Another successful delivery of an in-person NAC Examination

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) is pleased to announce that thanks to the collaboration between test centres, candidates and the MCC staff, over the course of four days in October 2021, 1,305 candidates completed the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination at nine test centres across the country. This is the third time the NAC Examination has been successfully delivered in-person to candidates during the pandemic.

In July, 2021, the MCC announced that the 2021 October sessions of the NAC Examination would be delivered in person at various test centres across the country.

As the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and abroad continued, our priority remained being mindful of the impacts of this virus on the medical community and ensuring the safety of all involved in our exams. We worked collaboratively with our stakeholders to make sure that remained the case for the October 2021 NAC Examination. When administering the October 2021 NAC Examination, the MCC adhered to public health recommendations and followed strict provincial vaccination protocols to help ensure the safety of all exam participants. Physical distancing and other personal protective measures, as per the guidelines set by local public health authorities, were implemented at each of the test centres.

We would like to thank all candidates for complying with test centre vaccination policies, as well as the Physician Examiners, Standardized Participants (SP) and Exam Staff who took part in the exam administration. Special thanks to the Site Administrators, SP Trainers and Chief Examiners who worked with us so closely. Your collaboration, dedication and cooperation contributed to ensuring a safe, efficient and reliable exam experience for candidates.

Results

The MCC will be reporting a pass or fail decision, a total score and subscores. Exam results will be available in early December to meet the CaRMS R-1 Main Residency Match deadline. To obtain information on the NAC Examination and the 2022 CaRMS R-1 Main Residency Match, please consult our Application and eligibility web page.

Future sessions

The next NAC Examination is anticipated to take place in March 2022 and application will open in November 2021. Candidates may submit their email address to receive a notification when registration opens.

About the NAC Examination

The NAC Examination assesses a candidate’s readiness to enter a Canadian residency program. It is a national, standardized examination that tests the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for entrance into postgraduate training in Canada.

The NAC Examination is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). It consists of a series of stations where the candidate is presented with typical clinical scenarios. For a given administration, all candidates rotate through the same series of stations.

Approximately 1,700 candidates challenge the NAC Examination annually.