Medical Identification Number for Canada

A Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC) is a unique, lifetime, nationally recognized standard identifier.

Identifying physicians and surgeons across Canada

MINC was developed to improve the accurate and reliable identification of physicians and surgeons across Canada. MINC is endorsed by medical licensing authorities in Canada, such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.

MINCs are:

  • a unique lifetime identifier assigned to every individual who enters the Canadian medical educational or practice system
  • recognized by medical organizations nationwide
  • a simple serial number with no encoded information (e.g. CAMD-9999-9999)
  • issued by a central hub computer, at the request of a Canadian medical regulatory authority or Medical Council of Canada
  • held as confidential personal information by licensed users

MINCs do not:

  • replace a physician’s licensed registration number, LMCC number, provincial billing number (if any), nor any other identification number that the physician currently has
  • convey any status, rights, or privileges
  • change the way in which any information concerning physicians is released

It is not possible to determine a physician’s personal information from a MINC. It is simply an identification number.

The MINC system is governed by strict confidentiality provisions, and adheres to the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information.

Benefits of MINC

The major benefit for physicians is the ease and certainty of identification when doing the following:

  • applying for registration in a new jurisdiction
  • applying for privileges
  • dealing with any organization that maintains a listing or database of physicians, and is a licensed user of MINC

Organizations that rely on MINC include the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), Doctors of BC and health authorities. The MINC is also used to ensure test results are provided to the right physician.

How to obtain a MINC

There is no cost to physicians or the College to obtain a MINC.

In accordance with a privacy impact assessment conducted by MINC, the College must obtain physicians’ signed consent for release of personal information.

With this authorization, the College will submit the necessary registration information to MINC#NIMC, which is the not-for-profit corporation operating the MINC system.

Download consent form to release personal information