Medical Council of Canada Examinations for International Medical Graduates

Medical Council of Canada Examinations

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) grants a qualification in medicine known as the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) to graduate physicians.

These graduate physicians must have satisfied the eligibility requirements and passed the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Parts I and II. The MCC registers candidates who have been granted the LMCC in the Canadian Medical Register.

For eligibility to sit the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I, graduates of medical schools outside Canada and the United States, referred to as International Medical Graduates (IMGs), as well as graduates from U.S. Schools of Osteopathic Medicine must first pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE). IMGs with specialty certification in Canada or the U.S. may be granted an exemption from the MCCEE.

The National Assessment Collaboration (NAC), which reports to the MCC’s Council, offers an examination that tests the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for entrance into residency training programs. This exam is offered to IMGs through provincial IMG assessment programs

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the MCC are collaborating on a new and expanded format for the Certification Examination in Family Medicine.

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The MCC Examinations

(A). Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE)

The MCCEE is a four-hour, computer-based examination offered in both English and French at more than 500 centres in 80 countries worldwide. International medical students or U.S. osteopathic students in the final 20 months of their program and international medical school graduates or U.S. osteopathic graduates must take the MCCEE as a prerequisite for eligibility to the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examinations.

The MCCEE is a general assessment of the candidate’s basic medical knowledge in the principal disciplines of medicine. It is also designed to assess the skills and knowledge required at the level of a new medical graduate who is about to enter the first year of supervised postgraduate training.

The computer-based MCCEE consists of 180 multiple-choice questions, each listing five possible answers of which only one is the correct or best answer. The MCCEE questions cover the following domains: Child Health, Maternal Health, Adult Health, Mental Health, and Population Health and Ethics. A number of questions in the examination also have a focus on general practice. You can view an example of a multiple-choice question.

(B). The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I is a one-day, computer-based test that assesses the competence of candidates who have obtained their medical degree, for entry into supervised clinical practice in postgraduate training programs. The MCCQE Part I assesses knowledge, clinical skills and attitudes as outlined by the Medical Council of Canada Objectives.

The candidate is allowed up to 3 ½ hours in the morning session to complete 196 multiple-choice questions. The candidate is allowed 4 hours in the afternoon session for the clinical decision making component, which consists of short-menu and short-answer write-in questions.

(C). The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part II

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part II assesses the competence of candidates, specifically the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for medical licensure in Canada prior to entry into independent clinical practice.

This examination consists of a series of five-minute and ten-minute clinical stations. At each station, a brief written statement introduces a clinical problem and directs the candidate to appropriately examine a standardized (simulated) patient as well as perform activities such as obtaining a focused history, conducting a focused physical examination, or assessing and addressing the patient’s issues. Candidates may be asked to answer specific questions related to the patient, interpret X-rays or the results of other investigations, make a diagnosis and/or write admission orders.

This examination includes problems in Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Psychiatry and Surgery, as well as in similar disciplines considered essential for competence in general medicine and health care.

(D). The National Assessment Collaboration (NAC)

The National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) is an alliance of Canadian organizations streamlining the evaluation process for international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking a licence to practise medicine in Canada.

The NAC examination assesses the readiness of an IMG for entrance into a Canadian residency program. It is a national, standardized examination that tests the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for entrance into postgraduate training in Canada.

Comprising a series of clinical stations, the NAC examination presents typical clinical scenarios. The examination may include, but is not limited to, problems in medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, psychiatry and surgery.

Achieving a pass standing on this examination does not guarantee a training position in Canada. However, it does provide feedback to the program directors who are selecting trainees on the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals who take this examination.

All NAC examination candidates are, at a minimum, required to have passed the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) before being eligible to take the NAC examination. Some jurisdictions may add region-specific criteria.

The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) accepts NAC examination results as part of match application packages. Please contact CaRMS for further information on its match application requirements.

The NAC examination is not a prerequisite to obtain the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada. However, depending on the provincial IMG assessment program, a pass result on the NAC examination may be a prerequisite for eligibility for residency training programs.

(E). Certification Examination in Family Medicine

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) are collaborating on a new and expanded format for the Certification Examination in family medicine. When meeting all other requirements of both organizations, candidates who pass this exam starting in spring 2013 will be granted Certification in Family Medicine from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) and the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC).

Family medicine candidates who are eligible to take the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II in fall 2012 or later are encouraged to forgo the MCCQE Part II and instead take the new exam. It is advantageous for these candidates to defer sitting the MCCQE Part II in favour of the new CCFP exam given the efficiencies in cost and effort.

Format and timing
As in the past, the new Certification exam will be offered each year in the spring and fall. The exam will take place over a period of three days and will feature the following format:

• Written component: computer-based short-answer management problems (SAMPs) – six hours in length (Thursday or Friday)
• Expanded clinical skills component:
  
  • Eight 10-minute objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) stations (Saturday)
  • Four 15-minute simulated office oral exams (SOOs) (Sunday)

PLEASE NOTE:
For detailed information on the MCC Examinations, including prep resources, current fees structure and current exams schedule, visit the official 'Examinations' page of the Medical Council of Canada via link below.

Medical Council of Canada (MCC) Examination Page

First written 18th January 2009
Updated 31st October 2013

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