Placement Procedures: Postgraduate Medical Training

Medical Council of Canada—Evaluating Exam:

In order to qualify for application for Residency Training positions in Canada, doctors must pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (http://www.mcc.ca/en/). The MCCEE is a general assessment of the candidate's basic medical knowledge in the principal disciplines of medicine. The examination is designed to test understanding of the principal fields of medicine such as internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, preventive medicine and community health, and surgery. Most of the questions are intended to evaluate clinical knowledge but the examination also includes some questions on basic medical sciences as applied to clinical practice.

The exam is offered six times a year in January, March, May, July, September, and November at Prometric centres across Canada.  In order be deemed eligible to write the exam, doctors must submit an application and meet the following criteria:

• Be a graduate or a student from a medical school not accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools or the U.S. Liaison Committee on Medical Education, but listed in one or more directories of medical schools approved by the MCC; and

• Have met the requirements to obtain the final medical school diploma from the educational institution.

The score for the Evaluating Exam will be available only six weeks after taking the exam. A copy of the results of the exam must be available at the time of application to the universities.

Recommended Timelines:

CBIE recommends that doctors who are sponsored to undertake residency training in Canada arrive in Canada in January/February. We further recommend that the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam be written in May so that results are available by July, in time for application during the summer to postgraduate residency training programs in Canada.

Application and Interview Process:

Applications for residency training positions in Canada must be submitted one year in advance. Residency training positions in Canada generally start on July 1st of each year, with an orientation starting one to two months prior to that date. As such, a completed application package will be submitted by CBIE for residency training positions in Canada during the months of July/August. Interviews generally take place over the Fall. Doctors are asked to submit their completed documents to CBIE by the end of June.

Preparing an Application Package to Postgraduate Residency Training Programs

Your application package speaks volumes to your desirability as a candidate and your potential success in the residency program you have applied to. Having a complete, clear, and concise package makes an important first impression on the Program Directors and has an impact on your potential to be called for an interview.

The following documents must be included in an application package to postgraduate residency training programs in Canada:

• Sponsorship Letter (issued by CBIE)

• Curriculum Vitae (resume): Should outline educational and work history, additional qualifications, etc.

• Personal Statement/Cover Letter: Outlines personal experiences, why you are applying to the program or university, qualities that will make you a good doctor or asset to the residency program, etc.

• Copy of Medical School degree

• Copy of English translation of medical degree (if applicable)

• Transcripts

• Copy of English translation of transcripts (if applicable)

• Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam Results (required)

• Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Results (recommended but not reimbursable by the sponsor)

• Reference letters (at least 3): These must be recent and must include contact information for the referees, original signature as well as the date the letters were written.

• Attestation of English language skills (optional): This includes TOEFL scores, or a certificate from the university you attended for medical school attesting that your degree was completed in English.

• Any other documents that you feel are relevant to your application can also be included. Additional test scores, certificates, letters, etc. can be sent in with your package.

The CV and personal statements should be professional and clear, as they are important elements of the application package, and are a reflection of you as a potential candidate. The application package must demonstrate that you are qualified to be admitted to the residency program you are applying to, and that your skills are a valuable asset to the program. You can strengthen your resume and some of your skill-sets by taking ESL classes and by undertaking observerships in Canada to accustom yourself to the Canadian health care system and the atmosphere of medical care in Canadian clinics and hospitals.

Communication and Application Follow-up:

It is CBIE’s responsibility to communicate with the postgraduate medical community on your behalf, concerning your application to postgraduate residency positions in Canada.