USA trained
New bylaw amendment as of July 7, 2025
USA-trained physicians and surgeons are now eligible to apply for full class of licensure.
Registrants previously in the USA certified class and eligible registrants previously in the provisional class will be transferred to the full class.
Eligibility
Specialty practice
Specialist physicians who
- hold board certification with an American Board of Medical Specialties member board, and
- were trained in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited postgraduate training program
may be eligible for registration in the full – specialty class of licensure.
Learn more about the specialty practice class
Family practice
Family physicians who
- hold board certification with the
- American Board of Family Medicine, or
- American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians,
and
- were trained in an ACGME-accredited or American Osteopathic Association accredited postgraduate training program
may be eligible for registration in the full – family class of licensure.
Learn more about the full practice class
How to apply
Applicants who meet the requirements for full registration and licensure must complete an .
Application timing is based on the applicant’s residency or work status:
| Residency or work status | When to apply |
|---|---|
| Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, valid work permit | Apply no more than three months before intended start date |
| No work permit, residency or citizenship | Apply no more than six months before intended start date |
Frequently asked questions
Applicants are not required to have a work permit or permanent residency prior to submitting an application.
However, CPSBC cannot issue a licence until the applicant provides proof of legal ability to live and work in Canada.
Proof can be in the form of:
- Canadian citizenship
- permanent residency
- a valid work permit
No. Applicants are not required to have a job offer to apply, nor is it required for licensure.
However, for applicants who do not already have Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or a work permit, it is strongly recommended that applicants obtain a job offer prior to submitting an application for registration and licensure.
Initial certification must be obtained through either the ABMS (including ABFM) or the AOBFP, and continuous certification must be maintained through the ABMS, AOA, or National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) until licensed in BC.
Board certification is not required to be maintained once licensed in BC. All registrants in the full class are required to meet CPSBC’s continuing professional development requirements.
Specialists and subspecialists who were trained in ACGME-accredited programs but do not hold ABMS certification may be eligible for registration in the provisional – specialty class if they hold Royal ºÚÁÏÉç of Physicians and Surgeons (RCPSC) exam eligibility in their primary specialty.
RCPSC exam eligibility can be obtained through the .
Specialists who were not trained in ACGME-accredited programs may be eligible for registration in the provisional – specialty class if they have accessed and passed the RCPSC exam in their primary specialty.
Specialists trained in non-ACGME accredited programs can pursue RCPSC specialty exam eligibility through the .
No. Specialty certification is required for provisional licensure.
Physicians trained in ACGME-International (ACGME-I) training programs may be eligible for registration in the provisional – specialty class if they hold an acceptable RCPSC eligibility ruling. Certain acceptable RCPSC rulings require applicants to have passed the RCPSC specialty exam prior to registration.
Registrants in the full – specialty or provisional – specialty classes are subject to the same licensure conditions and practice standards regardless of locations of training.