Canadian Family Physicians in the US

[leviathan]

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My girlfriend is a family physician in Canada and she is considering coming with me if I end up doing my residency in the United States. I've done some research and it looks like medical licensure differs state-by-state, but doing random searches on a few states I found that she is able to get licensure with her Canadian licensing exam results (LMCC) for at least SOME states.

That said, how does it work if she wants to practice family medicine? Does the ABFM accept the CCFP credentials as equivalent even though family med is only 2 years in length up here? Would she have to do an extra year of training? If her family med training isn't recognized, can she still practice medicine as a "GP" without the family med credentials?

Any advice or links to where I can find this information would be appreciated.

 

[deleted87716]

how does it work if she wants to practice family medicine? Does the ABFM accept the CCFP credentials as equivalent even though family med is only 2 years in length up here? Would she have to do an extra year of training? If her family med training isn't recognized, can she still practice medicine as a "GP" without the family med credentials?

Any advice or links to where I can find this information would be appreciated.

It's called "reciprocity."

https://www.theabfm.org/cert/reciprocity.aspx

 

[leviathan]

It's called "reciprocity."

https://www.theabfm.org/cert/reciprocity.aspx

Thanks,

So she would still need to write the ABFM board exam, and work in a state that accepts her LMCC exams as equivalent to the USMLEs. Without ABFM and just being licensed as an MD in a state, can she still practice as a "GP"?

 

[lowbudget]

Thanks,

So she would still need to write the ABFM board exam, and work in a state that accepts her LMCC exams as equivalent to the USMLEs. Without ABFM and just being licensed as an MD in a state, can she still practice as a "GP"?

Interjecting, but to my understanding, correct & yes. If states are willing to license her, she legally could practice medicine in that state as a GP or what not.

Without board certification, it would be difficulty to get privileges, get hired, and/or get paid. Just get her to study and take the ABFM boards. She's lucky to be from Canada. Other non-reciprocal countries would have to redo a 3 year residency to be eligible for the board.

 

[leviathan]

Interjecting, but to my understanding, correct & yes. If states are willing to license her, she legally could practice medicine in that state as a GP or what not.

That's great news then! In my province my understanding is that you can no longer practice medicine without family medicine board certification (CCFP), so the old days of just having a license and practicing as a GP are over, unless you were grandfathered in.

Without board certification, it would be difficulty to get privileges, get hired, and/or get paid. Just get her to study and take the ABFM boards. She's lucky to be from Canada. Other non-reciprocal countries would have to redo a 3 year residency to be eligible for the board.

Yeah, not having to do USMLE steps 1-3 is already a huge advantage.