More internationally educated family doctors on the way (flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Aileen Machell

Director of Communications
Office of the Premier
250 361-5381

Ministry of Health Communications

250 952-1887 (media line)

Backgrounders

Information about Practice Ready Assessment program, associate physician class

The Province is making it easier for internationally educated doctors to enter the workforce.

Practice Ready Assessment program:

  • The Practice Ready Assessment BC (PRA-BC) program provides an alternative pathway to licensure in B.C. for practicing family doctors from jurisdictions outside of Canada.
  • After successfully completing an assessment, physicians receive a provisional license and are positioned for a three-year return of service in a community of identified need.
  • The PRA-BC program is funded by the Ministry of Health and the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues in a partnership between the Province and Doctors of BC.  
  • With this funding, assessments for internationally educated doctors have historically provided doctor placements in remote and rural communities in B.C.   
  • Through the program expansion additional family doctors will be placed in urban and suburban communities as part of primary care networks to help fill the gaps in accessing health care in these areas.

Associate physician class:

  • The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC) has introduced an associate physician class of registration for international medical graduates (IMGs) whose qualifications do not meet the requirements for full or provisional licensure.
  • Currently, internationally educated doctors who want to work in B.C. need to meet the minimum national medical standards for practise and successfully complete a series of assessments identified by national and provincial regulatory bodies to allow for registration with the CPSBC.
  • The new class allows practitioners with specialty medical training that is acceptable to the CPSBC to work under physician direction and supervision within a health authority acute-care setting to increase capacity and service delivery.  
  • The new associate physician classification will support IMGs in the province who are not eligible for licensure as independent medical practitioners to find employment opportunities that meet priority health-system gaps.
  • Health authorities are identifying and preparing priority acute and specialty care program areas for associate physician integration.
  • Open positions will be posted on the Health Match BC website as they become available.

Media Contacts

Ministry of Health Communications

250 952-1887 (media line)