By: Debra-Jane Wright, Director, Registration Services   Are you a resident completing training this year? Consider applying now for your licence! If you are reading this, then it is likely that you are very near the end of your training.  Congratulations, we know it has been a long road! Starting Now – you can begin the process of applying for your licence. The earlier you apply prior to your scheduled start date, the better! Simply create an account on the physiciansapply.ca website (if you do not yet have one) at www.physiciansapply.ca Even if you don’t yet have your exam results, you can still create your account and submit your application. Please refer to our Guide to Registration for Residents Completing Training, to help you navigate your way forward. And….  if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and speak to someone in Registration Services. Please call (306) 244-7355 during office hours (8:30am – 4:30pm) and ask to speak to someone in Registration or email cpssreg@cps.sk.ca.

Planning to Moonlight during Residency?

Residents who plan to moonlight during the academic year must obtain permission from the Program Director at the Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) Office.

To request application forms and instructions, contact Sam Curnew, PGME Electives & Administrative Processes, at sam.curnew@usask.ca.

Moonlighting licences may be issued for the following periods:

• May 1 to October 31
• November 1 to April 30

To learn more, visit our website.
  

Taking a Leave from your Supervised Practice?

If you are on a provisional licence, you should be aware that you must request permission from the Registrar for your leave, or your licence could be suspended.  This pertains to leaves outside of your approved vacation allotment period such as: maternity/paternity leave, medical leave, family emergency or study leave.

We would ask that you connect with our office to advise us of your intention and dates of your planned leave, so we can help direct you to avoid any repercussions to your licence.  Please email cpssreg-assess@cps.sk.ca for advice and direction.

Licensure in Saskatchewan: A Primer

We are aware of the current pressures on our health care system and understand how critical it is that we recruit and attract competent physicians to come work, live and hopefully play in our beautiful province.  The Registration Services team is committed to working with you to support your recruitment efforts.  One of the ways we hope to support you is by providing you with helpful and easy to understand information about licensure.  This article is the first of a 4-part DocTalk series that will dive into licensure in Saskatchewan.

As a starting point, we thought we would introduce you to Bylaw 2.3, which outlines the basic requirements for all forms of licensure in Saskatchewan.  Bylaw 2.3 is the lens that we, the regulator, must apply to all applicants interested in licensure in our province. The basic requirements provide a ‘minimum bar’ to ensure a physician has the knowledge and skill to provide safe and competent care to the people of Saskatchewan.

It does not matter if a physician is looking for an educational licence to participate in an assessment or training program, or a provisional licence to provide medical care while under supervision or a full/regular licence, where a physician can work independently without any restriction. All applicants must first meet the non-exemptible standards outlined in Bylaw 2.3.

Bylaw 2.3 was built upon and in support of the ‘model standards’ or National Standards that were developed by the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC). These are the standards that each medical regulator across Canada committed to using to ensure transparency and fairness in the licensure process and to facilitate labor mobility across Canada.

So what are the non-exemptible standards?

1. 1. Are they of Good Character? Through the collection of references, we look to determine whether applicants appear to practise with honesty, integrity and decency, whether they demonstrate sufficient skill, knowledge and judgement and whether they communicate effectively and demonstrate a professional attitude.
2.  
3. 2. Are they proficient in English? For physicians trained outside of Canada, some may be required to complete an exam or provide evidence of English-language proficiency. This is most commonly required for those applying from countries where English is not identified as the first or native language.
4.  
5. 3. Did they graduate from a recognized and accredited Medical School? For licensure, an applicant must have graduated from a medical school that has either been accredited or is recognized by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization or the FAIRMER international Medical Education Directory (IMED).

Bylaw 2.3 also outlines the standards and qualifications additionally required, to help answer the following questions:

1. 1. Are they in Good Standing?  Through the collection of Certificates of Professional Conduct from other jurisdictions where an applicant has practised or is currently practising, we look to learn if the applicant has ever had a licence cancelled, suspended, limited or restricted or if they have had any claims, investigations or proceedings.
2.  
3. 2. Can their stated medical training be confirmed?  Through the collection of and process of source verification, we can validate their medical degree, medical transcripts, post graduate training certificates or specialty certificates.
4.  
5. 3. Have they sufficiently demonstrated their medical knowledge? We determine whether the physician has passed the Qualifying Examination (Part 1) through the Medical Council of Canada, or an equivalent exam to confirm they are up to date on their medical knowledge and able to make sound clinical decisions.
6.  
7. 4. How long has it been since they’ve last practised medicine? To ensure physician knowledge hasn’t degraded, we require that a physician has had some independent practice within the last 3 years or at least 5 months in the last 5 years.

Once assessed against those elements above, an applicant must confirm they have liability insurance, establish their identity and confirm they have a job offer in Saskatchewan.