreign medical license has to be approved by the Medical Council of Canada (MCC). Third, start the process of immigration to Canada . Finally, apply and register to take an English Language Proficiency Test preferably the TOEFL. Check to see the passing score for each Province
What exams do I have to write to be licensed in Canada?
The first step is writing and passing the MCCEE (Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam). We recommend that this exam is written as soon as possible. The exam is offered every three months. These dates are subject to change. Please check MCC website for specific dates and locations where the exam is offered as well as sample exam questions
Once a passing grade is achieved on the Evaluating Exam (score of 250), one can apply for a temporary training license from the specific Province’s Medical College of Physicians and Surgeons. The temporary license will allows one to work as a clinical trainee where the candidate can see patients with the supervision of a licensed physician in Canada. In order to get the temporary license, the corresponding of College of Physicians of a specific Province will require the scores for both the evaluating exam and the English proficiency test The next step is to study and pass the Qualifying Exams (MCCQE-I & MCCQE-II). MCCEE-I is comprised of two sections; a morning and an afternoon session. The morning session is roughly 196 multiple choice questions. The afternoon session is comprised of roughly 52 cases with a total of 80 to 90 questions. Some of the questions in this section are multiple choice questions with some short answer questions. The passing grade for this exam is 395 out of 1000. The exam is offered twice a year. The MCCQE-II can be written even after the first year of residency.
What happens after I write the exams?
After writing the necessary exams, the candidate can enter the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CARMS). Registration is first week of September. Be prepared for a lengthy application (approximately 18 pages). Here you are competing with all the Canadian Medical residents. CARMS has two iterations. In the first iteration only programs in Manitoba and Toronto will accept International Medical Graduate applications. But other provinces will also accept applicants as long as you are part of that province’s International Medical Graduate (IMG) program.
What is the IMG program?
It is a program for foreign MDs offered by each Canadian Province. In order to qualify for the IMG one needs to have a passing grade on the TOEFEL as well as the Qualifying and Evaluating exams and documentation for proof of residency of that province. Keep in mind that Ontario and Manitoba do not have residency restrictions. Recently Ontario is accepting applicants who are not even Canadian residents.
What specialties are usually foreign graduates accepted into?
Most foreign MDs secure spots in family medicine. However, depending on the number of unfilled positions it is also possible to get positions in other specialties of Medicine including Neurology, Anesthesiology and Surgery. The Province of Quebec has different regulations. Please contact the Quebec authorities for specifics.
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