Practice-Ready Assessment
An accelerated route to licensure for international medical graduates.
What are Practice-Ready Assessment programs?
Practice-Ready Assessment (PRA) programs provide an accelerated pathway to licensure for international medical graduates (IMGs) who have already completed their residency and practised independently abroad. Currently, there are nine provinces running independent PRA programs.
Each program offers a clinical workplace-based assessment over a 12-week period. During this assessment, participants practise under the supervision of trained physician assessors to demonstrate their readiness to work in the Canadian health care system and to provide safe and high-quality care to patients.
PRA programs support communities that need additional physicians and ensure employment for successful PRA candidates. After completing a practice-ready assessment, successful candidates will enter a return of service agreement in areas of high need within the province of assessment.
About the NAC PRA framework
The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) oversees the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) PRA framework with the provincial PRA programs to develop and maintain common guidelines, tools, research, and support materials.
As each provincial program is independently run, this pan-Canadian collaboration ensures comparable and transparent assessments, with portable results, for all candidates regardless of the assessment jurisdiction.
Participating in a PRA program
Prospective applicants to a PRA program and practising physicians in Canada who are interested in becoming a PRA program assessor should apply directly to their preferred or provincial PRA program.
PRA programs
Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories do not offer practice assessments within the NAC’s pan-Canadian framework at this time. Contact the relevant medical regulatory authority if you are interested in practising in one of these regions.
