At which point do you become a "medical doctor" in Canada?

[brighthope]

Hi
I'm wondering at which point you become "a medical doctor" in Canada.
For example, to practice as a family doctor, you need to finish your residency and pass the exam(s). But when you are doing residency, are you a "doctor" already or not?

The reason I am asking this is as follows.
I am a medical doctor and also an immigrant from Japan but I learned it was very difficult to be licensed to practice medicine here in Canada(or in Ontario to be more exact) mainly because there are not enough residency positions for IMGs and I actually gave up before trying.

But I also studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and I can give acupuncture treatment.

While TCM is not regulated at this point in Ontario and I can provide TCM treatment without any legal problems, medical doctors still have advantages. For example, some insurance companies only cover acupuncture done by a medical doctor.

I know that to practice medicine in Canada (or in any province in Canada), you need to finish residency and become licensed, but technically I am not "practicing medicine" when I give acupuncture treatment.

I would like to use the "medical doctor" title if possible.
It isn't a big deal if I can't use it and it is totally fine, but I just wondered.

If you know wnything about this and could share with me, it would be appreciated. Thank you!

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[med2UCC]

I would be very careful about using your Medical Doctor title to practice if you have not completed the licensing requirements, regardless of what you are actually practicing. Canada takes a very dim view of misrepresentation of qualifications and of practicing medicine without a license.
That being said, you are technically a doctor when you graduate from med school. Residents are called Dr So-and-So. However, they are not licensed to practice independently and cannot start a practice as a doctor.
You need to consult a lawyer, not a bunch of doctors, students and student wanna-bes. Good luck,
M

 

[brighthope]

Thank you med2UCC. Yes, consulting a lawyer would be a good idea.
I was wondering about this for a long time. When I first applied something to MCC, their e-mail reply (just a notice of receiving my application) said "Hello Dr.(my name)" and I wondered if I am technically a "doctor" here or not. I am not that intrested in being able to call myself "a doctor" in general but the big thing for me is that the public recognition and trust would be very different.

Anyway thanks for your wishies and have a nice day!

 

[docbill]

Hmmm interesting topic. If someone has a PhD can they call themselves Dr. but have to always add... but I am not a real doctor.

Actually the only people that call me Dr.Docbill are those trying to sell me something.

 

[summervirus]

In Canada, licensing is provided by provincial regulatory bodies, not the MCC. In Ontario, that would be the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons:

http://www.cpso.on.ca/registration/requirements/default.aspx?id=1780

Being a "Medical Doctor" merely means that a person has graduated from medical school and earned a degree (e.g. MD, MBBS, MBBCh, etc.) but does not give a person a license to practice. Check out the page above for details.