Pathway 4 for Practicing Medicine in Canada

[Northerncardinal]

I'm a Canadian, did my medicine from another country and matched this year into a US residency program (Internal Medicine).

While searching for ways of returning to Canada and practice medicine there, I came across pathway 4 on CPSO's website. This applies to IMGs who studied medicine in a country (other than the US or Canada) and completed their residency training in the US.

Anyone knows if pathway 4 aspirants have to take Canadian exams (MCCQE1 etc) or are they exempt from these exams??
Anyone who followed this pathway and is now practicing medicine in Canada??

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Stroke7]

Been searching about this too. No exams are required if you are returning through pathway 4. You need to be board certified in US however and undergo 12 to 18 months of supervised assessment before getting the unrestricted license.

 

[MothIntoFlame]

Hey guys, I'm an IMG in a similar situation (except that I am not Canadian).

I will be done with residency next year in the US and I'm planning to move to Ontario thereafter. I noticed that Pathway 4 on CPSO might be my best bet.

I do have, however, a lot of questions regarding the process. Do you guys know whether I need to have a PR and/or a job offer prior to applying through pathway 4? Do you know how hard is to find a supervising physician (and how it would cost)?

Thanks!

 

[Gos81238ia]

The requirements differ province by province. In Ontario, Pathway 4 requires no exams, but supervision for over a year as above. This restricts you to one location of practice and can limit your job options since you need to find one with a preceptor. If you finish IM in the US, you can just apply for your fellowship in Canada and not have to do pathway 4. Otherwise, you’ll need an extra year in the US to match the 5 years of IM training in Canada and either come back with pathway 4, or just take your exams and have a full license. I came back (but am family med) from the states and just wrote all my Canadian exams as I was going through US residency. I work at multiple sites (clinic, hospital) now and my earnings doing that easily out earn what I paid for the exams. The exams can be done in parallel to your US exams. Study once and take Step 3 and QE1 together. Then take QE2, it’s a fairly straightforward OSCE. Finally, study for your boards once and take both IM boards back to back.

 

[Jinxapotato]

The requirements differ province by province. In Ontario, Pathway 4 requires no exams, but supervision for over a year as above. This restricts you to one location of practice and can limit your job options since you need to find one with a preceptor. If you finish IM in the US, you can just apply for your fellowship in Canada and not have to do pathway 4. Otherwise, you’ll need an extra year in the US to match the 5 years of IM training in Canada and either come back with pathway 4, or just take your exams and have a full license. I came back (but am family med) from the states and just wrote all my Canadian exams as I was going through US residency. I work at multiple sites (clinic, hospital) now and my earnings doing that easily out earn what I paid for the exams. The exams can be done in parallel to your US exams. Study once and take Step 3 and QE1 together. Then take QE2, it’s a fairly straightforward OSCE. Finally, study for your boards once and take both IM boards back to back.

Hello Gos81238ia:

I'm a Canadian citizen currently doing my PGY-2 IM resident in US, and I am a DO. I was thinking about applying to hematology (canada) or heme & onc (US) fellowships. However, I cannot find a good source of information on what exams I should take before applying to the Canadian fellowships. So from what you are saying I need to have complete MCCQE1 (equivalent to Step 3?) prior to submitting my applications to Canadian fellowship programs? In addition, are Canadian fellowships recognized in the US as their training length differs (as in if I did hematology fellowship in Canada can I do it in US?)

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[Gos81238ia]

Hello Gos81238ia:

I'm a Canadian citizen currently doing my PGY-2 IM resident in US, and I am a DO. I was thinking about applying to hematology (canada) or heme & onc (US) fellowships. However, I cannot find a good source of information on what exams I should take before applying to the Canadian fellowships. So from what you are saying I need to have complete MCCQE1 (equivalent to Step 3?) prior to submitting my applications to Canadian fellowship programs? In addition, are Canadian fellowships recognized in the US as their training length differs (as in if I did hematology fellowship in Canada can I do it in US?)

Thank you so much for your time!

Yes, so you can apply to fellowships in Canada or the US. The requirements are available on CARMS - Ontario - CaRMS. The exam requirements differ based on if you are an IMG or not. If you completed a DO degree in the US, you are considered a CMG, not an IMG, so generally MCC exams may not required to apply, but will be required for independent practice.

Not quite sure what happens after a Canadian fellowship in terms of practicing in the US, I assume there is a way to get licensed in the US since lots of Canadian docs go over to the US regularly. My best advise would be to try and do your fellowship in the country you intend to live and practice in, would certainly make it simpler!