Practice Ready Assessment (PRA-BC)

In 2015, the province of British Columbia (BC) launched an assessment program for internationally educated family physicians who have completed residencies in Family Medicine outside of Canada. This program, known as Practice Ready Assessment – British Columbia (PRA-BC), provides qualified family physicians with an alternative pathway to licensure in BC.

Note: Physicians who have completed training and certification in one of the approved jurisdictions below do not need to apply for the PRA-BC program. Instead they should register with Health Match BC.

Approved Jurisdictions:

• United States of America: Graduates of family medicine residency training programs who have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and are also Diplomates of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).
• Australia: Graduates of Australian general practice vocational training programs who have been accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and meet the standards of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and also hold Fellowship in the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).
• Ireland: Graduates of general practice vocational training schemes who have been accredited by Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and also hold membership in the Irish College of General Practitioners (MICGP).
• United Kingdom: Graduates of general practice vocational training programmes who have been accredited by the General Medical Council (GMC), meet the standards of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and also hold membership in the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP).

If you completed training outside of the jurisdictions listed above, you may be eligible to apply via PRA-BC.

Note: PRA-BC participants must commit to a three-year Return of Service period in a rural community identified by the health authorities.
 

Pre-Screening Requirements

Pre-screening criteria are set out by PRA-BC and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (CPSBC).

Eligibility Requirements: [Download the requirements]

1. Successful completion of a medical degree issued by a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS).

2. Two years of postgraduate training in an international jurisdiction leading to registration or recognition as a general/family physician in that jurisdiction.

3. Demonstration of completion of 7 core rotations:

   • A minimum of 4 weeks of postgraduate training in each of: internal/general medicine, general surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, & emergency medicine;

   • A minimum of 8 weeks of postgraduate training in family medicine.

4. Evidence of having completed a minimum of 2 years of discipline-specific time in independent practice as a general or family practitioner in that or another jurisdiction.

5. Academic credentials verification of medical degree, passport, medical licenses/registration and postgraduate training letters that confirm completion of the 7 core rotations through physiciansapply.ca.

6. Currency in practice – section 2-8 of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) bylaws – must show evidence of minimum of 24 weeks (960 hours) of clinical practice as a General/Family Practitioner in the immediately preceding 3 years.

7. CV. All activities, professional or otherwise, must be fully explained.

8. English language proficiency.

9. Successful pass score on the MCCQE Part 1.

 Please note: Eligibility criteria can change at any time without notice. 

How to Apply

If you are currently registered with Health Match BC

If you are currently registered with Health Match BC and are interested in applying for the PRA-BC program, please login to your Health Match BC account, ensure that we have your most recent CV, and send us a message about your interest. One of our consultants will review your request and, if you meet the basic criteria for this program, they will make the PRA-BC application form available to you in the "My Account" section.

Once you have filled in all the fields, attached all the documents required in the form, and submitted the form to Health Match BC, your application will be reviewed and you will be advised of your eligibility and the next steps in the process.

Not registered with Health Match BC

If you are not registered with Health Match BC and are interested in applying for the PRA-BC program, click here and complete the registration. Select Physician in the first dropdown menu option, then select Family Practitioner/General Practitioner as your specialty. Then click on: "I would like to be considered for the Practice Ready Assessment-BC". Note: This box only appears after you have chosen Family Practitioner/General Practitioner as your Primary Specialty.

Once you login to your newly created account, you must upload your current CV, complete the Practice Ready Assessment Application and submit it to Health Match BC for review to be considered for this program.

After you have filled in all of the fields, attached all the documents required in the form, and submitted the form to Health Match BC, your application will be reviewed and you will be advised of your eligibility and the next steps in the process.

For more information, please visit prabc.ca or email info@prabc.ca 

Practice Ready Assessment – British Columbia (PRA-BC) is a collaboration between the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues representing the Government of British Columbia and Doctors of BC, and the University of British Columbia in partnership with British Columbia’s health authorities and Health Match BC.