Core Strengths

Building a robust, highly competent health workforce

Competency refers to the ability to effectively apply knowledge, skills and behaviours to perform specific tasks or roles and a defined level of proficiency. As the largest centre of its kind in Canada, Touchstone Institute conducts pre- and post-learning competency assessments, develops learning programs, and integrates simulated skill attainment. We also develop and deliver high-stakes exams and assessments that lead to licensure and certification.

With unique expertise built on nearly 20 years of experience, Touchstone integrates the depth of our knowledge across multiple domains of our core work to build solutions that are highly reliable and sustainable. Our work empowers a high-performing health workforce through ongoing skill development, professional growth, and career-long learning.

Here are a few highlights of the year.

Growing Support for International Medical Graduates

Touchstone oriented 328 international medical graduates to residency in Ontario through the Pre-Residency Program in 2024/25. This marked an 18 per cent increase and the largest cohort since the program began in 2007. See Selected Highlights below for more about the Pre-Residency and Pre-Residency Family Medicine Program.

Touchstone's CMP: Expanding Access, Meeting Demand

Touchstone’s Canadian Medicine Primer (CMP) provides pre-entry support to international medical residents and clinical fellows (visa trainees) for successful practice in Canada. CMP is conducted in partnership with the Post Graduate Medical Education programs of Ontario’s universities. Offering the program virtually this year spurred an 80 per cent increase in participation. An asynchronous version of CMP is being introduced to address growing demand.

Boosting Primary Care

The first group of 28 family physicians in Practice Ready Ontario (PRO) began working in northern and rural communities in fall 2024. PRO removes the requirement to complete lengthy and unnecessary re-education – the first pathway of its kind to licensure in Ontario for internationally trained physicians. In two short years, PRO has progressed from development phase to successful implementation and will have assessed 100 family physicians by the end of 2025.

The Role of Simulation

Many of Touchstone Institute’s assessment and learning programs use simulated scenarios involving standardized clients and health professionals to recreate real-world situations.

Simulation ensures quality assurance by enabling examinees and learners to practice and demonstrate clinical and professional competency in a safe environment, supported by professionals who assess and provide feedback. Simulated scenarios reinforce knowledge gained through lectures and reading, strengthen teamwork and improve communication skills.

Learning Programs: By The Numbers

of Pre-Residency Program participants are Canadian foreign-trained medical graduates

of Pre-Residency Program participants matched to Family Medicine

of applicants to these programs Canadian foreign-trained medical graduates

of Ontario’s medical schools refer visa trainees to Canadian Medicine Primer program

countries of study represented across these program participants

medical specialties represented across program participants

“It is my first time encountering trauma informed care. I believe it should be included every year for all incoming PGY1s”

Pre-Residency Program Participant

“Dr. Goodridge was a wonderful instructor and provided a safe space to discuss and make mistakes and improve our knowledge on TIC [trauma-informed care].”

Pre-Residency Program Participant

Recruited

Recruited over 1,300 simulated standardized clients and healthcare team members in support of Touchstone’s assessment and learning programs.

Hosted and administered

Hosted and administered the Neonatal Perinatal Medicine Assessment for the first time, on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The exam assesses candidates’ clinical competence and readiness to enter clinical practice in this subspecialty.

Developed new content

Developed new content and delivered the Assisted Reproductive Technology Laboratory Exam, in collaboration with the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. Regular updates ensure our programs reflect advancements in the field and current best clinical practices.

Delivered

Delivered the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination to 347 candidates, a 43 per cent increase from the previous year.

Administered field testing

Administered field testing in the newly developed national licensing exam for the Canadian Alliance of Naturopathic Regulatory Authorities. In addition to administering the field test, Touchstone recruited and trained standardized patients and support staff.

Refined

Refined the Knowledge and Competency Assessment Tool (KCAT) to ensure relevance and assure quality. Touchstone worked closely with the College of Dietitians of Ontario, as part of our ongoing validation of assessment programs.

Established new partnerships

Established new partnerships including with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s largest mental health hospital, to support simulation training for postgraduate learners in CAMH’s Geriatric Psychiatry program.

Expanded recognition

Expanded recognition for the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN), administered internationally by Touchstone. CELBAN is now recognized by Washington State Board of Nursing for internationally educated nurses to demonstrate English language proficiency for licensure purposes.

Piloted remote scoring

Piloted remote scoring augmented content and increased the number of openings for candidates of the Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program (RNCCAP). Touchstone administers the program supporting entry to practice for internationally educated nurses.

More than 6,000 international medical graduate candidates have been assessed through Touchstone Institute’s programs in the last 10 years.

Assessment Programs and Partners

Partnerships are at the core of Touchstone Institute’s assessment programs, which span key sectors and specialties, including physicians, dietitians, reproductive specialists, nurses, and optometrists. Touchstone Institute’s expertise and experience cover all aspects of competency assessment – from development, field testing and validation, to implementation and administration.

Detailed information on all programs is available in Touchstone Institute’s Service Catalog.