Just wondering if this is possible? Do 5 year residency in Canada, immediately go to practice in the US, do American specialty board exam, and practice in the US for a while. Would the American board certification be transferrable to Canada later on or would you need to write the Royal College exam at that point?
If you do residency in Canada, pass American specialty board exam & practice in the US -- can you practice in Canada later with no Royal College exam?
- Thread starter nauru
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2017
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 38
Yes it is theoretically possible.
If your Canadian training is acceptable to the specific US board e.g. Orthopedic surgery, Radiology etc. to challenge their exam.
Take your American specialty board certification, then use that to get licensed in a province that will accept US board certification such as Nova Scotia.
Then use the free-trade agreement after 1 year to get licensed by reciprocity in another province.
If your Canadian training is acceptable to the specific US board e.g. Orthopedic surgery, Radiology etc. to challenge their exam.
Take your American specialty board certification, then use that to get licensed in a province that will accept US board certification such as Nova Scotia.
Then use the free-trade agreement after 1 year to get licensed by reciprocity in another province.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2016
- Messages
- 12,441
- Reaction score
- 21,045
These two Canadian provinces (Ontario and Nova Scotia) are welcoming American trained physicians
Two Canadian Provinces Lift Licensing Barriers for US Docs
Canada is facing a physician shortage and two provinces have removed licensing roadblocks to lure US doctors. But will they come?
www.medscape.com
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,259
- Reaction score
- 535
Its probably possible, but you really don't want to fail your canadian boards lol.
Highlander455
Full Member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2022
- Messages
- 72
- Reaction score
- 77
Wysdoc's answer is a good one. In Ontario, you would be eligible to practice as a CPSO specialist under a Restricted license by following Pathway A CPSO - Alternative Pathways to Registration for Physicians Trained in the United States . You would have the same scope of practice as an RCPSC specialist and be paid the same. There is no time limit on the length of time you can hold this Restricted license. For a full, unrestricted license you would need to pass RCPSC exams. Not clear whether some employers would have a preference for RCPSC specialists vs CPSO specialists. To practice in the US, you would need an appropriate visa.
I don't know about the other boards, but for orthopaedics the ABOS requires that Canadian applicants have passed the Royal College before they'll let you sit even the first step of their 2 step boards (the American board exams are a 2-step 3-5 year process). They don't accept simply completing a Canadian residency. See G.1 p13 at link below.
So no, for orthopaedics that route isn't currently possible.
Highlander455
Full Member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2022
- Messages
- 72
- Reaction score
- 77
Good points jnuts makes. I was focusing on return to Canada, not US Board eligibility. Based on this webpage (Admission Requirements | The American Board of Pediatrics) looks like it would at least work for peds. Canadian residency must be RCPSC Accredited but no requirement for RCPSC Certification exams to be passed listed here. I suspect it would also work for a number of other Boards. Need to research it carefully.
I note the ABOS here Certification | ABOS states for education prior to certification must "have successfully completed a five-year accredited orthopaedic residency program in the United States or Canada." No mention of RCPSC exam Certification being required here. Despite this, the document jnuts linked is quite clear that exam candidates "must have passed the certification examination in orthopaedic surgery of the Royal College before applying for either part of the ABOS’s Board Certification process." Wonder why the difference between the two linked pages?
I note the ABOS here Certification | ABOS states for education prior to certification must "have successfully completed a five-year accredited orthopaedic residency program in the United States or Canada." No mention of RCPSC exam Certification being required here. Despite this, the document jnuts linked is quite clear that exam candidates "must have passed the certification examination in orthopaedic surgery of the Royal College before applying for either part of the ABOS’s Board Certification process." Wonder why the difference between the two linked pages?
