MCC evaluating examination and the international medical graduate

Nizam Ahmed raises an important question: Why doesn't the MCC exempt IMGs who have received specialty training and been certified in a general clinical specialty in the United States from its initial evaluating examination and allow them to proceed directly to the 2 steps of the MCC qualifying examination?

The current requirement is that all candidates who have graduated from a medical school not accredited by the US Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools must pass the evaluating examination before undertaking the qualifying examinations.1 This has been part of the MCC bylaws for over 25 years. Thus, it is not possible for the executive director or any other officer of the MCC to exercise discretion and “excuse” a candidate from the exam. Any change in admission eligibility would require a change in the bylaws. The policies and procedures that affect recruitment and licensure of IMGs are currently being reviewed by a national task force, which is due to report to the deputy ministers of health in December 2003.

Through the task force, issues such as those raised by Ahmed will be identified for all organizations concerned, including the appropriate ministries and the several bodies involved in the recruitment, hiring and licensure of IMGs. More specifically, Ahmed's concern has been noted by MCC staff and will be referred to the MCC Executive Board at its meeting in October 2003.

We expect that this example and other “disconnects” in licensure and immigration policies of the “federation of partners” will be studied, so that when the anticipated recommendations of the task force are made public, they can be acted upon by the MCC and other bodies in a coordinated and timely manner.

W.D. Dauphinee Executive Director Medical Council of Canada Ottawa, Ont.