CPSO has approved a new registration policy that enables physicians to be granted a provisional certificate of registration to practise independently in Ontario without completing the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) or holding the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). (The MCCQE was previously held in two parts: MCCQE1 and MCCQE2. The MCCQE2 was discontinued in 2021 and MCCQE1 is now known simply as the MCCQE.)

Under the policy, Canadian- and internationally-trained physicians who are certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the College of Family Physicians of Canada are no longer required to challenge the MCCQE or hold the LMCC to register with CPSO.

The MCCQE is designed to assess medical knowledge and clinical decision-making at the end of medical school. This change recognizes that it is not an appropriate registration requirement for physicians who have already demonstrated competence through Canadian certification and, in the case of mid-career physicians, have prior practice experience.

While CPSO will no longer require these qualifications, physicians should be aware that they may still be required by medical regulatory authorities in other Canadian provinces for licensure, as well as medical schools and through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) for entry into postgraduate training programs.