Surgical assistant
Surgical assistant
The surgical assistant licence limits a licensee to practice medicine to the provision of surgical assistance. They are required to surrender their privileges, including writing of prescriptions, and pre- and post-operative orders.
Requirements
The surgical assistant licence may be granted to any licensee who was or is currently in one of the following licence classes:
- full – family
- full – specialty
- special
- osteopathic
- academic
- conditional – practice limitations
- conditional – practice setting
Exceptions may be made for new applicants who want to be licensed directly in the surgical assistant class.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the surgical assistant licence, an applicant must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the following classes:
- full – family
- full – specialty
- special
- osteopathic
- academic
- conditional – practice limitations
- conditional – practice setting class
New applicants
Applicants who meet the requirements for licensure in the full – family, full – specialty, or osteopathic class must complete an Application for Medical Registration (AMR) through physiciansapply.ca.
Application timing is based on the applicant’s residency or work status:
Residency or work status | When to apply |
|---|---|
Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, valid work permit | Apply no more than three months before intended start date |
No work permit, residency or citizenship | Apply no more than six months before intended start date |
AMR and eligibility review
The AMR (mentioned in step 1) is downloaded directly to CPSBC’s database on the next business day. CPSBC emails the applicant to acknowledge receipt of their application and may request a CV.
CPSBC reviews the AMR to confirm that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements.
Secondary application package
If the applicant meets the eligibility requirements, CPSBC assigns the applicant a file manager no more than three months in advance to the applicant's start date.
The file manager will email the secondary application package to the applicant.
Fast-tracked secondary application
Applicants who hold an active full unrestricted licence in another Canadian jurisdiction may be eligible for a fast-tracked secondary application package.
The applicant must submit to CPSBC the completed secondary application along with required documentation.
This step can take up to six weeks. The file manager will review the completed application to ensure that no additional follow-up is required. Processing time is dependent on the submission of required documentation to CPSBC.
Common causes of delay in this step are:
- receipt of work permit – CPSBC cannot issue a licence before the applicant provides proof of legal ability to work in British Columbia
- certificates of professional conduct
- an identified fit to practice or ethical practice issue
If no additional follow-up is required, the file manager will submit the applicant file for a final review and approval. The review process can take up to one week.
Once the application is reviewed and approved, the applicant will be directed to pay licence fees. Following the payment of fees, a licence will be issued within three business days.
Maintaining the licence
Ongoing licensure in the surgical assistant class is maintained by
- satisfactory completion of the annual licence renewal form,
- payment of the annual licence renewal fee as detailed in schedule B of the CPSBC Bylaws,
- payment of any other outstanding fine, fee, penalty fee, debt, levy or costs owed to CPSBC,
- ongoing compliance with continuing competency requirements,
- ongoing professional liability coverage or protection, and
- provision of certificates of professional conduct, where applicable.
Renew the licence by March 1 each year
If a licensee does not renew their CPSBC licence, they incur escalating late penalties starting March 1 and their licence is suspended on April 1, after which they are no longer permitted to practise, prescribe, or bill for medical services until all fees, penalties, and required renewal forms are completed.
Penalty fees for late renewal are outlined in schedule B of CPSBC Bylaws.
The annual licence renewal process is accessed by logging in to the CPSBC website. Licensees are notified by email of the licence renewal process in late December or early January each year.
How to answer the Annual Renewal Licence Form (ALRF)
Renewal fees and penalties
ALRF FAQs
For more information about the licence requirements, refer to:
- part 3 of the Health Professions and Occupations Act
- part 6 of the CPSBC Bylaws
- CPSBC licensing policies