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Provided here are the registration requirements and procedures for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

Index for registration information

Paragraph 1 - Introduction
Paragraph 2 - Procedure to apply for a license to practice in Saskatchewan
Paragraph 3 - Review of credentials
Paragraph 4 - Communicating with the College
Paragraph 5 - Terminology
Paragraph 6 - Licensure of Canadian-Trained Physicians
Paragraph 7 - Alternative licensure for physicians with international medical qualifications
Paragraph 8 - Categories of license available
Paragraph 9 - Progress of licensure for family physicians whose training was obtained from countries other than Canada
Paragraph 10 - Progress of licensure for physicians with specialty qualifications whose training was obtained from countries other than Canada
Paragraph 11 - Acceptable medical degrees
Paragraph 12 - Postgraduate training requirements - family physicians
Paragraph 13 - Sponsorship requirements - temporary licenses
Paragraph 14 - Educational licenses
Paragraph 15 - Required documents for registration - family physicians
Paragraph 16 - Required documents for registration - physicians with specialty qualifications
Paragraph 17 - Questions asked of Applicants
Paragraph 18 - Mandatory Insurance
Paragraph 19 - Cost for licenses
Paragraph 20 - Contacting the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons
Paragraph 21 - Contacting the Medical Council of Canada
Paragraph 22 - Employment opportunities
Paragraph 23 - Postgraduate training requests
Paragraph 24 - FAQ (Frequently asked Questions)

Paragraph 1 - Introduction

This contains a summary of the most common situations relating to licensure affecting physicians. Not all of the details relating to licensure can be contained in this summary. Paragraph 21 of the College Bylaws, available at this site, and sections 27 to 31 of The Medical Profession Act, 1981, provide additional detail respecting requirements for registration.

Paragraph 2 - Procedure to apply for a license to practice in Saskatchewan

The steps that we suggest possible applicants take to apply for a license to practice are:

  1. Review the requirements for a license set out below to determine whether you may be eligible for a license to practice medicine in Saskatchewan;
  2. If you think that you may be eligible, submit a curriculum vitae following the guidelines set out below;
  3. Review the questions that will be asked of you in your application for a license as set out in paragraph 16 below. If the answer to any of the questions is "yes" contact the College to determine what additional information will be required by the College to determine whether you are eligible for a license;
  4. If advised by the College that you will be eligible for a license, assemble the documents that will be required by the College and make arrangements to appear for interview by the College.

Paragraph 3 - Review of credentials

Before the College of Physicians and Surgeons accepts an application for a license, the College will review the physician's curriculum vitae to ensure that the physician meets the requirements of the College bylaws.

The physician's Curriculum Vitae should follow the following format and contain the following information to permit the College to assess whether the physician possesses the qualifications necessary for registration in Saskatchewan:

  1. Full name and date of birth;
  2. The name of the university where the physician's undergraduate education was taken, the years that the physician attended university and the degrees the physician was granted, if any;
  3. The name of the university where the physician's medical degree was taken, the years the physician attended, the degree the physician was granted and when that degree was granted;
  4. Information about all postgraduate training which the physician received, including the names of the institutions where the education was taken, the period of time during which the education was taken, the disciplines in which the physician was trained, the time spent in each discipline and the dates of training in each discipline;
  5. Information about any additional qualifications which the physician possesses in the practice of medicine, when such qualifications were granted, and by whom the qualifications were granted;
  6. The names of all licensing authorities that have granted the physician a license to practice, including the nature of the license and the period of time for which the physician held a license;
  7. Complete information about the physician's work history which includes the dates worked in each location and a general description of the physician's medical practice while the physician worked there;
  8. The physician's CV should describe the physician's activities during the entirety of the time since the physician was granted a medical degree. If there are any periods of time during which the physician was neither working as a physician nor in a training program, the CV should provide an explanation for such gaps.

If the Curriculum Vitae is sent by email, it should be sent to the general email address for the College, cpss@quadrant.net.

Paragraph 4 - Communicating with the College

Physicians' credentials are generally reviewed by the Manager of Physician Registration, Barb Porter or Carol Bowkowy. Barb Porter can be contacted as follows:

Barb Porter, Manager Physician Registration
College of Physicians and Surgeons
500-321A-21st Street East
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 0C1

FAX: (306) 244-0090
TEL: (306) 244-7355

e-mail: cpss@quadrant.net

Carol Bowkowy can be contacted as follows:
Carol Bowkowy, Registration Officer
College of Physicians and Surgeons
500-321A-21st Street East
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 0C1

FAX: (306) 244-0090
TEL: (306) 244-7355

e-mail: cpss@quadrant.net

Paragraph 5 - Terminology

FLEX - The Federal Licensing Examination. An American Examination available until approximately 1994.

MCCEE - The Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination. The MCCEE is an examination that is offered at least twice per year. The examination is administered by the Medical Council of Canada in a number of locations in the world. The present locations for these examinations are London, Paris, Riyadh, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Muscat and 5 locations in Canada.

MCCQE - The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. The MCCQE is a two part examination. Part I is a computer-based examination. Part II is a structured clinical examination in which the candidate is required to interact with standard patients, obtain histories, conduct examinations, reach potential diagnoses and suggest possible therapies. Both Part I and Part II are offered twice per year at a number of centers in Canada. Upon passing Part II the candidate is given the designation of LMCC.

LMCC - the designation given to physicians who are successful in the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination.

USMLE - the United States Medical Licensing Examination. USMLE is administered in three parts, USMLE Part 1, USMLE Part 2 and USMLE Part 3.

Paragraph 6 - Licensure of Canadian-Trained Physicians

Most Canadian-trained physicians are eligible for full licensure. A Canadian-trained family physician will be eligible for a full license if:

  1. the physician has attained the LMCC; and
  2. the physician has successfully completed a 24-month residency in family medicine in Canada; or
  3. the physician has successfully completed a 12-month internship and was fully registered in a Canadian province PRIOR to the change in licensing requirements from a 12-month internship to a 24-month residency.

Certification with the College of Family Practice is not a requirement for full licensure in Saskatchewan.

Physicians who have completed a residency in a specialty in a Canadian training program will be eligible if they:

  1. have certification with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; and
  2. have attained the LMCC.

Provisional licenses are available for family physicians who have not attained the LMCC and for physicians with specialty training who have not yet obtained Royal College certification or the LMCC.

Temporary licenses (also called locum tenens permits) are also available for physicians who will be practicing temporarily in Saskatchewan.

Canadian physicians seeking registration in Saskatchewan should submit a CV as outlined in paragraph 3, review the questions in paragraph 17, review the mandatory insurance requirements in paragraph 18, and be prepared to present the documents described in paragraphs 15 or 16 in order to achieve registration.

Paragraph 7 - Alternative licensure for physicians with international medical qualifications.

Most physicians with international medical credentials do not meet the requirements for full, unrestricted, licensure. The Saskatchewan College's philosophy that underlies its licensing rules that permit granting alternative forms of licensure to such physicians is to:

Paragraph 8 - Categories of license available

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan offers the following forms of licensure to physicians:

  1. Temporary licenses (also referred to as locum tenens permits) - for family physicians. A physician who has:

    • 24 months of approved postgraduate training (see paragraph 12 below); and
    • either full licensure in the country in which their training was obtained or the MCCEE, USMLE or FLEX

    may be eligible for a temporary, unsupervised, license. A physician with 12 months of approved postgraduate training may be eligible for a temporary, supervised, license. A temporary license is limited to 12 months and cannot generally be extended or renewed. A physician practicing under a temporary license must be sponsored by a physician who has full or provisional licensure with the College.

  2. Temporary licenses (also referred to as locum tenens permits) for physicians with specialty credentials. A physician who has:

    • a specialty designation from Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand that is acceptable to the Council; and either
    • full registration with the regulatory body granting the qualification; or
    • MCCEE, USMLE or FLEX

    may be eligible for a temporary license.

    A temporary license is limited to 12 months and cannot generally be extended or renewed. A physician practicing under a temporary license must be sponsored by a physician who has full or provisional licensure with the College.

  3. Provisional licenses - for family physicians. These are available to physicians who have 24 months of approved postgraduate training and either full licensure with the country in which their training was taken or a pass standing in the MCCEE. A physician must make a commitment to remain in a named Saskatchewan community for 3 years in order to obtain a provisional license. The physician must write the MCCEE at the next opportunity and must pass the MCCEE within 2 years. The physician must pass the MCCQE Part I within 4 years and must pass the MCCQE Part II within 5 years. If the physician obtains the LMCC, the physician will be eligible for a full license.

  4. Provisional licenses - for physicians with specialist qualifications. These are available to physicians who are certification eligible with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. A physician must make a commitment to remain in a named Saskatchewan community for 3 years in order to obtain a provisional license. The physician must obtain Royal College certification within the period of Royal College certification-eligibility (usually 3 years) and must obtain the LMCC within 5 years. A physician who obtains certification and who obtains the LMCC will be granted a full license.

  5. Special licenses - There are several categories of special licenses, generally only for physicians with specialty credentials. These include:

    1. special licenses for psychiatrists to work for the Government of Saskatchewan, a district health board or the Regional Psychiatric Centre. Such licenses are offered to physicians who hold certification in psychiatry from a program accepted by Saskatchewan and for whom a special request is made by the Saskatchewan Minister of Health. Such licenses are only valid while the physician continues to work for the employer that hired them.

    2. special licenses for oncologists who have been offered a position by the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency if a special request is made by the Minister of Health. Such licenses are only valid while the physician continues to work for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency.

    3. special licenses for Medical Health officers who have been offered a position as a Medical Health Officer by a district health board, who have a Masters degree in public health from a program recognized in Saskatchewan and for whom a special request is made by the Saskatchewan Minister of Health. Such licenses are only valid while the physician continues to work for the district health board that employed them.

    4. special licenses for physicians who are not certification eligible with the Royal College but who meet other defined criteria. There must be an unmet need for the physician's services that cannot be met by a Royal College certified or certification-eligible physician. The physician must hold specialty credentials that are recognized by the Saskatchewan College. The physician must have undergone an assessment of their skills and knowledge. The physician must agree to take an examination in their specialty when such an examination becomes available. The physician must attain the LMCC within 5 years. The physician must make a commitment to remain in a named Saskatchewan community for a period of 3 years.

  6. Full licenses - for family physicians. These are available to physicians who have 24 months of approved post graduate training and who have obtained the LMCC.

  7. Full licenses - for physicians with specialty qualifications. These are available to physicians who have achieved certification with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and who have obtained the LMCC.

  8. Educational licenses - for physicians involved in an approved training program with the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.

Paragraph 9- Progress of licensure for family physicians whose training was obtained from countries other than Canada

A physician's postgraduate training will determine the available licensing options.

Physicians who have 24 months of approved postgraduate training, but who lack training in psychiatry, are eligible for a temporary, unsupervised, license. In order to be eligible for continued licensure the physician will have to either obtain additional training in psychiatry or be successful in the CAPE assessment (see paragraph 12(d) below). Physicians should be aware that training in psychiatry can be very difficult to obtain in Canada and they may be wise to obtain such training before beginning work in Saskatchewan (if possible).

A family physician who has the required postgraduate training for permanent licensure can choose either a temporary, unsupervised license or a provisional license.

Physicians with at least 12 months of approved postgraduate training (see paragraph 12(a) below) may be eligible for a temporary supervised license. Unless the physician obtains additional training, or unless the physician is referred to, and is successful in, the CAPE assessment (see paragraph 12(d) below) the physician will not be eligible for ongoing licensure after the expiry of the temporary, supervised license.

Most physicians choose to begin practice with a temporary license and later transfer to a provisional license. They use the time while practicing on a temporary license to decide if they want to continue to practice in Saskatchewan, and in that community. After they decide that they want to practice medicine on a longer-term basis in that community they transfer to a provisional license. In order to obtain a provisional license, a physician is required to agree to remain in a named Saskatchewan community for 3 years.

A provisionally registered physician who passes the examinations of the Medical Council of Canada will be fully registered.

Paragraph 10 - Progress of licensure for physicians with specialty qualifications whose training was obtained from countries other than Canada

Physicians who have international qualifications in a specialty that meet the college's requirements, but who have not yet obtained a ruling from the Royal college of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada respecting their certification-eligibility, generally begin work on a temporary license.

If such physicians are certification-eligible with the Royal College, they are generally eligible for a provisional or special license. Both these licenses require the physician to commit to practicing in a named Saskatchewan Community for 3 years, require the physician to obtain Royal College certification within 3 years and require the physician to attain the LMCC within 5 years.

Upon obtaining Royal College certification and attaining the LMCC, a physician will be granted a full license.

Physicians who are not certification-eligible with the Royal College, but who have practiced successfully on a temporary license, and who meet the requirements described in paragraph 8(5)(e) above may be eligible for a special license to continue practice.

Paragraph 11 - Acceptable medical degrees

Generally, the College of Physicians and Surgeons will accept medical degrees from medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization.

Paragraph 12 - Postgraduate training requirements - family physicians

  1. Unsupervised temporary licenses

    In order to obtain a temporary unsupervised license, a physician must have a minimum of 24 months of postgraduate training from a university-affiliated teaching hospital located in a country recognized by Saskatchewan. The hospital must be one that is approved by the medical regulatory body in which the training occurs. Most postgraduate training in Canada, the United States, South Africa, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand is accepted as meeting the Saskatchewan requirements for postgraduate training.

    This postgraduate training must include a minimum of eight weeks in each of general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine and pediatrics.

  2. Supervised temporary licenses

    Physicians with at least 12 months of approved postgraduate training may be eligible for a temporary supervised license. Such a physician can only practice in a location in which another licensed physician is available to provide assistance and supervision as may be necessary. Unless the physician obtains additional training, or unless the physician is referred to, and is successful in, the CAPE assessment the physician will not be eligible for ongoing licensure after the expiry of the temporary, supervised license.

    In order to be recognized by the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the post graduate training program must occur in a university-affiliated teaching hospital located in a country recognized by Saskatchewan. The hospital must be one that is approved by the medical regulatory body in which the training occurs. Most postgraduate training in Canada, the United States, South Africa, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand is accepted as meeting the Saskatchewan requirements for postgraduate training.

    This postgraduate training must include a minimum of eight weeks in each of general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine and pediatrics.

  3. Postgraduate training requirements - provisional and full licenses

    For provisional or full licenses a physician must meet the postgraduate training requirements for a temporary license and must have, in addition an 8-week rotation in psychiatry, or its equivalent.

  4. The CAPE Assessment

    In some circumstances, physicians will be referred to the CAPE program for an assessment. The CAPE program is an assessment program offered in Winnipeg for certain physicians who do not meet all of the College's requirements for postgraduate training. The CAPE assessment involves approximately 3 - 4 days in a formal assessment program in which the physician's skill, knowledge and judgment is tested and is compared with the assessments that have been made of physicians in active practice in Manitoba. The cost for such an assessment is approximately $3,500.00.

    In order to be eligible for a referral to that program, the physician must have:

    • a minimum of 8-weeks of approved postgraduate training in each of internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics and, either;
    • at least 18 months of approved postgraduate training; or
    • at least 12 months of approved postgraduate training and some years of successful, independent, medical practice.

    If a physician is referred to the CAPE assessment, and is successful in that assessment, the physician will be regarded as meeting all of the College's postgraduate training requirements for a family physician.

Paragraph 13 - Sponsorship requirements - temporary licenses

All physicians who practice under a temporary license must be sponsored by a physician who has a provisional license or a full license with the College.

The sponsoring physician must be one who practices in the same community, or in a neighboring community. The expectation of the College is that the sponsoring physician will accept the responsibility to:

  1. Introduce the physician to the district health board administration and assist the physician to complete the application for privileges (if the physician is seeking privileges);
  2. Introduce the physician to the community;
  3. Acquaint the physician with referral patterns of the practice;
  4. Make the physician aware of the billing system, including the Medical Services Plan payment schedule and the Saskatchewan Medical Association Guide to Physicians' fees;
  5. Acquaint the physician with taxation issues by referring the physician to Revenue Canada or an accountant; and,
  6. Be available for consultation as may be required.

Paragraph 14 - Educational licenses

These are available to physicians in recognized training programs through the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. A physician must:

  1. Achieve a score of 600 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if the physician's medical training occurred in a language other than English; and,
  2. A pass standing in the MCCEE.

Paragraph 15 - Required documents for registration - family physicians

Registration is generally only granted after an interview with the Registrar's office. The College relies upon production of ORIGINAL documents at the time of the interview. PHOTOCOPIES AND CERTIFIED COPIES ARE NOT ACCEPTED. The documents that must generally be produced in order to achieve registration are the following:

  1. the physician's original medical degree;
  2. If a temporary or provisional license is to be granted on the basis of a physician's full registration with a regulatory body acceptable to the College, proof of that full registration;
  3. If registration is granted on the basis of having passed MCCEE, USMLE or FLEX - original documentation from the issuing body.
  4. ECFMG certificate if one has been granted. Effective January 1, 2008 the College will require credential verification from the Physician Registry of Canada (PCRC). Information regarding PCRC is available on the Medical Council of Canada website;
  5. Any other documentation relevant to the physician's credentials as a family physician (CCFP, M. Fam. Med, MRCP (GP), board certification, etc.)
  6. a Certificate of Good Standing dated within the past three months from the regulatory body with which the physician was most recently registered;
  7. a Certificate of Good Standing dated subsequent to the date of last practice in the jurisdiction from each of the regulatory bodies in the jurisdictions in which the physician has been registered;
  8. letters from each of the hospitals in which the physician's postgraduate training took place which state:
    1. disciplines in which the physician was trained;
    2. time spent in each discipline; and,
    3. evidence of satisfactory performance.
  9. a translation of any documents not in the English language prepared by a recognized translation agency;
  10. a photograph of approximately passport size to attach to the application; and
  11. proof of identity - generally a passport.

Paragraph 16 - Required documents for registration - physicians with specialty qualifications

Registration is generally only granted after an interview with the Registrar's office. The College relies upon production of original documents at the time of the interview. The documents that must generally be produced in order to achieve registration are the following:

  1. the physician's original medical degree;
  2. the original document certifying that the physician possesses the specialty qualification;
  3. If a temporary or provisional license is to be granted on the basis of a physician's full registration with a regulatory body acceptable to the College, proof of that full registration;
  4. If registration is granted on the basis of having passed MCCEE, USMLE or FLEX - original documentation from the issuing body.
  5. ECFMG certificate if one has been granted;
  6. for a provisional license or a special license issued on the basis of a physician's certification eligibility with the Royal College, the original letter from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certifying that the physician is certification eligible with the Royal College;
  7. a translation of any documents not in the English language prepared by a recognized translation agency;
  8. a Certificate of Good Standing dated within the past three months from the regulatory body in the jurisdiction in which the physician was most recently registered;
  9. a Certificate of Good Standing dated subsequent to the date of last practice in the jurisdiction from the regulatory body in each of the jurisdictions in which the physician has been registered;
  10. a photograph of approximately passport size to attach to the application; and
  11. proof of identity - generally a passport;

Paragraph 17 - Questions asked of Applicants

Applicants for all forms of licensure will be required to answer a series of questions to ascertain the following:

  1. have ever had any application for medical licensure rejected;
  2. have ever had their medical license, registration or certificate suspended or revoked;
  3. have ever been convicted of a criminal offence;
  4. have ever been the subject of an enquiry or investigation by a medical licensing authority or hospital;
  5. have ever had the scope of their medical practice restricted by a medical licensing authority or hospital;
  6. have ever had their right to bill restricted or removed by a health care paying agency;
  7. have ever had their privileges suspended or removed by a hospital;
  8. have ever had their staff appointment terminated by a hospital;
  9. have ever been placed on a list restricting their purchase or prescription of narcotic or restricted drugs;
  10. have suffered from any condition that may limit their ability to practice or constitute a risk to patients; and,
  11. have ever been sued for malpractice.

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes"-additional inquiry may be necessary before a license to practice is granted. Physicians who will answer "yes" to any of these questions should contact the College for further instructions before arranging to appear for interview before the College.

Paragraph 18 - Mandatory Insurance

Professional liability coverage through the Canadian Medical Protective Association or another insurer is a requirement for licensure in Saskatchewan. A license will only be granted after the physician signs an undertaking that the physician will obtain professional liability coverage before practicing medicine.

Canadian Medical Protective Association can be contacted at:

P.O. Box 8225
STN T
OTTAWA ON K1G 3H7
Phone: 613-725-2000 or 1-800-267-6522
Fax: 613-725-1300

Paragraph 19 - Cost for licenses

Physicians are required to pay the fee for a license at the time of registration. A license will not be issued unless payment is made. The license fees are as follows:

  1. for a temporary license - $250.00 per month, to a maximum of $1,500 for one year;
  2. for a provisional, special or full license, - a registration fee of $300.00 plus the annual fee of $1,200.00 for a calendar year;
  3. for an educational license - $60.00 per year.

Payment should be made by cash, cheque or credit card. The College accepts VISA and MASTERCARD credit cards. The College does not accept foreign currency for payment.

Paragraph 20 - Contacting the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons

Inquiries respecting the requirements of the Royal College for certification should be directed to:

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
774 Promenade Echo Drive
OTTAWA, ON
K1S 5N8

Tel. (613) 730-6205 or 1-800-668-3740
Fax: (613) 730-8250

Website http://rcpsc.medical.org
Email accred@rcpsc.edu

Paragraph 21 - Contacting the Medical Council of Canada

The Medical Council of Canada can be contacted at:

Medical Council of Canada
P.O. Box 8234, Stn "T"
2283 St. Laurent Blvd.,
Suite 100
OTTAWA, ON, Canada, K1G 3H4

Tel. (613) 521-6012
Fax: (613) 521-9417

Website: http://www.mcc.ca

Paragraph 22 - Employment opportunities

The College of Physicians and Surgeons deals with licensing and does not deal with physician recruitment. Physicians may wish to contact www.healthcareersinsask.ca where regional health authorities and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency will post jobs available.

Family physicians who are interested in taking a position in Northern Saskatchewan can contact:

Northern Medical Services
Suite 404, 333 - 25th Street East
Saskatoon, SK, S7K 0L4

Tel. (306) 665-2898
Fax. (306) 665-6077

Email: balon.nms@sasktel.net
Website: www.northerndocs.com

The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan does its own recruiting. The College of Medicine can be contacted at the following address:

Dean of Medicine
B103 Health Sciences Bldg
University of Saskatchewan
107 Wiggins Road,
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5

Telephone (306) 966-6149
Fax: (306) 966-6164

Paragraph 23 - Postgraduate training requests

The College of Physicians and Surgeons deals with licensing and does not deal with undergraduate or post graduate training for physicians.

Requests for information relating to postgraduate training should be directed to:

Postgraduate Medical Education
College of Medicine
A204 Health Sciences Building
University of Saskatchewan,
107 Wiggins Road,
SASKATOON, SK S7N 5E5
Telephone: (306) 966-8555
Website: www.medicine.usask.ca
Email: postgrad.med@usask.ca

Paragraph 24 - FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)