NS PACE: the Nova Scotia Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence

PACE offers a unique pathway to independent licensure in office-based primary care; combining an in-depth orientation to the Canadian health-care system (the Welcome Collaborative) with an assessment program hosted in a primary care clinic operated by PACE. It is a centralized model with all of the assessors and candidates working from the PACE Clinic. The care provided to the patients attached to the PACE Clinic is provided by the candidates, overseen by the assessors. PACE employs a competency-based approach to assessment, allowing for rolling entry into the program and individualized assessment durations. The assessment typically takes approximately 12 weeks on average, with a maximum duration of 20 weeks.

Please note: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Nova Scotia determines an applicant’s eligibility for PACE and defers to PACE regarding the selection of eligible candidates for the program.

For both programs, candidates must have fewer than two previous unsuccessful attempts in a Canadian practice ready assessment program; all credentials must be source-verified through physiciansapply.ca; and applicants must meet the English language proficiency requirements as set out in the CPSNS English Language Proficiency policy.

• Medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools

• Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or legally entitled to work in Nova Scotia

• Currency of practice: Minimum 450 hours of clinical practice in the last five years

• Training and practice experience, one of:

  • Option 1: 24 months of internship or postgraduate training resulting in certification, registration or recognition in Family Medicine or General Practice, plus 12 months of independent unsupervised licensed practice in family medicine or general practice

  • Option 2: 12 months of internship or postgraduate training resulting in certification, registration or recognition in Family Medicine or General Practice, plus 24 months of independent unsupervised licensed practice in family medicine or general practice

• Core rotations: Have successfully completed these core rotations* during postgraduate training (or internship program), all of:

  • A minimum of 8 weeks in family medicine or general practice

  • A minimum of 4 weeks in each of: surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics / gynecology**, and psychiatry**

* If the applicant has a gap in any of the listed rotations, the College may accept practice experience in lieu of training. Both are needed:

• Each 1 year of independent practice as a family physician/general practitioner that includes the gap in practice experience rotation will be considered as equivalent to 4 weeks of postgraduate training in that area for up to 3 rotation deficiencies.

• Applicants must provide an acceptable attestation to prove practice experience in the area(s) of postgraduate rotation gap.

** At the discretion of the Registrar, candidates for practice ready assessment in office-based primary care, may be excused the requirement for 4 weeks of postgraduate training in psychiatry and/or obstetrics/ gynecology, provided they have the equivalent amount of extra training in family medicine.

For applications, PACE is partnering with a Nova Scotia based healthcare talent agency, Launchpad.

If you are interested in applying to the PACE Assessment Program, visit the More Than Medicine website and select ‘Start Your Assessment Journey Today’.

Selected candidates sign a letter of offer from Nova Scotia Health, a return of service agreement with the Department of Health and Wellness with a 3-year commitment to practise in Nova Scotia after completing the assessment, and a contract with PACE. They may start the assessment only after providing proof of legal authority to work in Canada, such as citizenship, a work permit, or permanent residency (PACE selection and review).