Family physicians

• The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) is responsible for licensing doctors in B.C. They make sure that doctors are qualified, competent, and follow professional standards. 
• To practice as a family physician in British Columbia, you must meet the registration requirements set by the CPSBC. The registration process is different depending on where a physician completed their training.   
• The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is the national organization responsible for setting standards for family medicine in Canada. 
• The Medical Council of Canada is the national organization responsible for overseeing standard examinations and supporting physician credential verification. 

Family physicians may be compensated through a variety of payment methods that include: 

• Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Payment Model  
• Fee-For-Service 
• Alternative Payment Program (e.g., service contracts)  
• Incentives (e.g., Rural Practice Programs to increase access to doctors in rural and remote areas of B.C.)   
• Provincially funded benefits (e.g., parental leave, health and wellness, retirement)

Most doctors get paid based on the terms set out in the Physician Master Agreement (PMA). The PMA is negotiated between the Doctors of BC and the Government of B.C.

Most family physicians work in community-based primary care clinics and provide continuous and ongoing care to patients. Family physicians may also choose to work in publicly funded hospitals or other health-care settings. Some examples of the types of care family physicians provide include:

• Primary care 
• Emergency care  
• Mental health and addictions care 
• Long-term care  
• Hospital care  
• Maternal and newborn care 

B.C.’s health-care system offers many family physician job opportunities—register with Health Match BC for navigational support and explore current family medicine postings.

• Internationally trained family physicians who are interested in practicing in B.C. should register with Health Match BC to connect with a physician navigator. The process to become licensed as a family physician in B.C. varies depending on where a physician completed their training.  
• There are several classes of licensure available for internationally trained family physicians. Read the full details on the registration requirements of each licensure class.
• Visit the CPSBC website for more information about physician registration for:
  • Family Physicians trained and certified the U.S.
  • Family Physicians trained outside of Canada or the U.S.
• Practice Ready Assessment–BC (PRA-BC) is an assessment program for internationally trained family physicians who have completed residencies in family medicine outside of Canada. This program provides qualified, experienced family physicians with an alternative pathway to licensure in B.C. 
• For more information about licensing and registration in B.C. as an internationally trained family physician, please visit Physician Jobs BC and register with Health Match BC.