Physician assistant
Licensing physician assistants in BC
The Ministry of Health is working with CPSBC and health system partners to develop a structure that enables physician assistants to work in emergency departments in hospitals.
As this is a new classification, considerable planning is required to ensure appropriate and safe integration of physician assistants in the BC health system.
This includes establishing:
- an employment and compensation model
- a regulatory framework with supporting policies on clinical supervision
- policies to protect the health and safety of patients
- processes to ensure physician assistants are supported in their work to deliver quality medical care
Physician assistant licence
Physician assistants must be licensed with CPSBC in order to practise in BC.
The physician assistant licence permits a physician assistant to work in emergency departments in hospitals.
A physician assistant must limit their practice to the services set out in their employment contract with the health authority and as directed and supervised by the attending physician.
Requirements
An applicant must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- hold certification with one of the following:
- Canadian Certified Physician Assistant (CCPA) by the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC), or
- Physician Assistant-Certified (PA-C) by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
- are current in physician assistant practice (for example, practised a minimum 24 weeks of in the preceding three years)
- have Canadian citizenship, is a permanent resident or otherwise be legally able to live and work in British Columbia
- is sponsored by a health authority with a letter, satisfactory to the Licence Committee, that:
- identifies the applicant’s employer
- describes how the applicant will practise
- outlines that the applicant will be working under the direction and supervision of an attending physician
- paying the $340 application fee
- completing the physician assistant class application form
- completing the acknowledgement form
- clearing a criminal records check
- confirming a business address
- providing appropriate identity documents
- providing certificates of professional conduct, where applicable
- providing references
Maintaining the licence
Ongoing licensure in the physician assistant class is maintained by
- completing the annual licence renewal form,
- paying the annual licence renewal fee as detailed in schedule B of the CPSBC Bylaws,
- paying any costs owed to CPSBC (outstanding fine, fee, penalty fee, debt, levy),
- complying with continuing competency requirements,
- obtaining ongoing professional liability coverage or protection, and
- providing 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
Frequently asked questions
CPSBC Bylaws were drafted to introduce a framework for licensing and regulation of physician assistants to respond to the urgent need to resource emergency departments in the province.
The FAQs were developed to address common questions raised during the consultation of the bylaw amendments. It only addresses questions related to the CPSBC Bylaws.
Read frequently asked questions relating to the updated Bylaws