Council approved changes to its Academic Registration policy to improve transparency, accessibility and make operations more streamlined. Council also voted to simplify the language to make the policy clearer and more concise.
Specialist Recognition
The eligibility requirements under the policy had stated that an individual will be deemed eligible to apply under the Academic Registration policy, provided the applicant:
- holds specialist certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the College of Family Physicians of Canada;
- holds specialist certification by a board in the US that is a regular member of a board of the American Board of Medical Specialties; or
- is recognized as a specialist by an organization outside of North America that recognizes medical specialists.
Council voted to clarify Clause (iii) to align with our expectations that specialist certification be conferred by the jurisdiction where an individual was trained and that the organization granting the certification has been deemed to have the same standards that we employ.
Clause (iii) of the policy was changed to state:
(iii) are recognized as a specialist in the jurisdiction where you practice medicine by an organization outside of North America that recognizes medical specialties, and the organization which recognized you as a medical specialist did so using standards that are substantially similar to the standards of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
Additionally, when granting registration under the policy, it has been the practice of the Registration Committee to indicate physicians must be recognized as a specialist in the same discipline for which they are being recruited for appointment in Ontario. This information, however, was not stated in the policy. This stipulation has been added to the eligibility requirements to provide increased transparency.
Academic Professors Requesting a Practice Assessment
After a minimum of five years of practice in an academic setting, a physician may apply to undergo a practice assessment by CPSO. Upon satisfactory completion of the practice assessment, the physician will be eligible for a restricted certificate of registration to practice independently in the scope of practice assessed.
The policy previously stated the academic physician must first apply to the Registration Committee to request approval to undergo a practice assessment, even though the assessment is already permitted under the policy and the terms of the certificate.
Council approved an amendment to state that after five years of practice in an academic setting, a physician “may apply to the College to undergo a practice assessment.” This transfers the initiation of the assessment from the Registration Committee to CPSO, providing increased clarity and streamlining the overall process. The Registration Committee would still consider the final assessment report.
