College’s Registration and Licensure Processes Dr. A.J. Jack Burak, Deputy Registrar College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC Physician Recruitment and Retention Stakeholder Summit Richmond, BC – March 5, 2015
Overview of presentation • Clarification of College’s mandate • Statutory legislation governing the College’s activities • Brief review of College’s registration/licensure requirements for applicants, focusing on IMG applicants • Dispelling myths about the College as a barrier to recruitment of physicians to BC College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 2
Basic facts regarding College’s roles • College is not engaged in or responsible for recruitment and retention (R & R) activities for BC ; however, the College supports a provincial HHR strategy • Physician supply, mix, and distribution is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health through its 6 designated Health Authorities, in collaboration with the UBC faculty of medicine • College does not determine the number of UBC medical school spots • College does not determine the number of postgraduate residency training spots in BC • College participation in today’s summit is in an advisory capacity to the summit’s planning committee and today’s summit College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 3 3
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia Mandate Protect the public by establishing and endorsing high standards of medical practice by licensed physicians in BC. Vision Serving the public through excellence and professionalism in medical practice College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 4
College’s legislative authority • Section 16(1)(a) of the Health Professions Act (HPA) : “To serve and protect the public” • College’s objectives for registration ( HPA s.16(2)(g)): “To establish and employ registration procedures that are transparent, objective, impartial and fair” • College Bylaws (pursuant to the HPA ) – section 2-3 • HPA requirements for registration of a person defined in sections 19 and 20 including classes of registration and conditions or requirements – in essence, the College must register a person who: – holds the necessary academic qualifications and training, – is of good character, and – pays the required registration and licensure fees College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 5 5
Dispelling myths about the College 1. Insufficient information available to applicants and registrants – College website has improved – lots of information available regarding registration and licensure processes including timelines – Improvements are ongoing – a KPI of the College’s business plan – Contact and work with Health Match BC 2. Registration processes are too onerous and time consuming – New streamlined process for Canadian postgraduate-trained MDs; registered/licensed in another Canadian province/territory on the full class equivalent (i.e. no limits and conditions) – Online registration coming to BC in early 2016 – via the Medical Council of Canada’s Application for Registration Canada – accessed through the portal www.physiciansapply.ca – Criminal record checks mandatory in BC; not in many other P/Ts College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 6 6
Dispelling myths about the College 3. Requirements to attend the College for personal interviews – Online orientation coming soon for those eligible for full class of registration (in-person interviews will not be necessary for many) – On an interim basis, select applicants eligible for full class of registration can opt for telephone interview/orientation 4. Family practice IMGs cannot obtain registration/licensure in a timely fashion – Reciprocal recognition of PG training by CFPC for award of CCFP without examination (currently for UK, USA, Ireland & Australia only) eliminates requirement to undergo a practice ready assessment prior to registration; this is a Canadian national registration standard (FMRAC) – For everyone else, including South African trained Family Physicians - New program: Practice Ready Assessment – BC (PRA-BC) – first iteration of 15 IMG candidates to begin in April 2015 College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 7 7
Dispelling myths about the College 5. Immigration issues are complex, frustrating and expensive – Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s requirements are not set by the College – the College is legally required to follow them 6. Supervision of provisional class IMG registrants is not standardized across BC – College has a consistent set of expectations and assessment tools with standardized reporting requirements 7. Moving from provisional to full class registration is protracted, complex and expensive – Legislative requirements clearly outlined in the Bylaws and usually straightforward – National certifying bodies (CFPC/RCPSC) and MCC set the costs for their examinations College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 8 8
Dispelling myths about the College 8. The College has a negative bias towards IMG physicians – 30% of all actively practising physicians in BC are IMGs as compared to an average of 22% to 25% in the other 9 provinces – At any given time, approximately 700 College registrants are provisionally registered IMG general practitioners and specialists (roughly 50:50) – Most provisionally registered IMGs move to full registration and licensure within three to five years following their commencement of practice in BC College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 9 9
Summary • College registration processes are legislatively defined by the Health Professions Act and its Bylaws made pursuant to the HPA • College mandate is public protection – Due diligence is required to ensure that all registrants are highly skilled and competent practitioners – There are no shortcuts to the College’s legislative requirements as the medical regulator and thus applicants for registration must undergo a robust and comprehensive review—this process by necessity will always take time – Despite these requirements, the College is working proactively to decrease registration times and unnecessary bureaucracy where possible: “Right Touch Registration” – striking the right balance College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 10 10
Questions? College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia 11
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