MCCQE Part I | Medical Council of Canada
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MCCQE Part I

The national standard in Canada assessing candidates' medical knowledge, skills, and abilities at a level expected of a student completing their medical degree in Canada.

What is the MCCQE Part I?

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I is a summative examination that assesses the critical medical knowledge and clinical decision-making ability of a candidate at a level expected of a medical student who is completing their medical degree in Canada.

Candidates graduating and completing the MCCQE Part I typically enter supervised practice. Aside from formal accreditation processes of the undergraduate and postgraduate education programs, the MCCQE Part I is the national standard for medical schools across Canada and, therefore, is administered at the end of medical school.

Obtaining a pass result on the MCCQE Part I is one of the eligibility criteria you must meet to apply for the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). Canadian medical regulatory authorities may require you to have the LMCC to apply for a medical licence within their province or territory.

Learn more about the LMCC

How is the MCCQE Part I delivered?

The MCCQE Part I is a one-day, computer-based exam that is delivered in Canada and over 70 countries. The exam is offered during four sessions a year. Candidates have the option to take their exam at an available Prometric test centre or through remote proctoring on a first-come, first-served basis.

 View MCCQE Part I dates

Candidates are allowed up to four hours in the morning session to complete 210 multiple-choice questions and up to three and a half hours in the afternoon session for the clinical decision-making component, which consists of 38 cases with short-menu and short-answer write-in questions.

Learn about the exam changes in 2025

What does the MCCQE Part I test?

The examination is based on the MCC Examination Objectives, which are organized under the CanMEDS roles.

The exam is based on a blueprint that assesses your performance across two broad categories:

  • Dimensions of care, covering the spectrum of medical care
  • Physician activities, reflecting a physician’s scope of practice and behaviours

Each category has four domains, and each is assigned a specific content weighting on the exam:

Decorative image of the Dimensions of care evaluation grid
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