Welcome

This web site is a central resource for Health Sector Employers and for International Medical Doctors (IMDs), also referred to as International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are wishing to pursue an alternative career in health care. 

Follow any of the links in the menu bar above to take you to your area of particular interest.
Below, you may also enter into the regional portals for specific information regarding the Career Transitions program in Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto.

What's New?

Medical License Bridging Program for International Medical Doctors
(14 August 2008)
The Medical License Bridging Program for International Medical Doctors provides training in medical communication, healthcare culture, familiarity with Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and Observership -based clinical work experience. This focused training supports the IMDs in passing the registration exams and obtaining residency positions as a result of:
- Improved language proficiency
- Enhanced clinical performance
- Targeted residency submission support
- Familiarity with Canadian medical practice.

The two-year Bridging Program will assist 130 IMDs throughout Eastern Ontario from July 2008
through March 2010 in seven separate cohorts. More than 120 hours are dedicated to workshops and Observerships. The workshops are conducted in Ottawa and the Observerships take place in health care facilities throughout Eastern Ontario. OSCE training and practice testing is conducted in partnership with the University of Ottawa Medical School.

More information >>

Report on Removing Barriers for International Medical Doctors
(31 March 2008)
Laurel Broten, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, released the report on Removing Barriers for International Medical Doctors.
Her Five Point Action Plan outlines how Ontario will improve access to medical care in Ontario and make real and meaningful progress with respect to better welcoming and integrating international medical doctors into our province.
Full report download in PDF format >>

Physician Credentials Registry of Canada – New Credentials Source Verification Service
(2 July 2007)
The Physician Credentials Registry of Canada (PCRC), a division of the Medical Council of Canada (MCC), has been established to provide a centralized repository of a physician’s core medical credentials which have been source-verified. It is designed to reduce duplication of effort for medical graduates by gathering, verifying and permanently storing their credentials, which have been submitted over time, in a single repository. For additional information about PCRC, visit the Medical Council of Canada website and click on July 2007 - New Credentials Source Verification Service - Physician Credentials Registry of Canada.

Ontario IMG-O Program Changes to CEHPEA (27 June 2007):
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care opened the Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professionals Educated Abroad (CEHPEA) to assist internationally educated health professionals. Services previously offered through IMG-Ontario will be provided by CEHPEA and HealthForce Ontario’s Access Centre for Internationally Educated Health Professionals. For additional information, visit the CEHPEA website and the HealthForce Ontario website .

The Foreign Credentials Referral Office >>
The Foreign Credentials Referral Office provides information, path-finding and referral services to help foreign-trained workers succeed and put their skills to work in Canada more quickly. For more information, visit the Foreign Credentials Referral Office website.

On Line Self-Study >>
This new section provides access to an online tutorial for IMDs covering critical concepts that all IMDs should be familiar with prior to starting your job search. Each self-study module will likely take at least one to two hours in order to fully comprehend the information.

Career Transitions Employment Readiness Self-Assessment >>
This Self-Assessment can be used to help evaluate your strengths and challenges related to employability for a skilled position. It is intended for use by International Medical Doctors that are enrolled in the Career Transitions Program. However, anyone is welcome to take the self-assessment. Use this self-assessment to help you determine how ready you are to undertake an intensive job search for a skilled position.

A Comparative Examination of the Experiences of Internationally Educated Health Care Providers who Migrate to Canada.
If you are interested in participating in a study from McMaster University on IMDs, read more here >>