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Governing bodies

College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC or the College); Registration (Licensing)

The College is the licensing body and regulator for family/general practitioners in B.C.

Visit the CPSBC

Medical Council of Canada (MCC)

The national organization responsible for overseeing standard examinations, supporting physician credential verification, and issuing the Canadian licensing qualification known as the LMCC.

Visit the MCC

Background

In 2023, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) introduced the “Associate Physician” restricted class of licensure. This class allows international medical graduates with medical training acceptable to the College and who are not eligible for any other class of registration, to work under supervision in accredited team-based acute care and community primary care settings. 

This new pathway to licensure creates opportunities for internationally trained physicians, who are not otherwise eligible for licensure as independent practitioners, to meaningfully contribute to the health-care system in B.C. while improving the efficiency of service delivery in team-based care settings. Associate Physician registration is now an option for physicians who have trained as a specialist or family physician. 

What is an Associate Physician? 

Associate physicians: 

  • are employed by a regional health authority 
  • are not licensed for independent practice 
  • are never the most responsible physician 
  • must work under direct supervision of an attending physician  
  • can only work in CPSBC accredited team-based environments 

CPSBC registration

Physicians who are not eligible for full or provisional licensure with the CPSBC may be eligible to apply for licensure in the Associate Physician class. 

Register for Supports at Health Match BC

Associate Physician licensure

There are three pathways to licensure in B.C. for Associate Physicians who completed their medical training internationally – Acute Care, Community Primary Care, and Surgical Assist. Health Match BC Navigators are here to guide you as you explore your options. 

Regardless of the pathway you pursue, you may need to provide evidence of meeting the established requirements for: 

All applicants (except newly graduating residents) must have practised clinically in their field for a minimum of 960 hours over the preceding three-year period (24 weeks full-time) to be considered current in clinical practice.

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The College requires that physicians provide evidence of English proficiency. Physicians are considered to have met the English proficiency requirements if: 

  • the primary language of medical education was English, and 
  • the primary language of patient care was English. 

The College may require physicians who do not meet the requirements above to take one of the following examinations: 

  • IELTS Academic examination: Minimum score of 7 in each component. 
  • OET Medicine examination: Minimum grade of B in each component. 
  • CELPIP General examination: Minimum score of 9 in each component. The test results are valid for a period of two years from the date taken. 

Family Physicians

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The Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) is the qualification you apply for after the successful completion of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCCQE-1). 

Please note: Successful completion of the MCC examinations does not mean a physician will meet the licensing requirements of the College. 

MCCQE – Part 1 must be completed prior to registration. 

The CPSBC recognizes the following examinations in lieu of the LMCC: 

  1. National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) parts I, II, and III. 
  1. Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) components 1 and 2 
  1. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLEs) – Steps 1, 2, and 3. 
  1. Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) levels 1, 2, and 3. 

Any of the above exams completed in their entirety will be recognized by the College for candidates who have trained outside of Canada and the United States. 

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The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) maintains a website, physiciansapply.ca, as a centralized electronic repository of a physician’s core medical credentials and offers a national standardized approach to source verification of credentials. Source verification is the process by which the Medical Council of Canada sends your credential to the issuing institution (the source) and requests that they confirm that they issued the credential and that it is authentic, accurate, and valid (verification). 

The College requires physicians who have completed medical education outside of Canada, and are seeking registration and licensure in B.C., to submit copies of certain credentials to physiciansapply.ca for source verification. An applicant’s Medical Degree and Passport must be verified as “Passed” before licensure can be approved by the College. 

The College utilizes the Application for Medical Registration (AMR); a centralized online portal through physiciansapply.ca for submitting applications for registration. 

Candidates who may qualify for full registration and licensure may submit an application to the College via the AMR portal. 

Please note: Applicants are must register with Health Match BC for a pre-screening assessment before applying for licensure to the College. 

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Acute Care eligibility requirements

  • Successful completion of a medical degree issued by a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). 
  • Completed a minimum of two years accredited training as a medical or surgical specialist. 
  • Submit with the application a sponsorship letter from a health authority, satisfactory to the Registration Committee, that: 
  • identifies the applicant’s sponsor 
  • describes how the applicant will engage in the practise of medicine 
  • notes that the applicant will be working under the direction and supervision of an attending physician 

Community Primary Care eligibility requirements

  • Successful completion of a medical degree issued by a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). 
  • Completed a minimum of one year accredited training as a General Practitioner. 
  • Submit with the application a sponsorship letter from a health authority, satisfactory to the Registration Committee, that: 
  • identifies the applicant’s sponsor 
  • describes how the applicant will engage in the practise of medicine 
  • notes that the applicant will be working under the direction and supervision of an attending physician 

Health Authority accreditation 

British Columbia’s Health Authorities can advertise Associate Physician job opportunities and offer employment while seeking accreditation by the CPSBC. Health Authorities seeking information on the accreditation process can contact CPSBC at registration-assessments@cpsbc.ca.