Reference materials
Choosing appropriate references to support exam preparation.
The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) does not require candidates to use or purchase specific materials to prepare for its examinations. The reference materials listed here may also be used by MCC test committees to validate examination questions.
The MCC does not endorse any specific reference books on Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations. References that may be helpful should cover key principles of patient-physician communication, address common ethical and legal issues, as well as be based on a focused approach to presenting problems. Keep in mind that some references may be aimed at preparing for undergraduate assessments or entry into a specific training program and therefore may use examples of cases or scoring instruments that are not representative of those used in the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination.
The Hospital for Sick Children, Silver, S., Schonfeld, D., Neville, S., & Diskin, C.
Boland, R., Verduin, M., & Ruiz, Pedro. (2021). Wolters Kluwer.
Tintinalli, J. E., Ma, O. J., Yealy, D., Meckler, G. D., Stapczynski, J. S., Cline, D. M., & Thomas, S. H. (2019). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Fournier, B., & Karachiwalla, F. (2020). Montreal, QC: Saunders Canada.
Brunicardi, F. C., Andersen, D. K., Billiar, T. R., Dunn, D. L., Hunter, J. G., Kao, L. S., Matthews, J. B., & Pollock, R. E. (2019). Philadelphia, PA: McGraw-Hill Education.
Myers, S. & Frumkin, H. (2020). Island Press.
Levy, B. S., Wegman, D. H., Baron, S. L., & Sokas, R. K. (2017). Oxford University Press.
Kliegman, R. M., St Geme III, J. W., Blum, N. J., Shah, S. S., Tasker, R. C., Wilson, K. M., & Behrman, R. E. (2019). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
Greenberg, R. S. (Ed.). (2015). Philadelphia, PA: McGraw-Hill Education.
Black, D. W., & Andreasen, N. C. (2020). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Kasper, D. L., Fauci, A. S., Hauser, S. L, Longo, D. L., Jameson, J. L, & Loscalzo, J. (2025). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Hacker, N. F., Gambone, J. C., & Hobel, C. J. (2016). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
Davies, J. M., Steinke, C., & Flemons, W. W. (2022). Productivity Press.
Lawrence, P.F., Smeds, M., & O’Connell, J. B. (2019). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
American Psychiatric Association. (2022).
Hébert, P. C., & Rosen, W. (2019). Oxford University Press.
Decherney, A. H., Nathan, L., Laufer, N., & Roman, A. S. (2019). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Heymann, D.L. (Ed.). (2022). American Public Health Association Press.
Bickley, L. S., Szilagyi, P. G., Hoffman, R. M., & Soriano R.P. (2025). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
Benjamin, I. J., Griggs, R. C., & Wing, E. J. (2021). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders.