Medical License in Canada

Medical Council of Canada

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) is, for the most part, similar to the Indian National Medical Commission (NMC) or the erstwhile MCI. In other words, it is the Canadian Board of Medicine. The key responsibility of the Canadian Medical Board MCC is the upkeep of patient welfare in Canada. This, it does by taking up the initial assessment of the eligibility of an applicant who wishes to practice medicine in Canada.

Brief History

The MCC came into existence a decade over a century ago. In the year 1912, the British Canadian Parliament formally accepted the concept of administrative control over the practice of medicine in Canada.

A Council of 12 members governs the MCC. After much deliberation, this Council announced the conduction of a screening test to check an interested Doctor’s eligibility to practice in Canada. Subsequently, in 1979, the MCC began holding the Canadian Medical Licensing Exam. The Medical Council Canada called it the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE).

Up to the year 2018, only International Medical Graduates (IMGs) had to clear the MCCEE. In other words, the exam was just for IMG Licensing Canada. Subsequently, the test became MCCQE, the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Exam, and its scope expanded. All Medical Doctors in Canada, whether native or foreign, have to clear MCCQE if they wish to practice in Canada now. So, this brought the doctors from Canadian medical schools under the scanner.

Also, till 2021, MCCQE had 2 sections – the online MCCQE Part I and the MCCQE Part II. Now, the MCC conducted the MCCQE Part II only in Canada. That is to say, there was no online option. To some extent, you may draw similarities between it and the erstwhile USMLE Step 2 (CS).

Many opined that the MCCQE Part 2 is unnecessary or redundant. A number of individuals including IMGs referred to the exam as a wastage of money. The COVID 19 outbreak compelled the MCC to suspend the MCCQE Part II.

The MCC Official Website has removed the clearance of MCCQE Part II from the list of eligibility criteria to get a license to practice in Canada. We may assume that you won’t have to face MCCQE Part II anymore unless declared otherwise.

LMCC

The Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada is a qualified Doctor who has the eligibility to practice in Canada. Once you demonstrate your eligibility (see below), the MCC certifies you as LMCC. It is NOT the License to practice medicine in Canada.

An LMCC then applies for permission to practice or a medical license. She needs to apply to the respective provincial & territorial authority of the state in which she wishes to work. There are 13 such medical licensing authorities in Canada, one for each state.

Certainly, the LMCC is not a license; rather it is an inclusion of the licentiate’s name in the Canadian Medical Register. In this respect, we find semblance with the UK. In the UK, the process of Medical Licensing is nothing but inclusion in the UK Medical Register.

How to get a Medical License in Canada? Eligibility

How does a foreign doctor get licensed in Canada?

Read carefully to comprehend the eligibility you must have to get a Canadian Medical License.

As mentioned earlier, the COVID 19 has precipitated changes in Canada medical license eligibility. Do keep in mind that the following list is exhaustive and exclusive for IMGs.

• MBBS – Foreign medical degrees recognized in Canada are the ones from the College/University that exist in the WDOMS. The MCC will verify your Graduation at the source through an SVR.
• Medical PG – You need to have a Medical PG to be eligible for a Canadian Medical License. If you have done or are doing medical PG, keep in mind that the MCC will verify this at the source too. Alternatively, you may do your medical PG in Canada.
• MCCQE – You have to clear the MCCQE Part I. By all means, this is the Canada Medical Licensing Exam.
• Fee – You obviously need to pay the MCC Fee.

Medical PG in Canada for an IMG

If you are an International Medical Graduate, it means here that you have done your MBBS from out of Canada. You may be a Russian, Ukrainian, or Indian MBBS in Canada. A medical PG in Canada is more commonly called a Canadian Residency Program. If you wish to do your PG in Canada, you will need to clear the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Exam.

Medical PG completed outside of Canada

International Medical Degrees recognized in Canada must be from WDOMS enlisted College/University. However, a medical PG is also essential for the application to MCC for LMCC. You need to know the following about your post-graduation that the MCC seeks:

• As stated earlier, the documental proof of the medical PG must be Source Verified.
• It must have at least a year (12 months) of postgraduate clinical training.
• Clinical fellowships, Clerkships, Research or work positions, and Memberships do not qualify as PG clinical training.
• The documental proof of the medical PG must have –
• Dates of start & end of the clinical medical training.
• Details of the program discipline and/or rotations.

How do you become a certified Doctor in Canada?

You need to fulfill every criterion mentioned above and the MCC may grant you the LMCC. The next step would be to apply to the relevant Medical Regulatory Authority for state-specific practice.

How do I get a Medical License in Canada?

It is time to answer this question. You understood the involved entities, now; let us take up the process. You will get answers to deeper questions too. How to Become a Family Doctor in Canada? How to be a General Surgeon in Canada? Now you are ready to get answers to these queries.

Provisional License

A Physician from India or any other country may get a job in Canada. The employer becomes the sponsor in this case. Here, the Doctor applies for a Provisional License for practising in Canada.

A plain MBBS also needs this license when she wishes to do PG in Canada. She has to complete her Residency to reach the next level. See the figure.

A provisional license comes with restrictions. The limitations may be related to duration, geographical location, and/or nature of the validity of the License. Read that line again!

In terms of eligibility, the Provisional License is way less demanding compared to the full license. To get one, the applicant does not need to get the LMCC or any certificate from the College of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada*.

Even a minimum 2 years' Residency is not compulsory here. However, with very few exceptions, the applicant has to clear the MCCQE. On the other hand, having a sponsor (employer) is mandatory.

The Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons are the regulatory and licensing authorities operating at various levels. They establish the eligibility of the Physicians to practice in Canada. You must be a postgraduate to apply. You get the ‘Full Licensure’ to practice anywhere in Canada once you get certified by any of the following:

• The College of Family Physicians of Canada
• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• The Collège des médecins du Québec

Full Licensure

In short, a Doctor can apply for a Full Medical License to practice in Canada after she acquires the requisite eligibility. She needs to have an LMCC, 2 years of Residency and a CFPC/RCPSC certificate. A Doctor who has a full Medical License in Canada can practice medicine with no restrictions.

Canada is a huge country with a relatively low population density. It is indeed a very popular destination for foreigners to settle. The number of Indians settled here is huge. Many jobs for foreign doctors in Canada await 'the eligible'.

Ideal way to enter into Canadian healthcare system

In conclusion, if you wish to make a career in medicine in Canada, you have 2 options:

Conventional Agents: You will find a lot of agents around you promoting medical careers in Canada. Almost all of these agents are actually promoting a lesser-known ‘non-clinical’ pathway. If a non-clinical career is what you are looking for, you may invest 70 lacs - 1 Crore and enter into the Canadian system. Of course, you won’t be practising then. However, if you have a long-term plan to practice clinically in Canada, we strongly advise you to reconsider your decision.

Moksh Pathway: If you wish to settle in Canada and have a clinical practice, you need to pursue PG either in India or USA. After that, you may apply in Canada to work clinically after clearing MCCQE. However, you need to do 2 things for this.

Firstly, you need to Prepare for MCCQE. Your best bet to clear this tough exam is to prepare with Moksh. Secondly, you need to associate with an immigration agent for Canada and, when the time comes, apply for immigration to Canada. Just make sure that the immigration agent is licensed. Keep in mind, due to the competition and the quota system in Canada, not many seats are available for PG here.

Speak to MOKSH Counselor to understand further.