Practice-Ready Assessment · All provinces

Every Practice-Ready Assessment program in family medicine, compared

Nine provinces run a Practice-Ready Assessment route for internationally trained family physicians, and eligibility differs more between them than most candidates expect. This page holds the comparison table from the Medical Council of Canada e-book written by Dr. Santos.

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The comparison table

PROV. MCCQE NAC
Examination

TDM

Examination

 Requires Permanent Residency GAP PGT IPE
BC No No Yes No

960 hours

in last 3 years

 2 years 2 years
AB Registration exam* No Yes No

1 year

in last 3 years

 Required rotations 1 year in the last 3 years if PGT is not recent
SK Yes Yes Yes No

6 months

in last 3 years; licensed CA time may break gap

 1 year

If less than
2 years of PGT →
3 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → no IPE required
MB No Yes Yes

No,

preference
for residents
of MB

 3 years within
5 years immediately preceding
the application deadline		 1 to 2 years

If less than
2 years of PGT →
3 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → no IPE required
ON Yes Yes Yes Yes

960 hours

in last 3 years (720 hours in-person min.); licensed CA time may break gap

 1 to 2 years

If 1 year of PGT →
3 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → 2 years of IPE
QC Yes No N/A

Not

mentioned.

Must be

proficient in

French

 1 year in
last 3 years		 2 years 1 year
NB Yes Suggested but not required Yes No 450 hours in
last 3 years		 1 to 2 years

If 1 year of PGT →
2 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → 1 year of IPE
NS No No No No 450 hours in
last 5 years		 1 to 2 years

If 1 year of PGT →
2 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → 1 year of IPE
NL Yes Yes Yes No 450 hours in
last 3 years		 1 to 2 years

If 1 year of PGT →
3 years of IPE

If 2 years of PGT → no IPE required

Abbreviations:
Provinces: AB: Alberta; BC: British Columbia; MB: Manitoba; NB: New Brunswick; NL: Newfoundland and Labrador; NS: Nova Scotia; ON: Ontario; QC:Quebec; SK: Saskatchewan.

Other: MCCQE: Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination; NAC: National Assessment Collaboration;
TDM: Therapeutics Decision-Making; IRCC: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; GAP: Currency of practice requirements; PGT: Postgraduate training requirements in family medicine rotations; IPE: Independent practice experience as the most responsible physician; CA: Clinical assistant or associate physician licence;
N/A: Information not clear or not available on the medical regulatory authority website

*Have successfully completed a nationally recognized standardized examination in Canada or an Approved Jurisdiction as approved by the Registrar, which evaluates the medical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional competencies required to practice medicine in Canada. The MCCQE fulfills this requirement.

Source. This page is adapted, with attribution, from the e-book "Physician Licensing in Canada", written by Dr. Filipe Santos and published by the Medical Council of Canada (MCC). You can read the original at mcc.ca. Copyright in the source e-book belongs to the MCC. This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MCC.

Please read. This page is for educational purposes only. Rules, fees, and requirements change, sometimes without notice. The final decision on eligibility, registration, and licensure always rests with the provincial or territorial medical regulatory authority and the program, and other factors may be considered in individual cases. Dr. Santos does not make licensing decisions. Always confirm requirements directly with the regulator or program before acting.

Common questions

Which PRA programs do not require the MCCQE?

British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia do not list the MCCQE as required. Alberta requires a registration exam for which the MCCQE qualifies (and accepts the complete USMLE as an equivalent).

Which PRA program requires permanent residency?

Only Practice Ready Ontario requires Canadian citizenship or permanent residency at the time of application. Manitoba gives preference to established residents.

Which program has no exam requirement at all?

NS PACE in Nova Scotia lists no MCCQE, NAC Examination, or TDM Examination requirement.

Do all programs have a return of service?

Most do. BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and New Brunswick require a 3-year return of service, and Manitoba places candidates in rural, underserviced communities.

See where you stand, province by province

The free interactive guide screens your training, practice, and exams against every Practice-Ready Assessment program and every clinical assistant and associate physician licence in Canada.

Open the interactive guide
From the Path to Practice Series
The 100-Day MCCQE Study Plan book coverThe 100-Day MCCQE Study PlanEthics for MCCQE and NAC book coverEthics for MCCQE and NACThe NAC: A Complete Strategy Guide book coverThe NAC: A Complete Strategy GuideThe 100-Day NAC Study Plan book coverThe 100-Day NAC Study Plan

See all books by Dr. Santos

Related guides
PRA-BCPRA AlbertaSIPPAPRA ManitobaPractice Ready OntarioQuebec restrictive permitPRA-NBNS PACEPRA-NL