Understanding physician and surgeon credentials

The MCC grants a qualification in medicine known as the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada to medical graduates who meet the following criteria:

• they have passed the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and Part II (or an acceptable clinical assessment deemed comparable to the MCCQE Part II)
• they have satisfactorily completed at least 12 months of acceptable postgraduate training or an acceptable equivalent

The LMCC is not a licence to practise medicine. The authority to issue licensure and registration in Canada is solely that of the provincial colleges of physicians and surgeons. The LMCC is a part of the Canadian Standard, the set of requirements for awarding a full licence. Upon receiving their LMCC, candidates are also enrolled in the Canadian Medical Register.

Certification is granted by the College of Family Physicians of Canada to physicians who have

1. successfully completed residency training accredited by the CFPC and successfully completed the College’s Certification Examination in Family Medicine or an approved equivalent, or
2. met the College’s criteria for practice eligible candidates as determined by the National Board, or
3. successfully completed discipline specific training in family medicine in a jurisdiction other than Canada that has been approved as equivalent to accredited Canadian training in family medicine and who hold certification in family medicine or the equivalent qualification from a jurisdiction other than Canada and which is judged to be equivalent to Certification in the CFPC.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national examining and certifying body for medical specialists in Canada. The RCPSC establishes standards for specialty medical education and accredits the residency programs and learning activities at Canada’s 17 medical schools. 

Physicians who have successfully completed extensive postgraduate specialty medical education and examinations are certified by the RCPSC in a specialty or subspecialty of the profession to which the term, title or designation relates (e.g. obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, psychiatry, or dermatology).

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national examining and certifying body for medical specialists in Canada. The RCPSC establishes standards for specialty medical education and accredits the residency programs and learning activities at Canada’s 17 medical schools.

Internationally trained subspecialists already licensed and practising independently in Canada who are not RCPSC certified in their primary specialty may be eligible to apply for assessment through the PER-SEAP allowing them to be formally recognized by the Royal College for their subspecialty only.

The APMLE are national board examinations administered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME) that are taken by all podiatric surgeons. The AMPLE consist of three parts and assesses whether a candidate has the knowledge required to practise as a minimally competent entry-level podiatric surgeon, and determine whether a candidate’s knowledge and clinical skills are adequate for safe, unsupervised practice.

Students enrolled in any of the nine accredited DPM programs are required to pass Part I and Part II prior to commencing residency training. Part III of the APMLE is taken during residency.