PRO Eligibilty Requirements

You are a Canadian citizen or have permanent residency.

You have successfully completed a medical degree issued by a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

You are proficient in English and can demonstrate one of the following:

• Completion of an undergraduate or postgraduate medical education in English in one of the countries that have English as a first and native language (see list below)

OR

• Current practice in a country or jurisdiction where English is the first and native language and more than 50 per cent of patient care is provided in English (see list below)
  • This must be supported by a letter of support/attestation from a colleague or supervisor indicating that you have actively used English professionally during this period.

OR

• Successful completion of one of the following language proficiency exams written in a single sitting within two years at the time of application:
  • Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) with a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components, achieved in the same sitting.
  • Occupational English Test – Medicine (OET) with a minimum grade of B in each of the four subsets, achieved in the same sitting.
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General (CELPIP-General) test with a minimum score of nine in each of the four skills, achieved in the same sitting.
  • You may also submit an expired English proficiency exam (listed above) accompanied by a letter of support/attestation from a colleague or supervisor indicating your active use of English professionally during this period. The exam must be within the last three years at the time of applying.

List of countries that have English as a first and native language:  Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America, US Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean Islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Grenadines, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago.

A Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)

If you have the requirements for the LMCC and have applied and are waiting for certification from the Medical Council of Canada, you meet this eligibility criteria to apply to PRO (this includes having successfully completed the QE1 exam).

The following examinations are not required for your eligibility to apply for PRO. However, the exams will be required for the subsequent PRO verification assessment phase.  It is recommended that you have successfully completed the following exams at the time of applying because the exam may not coincide with a PRO Cohort intake dates at this time.  

Applicants must have successfully passed the following:

• Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part 2 (pre-2021, exam no longer delivered)

OR

• National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination
  • Note: PRO will not accept NAC exam scores for exam sessions prior to March 2013. 

AND

• Therapeutics Decision-Marking Exam - PASS (TDM).

Applicants can fall into three categories:

1. Those who have already successfully completed a TDM (may move through the process more quickly),
2. Those referred by another Practice Ready Assessment program and scheduled to complete a TDM soon
3. Those who meet all other eligibility criteria but have not yet completed a TDM. Applicants in this group who are selected to proceed to the next step in verification will be referred by PRO to the next scheduled TDM exam.

If you are applying, you must have a total of 48 months (four years) of training and practice experience as a general/family physician or have an acceptable equivalency (see below), at the time of PRO application submission.

You can demonstrate your training and practice experience in the following ways: 

Show evidence of 12 months postgraduate/internship/residency training in another jurisdiction, leading to registration or recognition as a general/family physician in that jurisdiction

AND

Show evidence that you have completed 36 months of independent practice (as patients' Most Responsible Physician) as a full scope general practitioner or family physician in another jurisdiction in the past.  Preference to be given to recent independent practice experience and experience with minimal interruptions or gaps.

OR

Show evidence that you have completed 24 months postgraduate/internship/residency training in another jurisdiction, leading to registration or recognition as a general/family physician in that jurisdiction.

AND

You have 24 months of independent practice (as patients' Most Responsible Physician) as a full scope general practitioner or family physician in another jurisdiction in the past.

Ability to demonstrate completion of the following seven core rotations: 

• Minimum of eight weeks postgraduate training in family medicine or general practice.
• Minimum of four weeks postgraduate training in emergency medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatry.

Training in these required seven rotations must be from an approved university-affiliated program. Community experience or observerships do not count towards postgraduate training.

If you have a gap in your postgraduate experience, you can meet the requirements in the following ways:

If you do not have experience in any of the listed rotations, the program may accept practice experience or other rotation experience in lieu of training in the following way:

• Each year of independent practice as a family physician/general practitioner that includes the gap in practice experience rotation will be considered as equivalent to four weeks of postgraduate training in that area. For up to three rotation deficiencies.
  • Attestation to prove practice experience in the area(s) of postgraduate rotation gap is required from a physician or a chief administrator in a healthcare setting such as a Chief Nursing Officer, Chief of Staff, Department or Division Head, Director of Care, Senior Colleague, Program Director, Medical Director, or Academic Director who can attest to clinical skills and experience.

OR

• The gap in postgraduate training rotation is covered within another rotation experience
  • You will need to prove that you have practice experience or coverage within another rotation experience in the area(s) of the postgraduate training rotation gap(s) from a physician or a chief administrator in a healthcare setting such as a Chief Nursing Officer, Chief of Staff, Department or Division Head, Director of Care, Senior Colleague, Program Director, Medical Director, or Academic Director who can attest to clinical skills and experience.

If you are applying, you must have evidence demonstrating 960 hours of clinical practice as a family physician or general practitioner in the immediately preceding three years (virtual care will be considered, however, a minimum of 720 hours must be in-person care).

This requirement may be considered as met if you have been working with a comparable scope as a family physician as:

• Licensed Clinical Assistants, Associate Physicians in a Canadian jurisdiction, or CPSO short-duration licensed family physicians related to family practice in last three years. Roles that are not considered comparable include: Physician Assistant, Medical Officer, unlicensed Clinical Assistant, Hospitalist.
• Trainees who hold Canadian post-graduate educational licenses related to family practice in last three years
• Individuals who hold licensures in a Canadian jurisdiction related to family practice in last three years

Applicants may have participated in a Practice Ready Assessment (PRA) program in Canada prior to applying to Practice Ready Ontario (PRO).

To be eligible:

• Applicants may have no more than one previous PRA attempt in Canada
  (an “attempt” is defined as the start of the over-time assessment period)

For applicants with a previous unsuccessful attempt:
 As part of the application review, applicants are expected to demonstrate a material change in circumstances since their last attempt. This includes:

• Clearly identifying the gaps or issues that contributed to the previous outcome; and
• Providing evidence of how those gaps have been addressed (e.g., additional training, clinical experience, or professional development).

Applicants will also be required to provide consent for PRO to contact the previous PRA program to obtain relevant assessment information.

Practice Ready Ontario will review this information as part of the application process. Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee selection. The program reserves the right to determine whether sufficient change has been demonstrated to support a subsequent attempt.

Applicants may have participated in a postgraduate training program (i.e., residency training program) in Canada prior to applying to Practice Ready Ontario (PRO).

For applicants with a previous unsuccessful attempt (e.g., dismissed from or did not complete the program):

As part of the application review, applicants are expected to demonstrate a material change in circumstances since their previous attempt. This includes:

• Clearly identifying the gaps or issues that contributed to the outcome; and
• Providing evidence of how these gaps have been addressed (e.g., additional training, clinical experience, or professional development).

Applicants will also be required to provide consent for PRO to contact the postgraduate training program to obtain relevant assessment information.

Practice Ready Ontario will review this information as part of the application process. Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee selection. The program reserves the right to determine whether sufficient change has been demonstrated to support a Clinical Field Assessment (CFA) attempt.

• Valid Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC)
• Valid Medical Council of Canada candidate code
• Valid Canadian or international driver's license
• A current curriculum vitae following this format