International Medical Graduate Program
If you are an international medical graduate, the CPSBC requires completion of the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam before you can practise in BC, unless you are specifically exempted.
The British Columbia IMG Program has been specifically funded by the Provincial Government to enable medical doctors who have trained in medical schools outside Canada and the United States to obtain residency positions that will lead to licensure for practice. The program is offered to British Columbians who are Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents, Landed Immigrants or those that have Refugee Status.
The IMG-BC Program is based at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia. St. Paul's Hospital is an acute care, academic and research hospital located in downtown Vancouver.
The IMG-BC Program expects candidates to have passed the MCCEE, a standard Canadian medical entry level examination, as well as being able to communicate effectively in English. Further evaluation will include a 16 station OSCE, followed by an optional 1-week orientation and a 12-week clinical assessment offered to the top 35 candidates.
Candidates are expected to have a good knowledge base but more reliance will be placed on candidates' work ethic, adaptability, communication skills and self-directed learning.
There are 19 IMG first iteration residency positions: 13 in Family Medicine and 6 in Specialties. The positions will be posted on the CaRMS website and will be announced on a yearly basis. All chosen residents will have funding from the province to complete residency training for 2 years for Family Practice and up to 5 years for a Specialty. (Sub-specialties are not offered.)
Selection for residency positions will be made by an IMG Residency Committee selected for its breadth of teaching experience, familiarity with IMG issues, and awareness of community needs. There will be no appeal from decisions made by the selection committee.
Recognized Training and Certification outside Canada
Graduates of accredited family medicine training programs in Australia, Ireland, the UK and the US who have qualified with their respective professional organizations may be eligible to apply to the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to be awarded the Certification of the CFPC without examination.
Licensure Requirements
Canadian requirements for full medical licensure include an MD (or equivalent) university degree, successful completion of a set of national Canadian examinations and, depending on the chosen medical discipline or specialty, two to six years of “accredited and approved” post-graduate training with successful end-point accreditation examinations. Temporary (provisional) licensure may be granted to an IMG prior to completion of the above examinations in situations where post-graduate training of appropriate length in an accredited and approved program has been completed.