Expand your exam preparation toolbox

The path to exam preparedness is as unique as each individual; even more so for international medical graduates (IMGs) looking to practice in Canada, coming from varied backgrounds and diverse experiences. Here are some resources you may not have considered that can be helpful preparation prior to challenging the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) examinations.

Resources to help with exam preparation

The MCC has compiled a list of reference books and online reference materials that can help to provide insights into the ethical, legal, organizational, cultural and communication matters of a physician’s role in Canada. These components of Canadian medical practice are often the ones that are most challenging for IMGs, especially with respect to finding resources that can prepare them for exam questions, and practice in Canada.

The curated resource list can help you learn about cultural expectations, standards of communication and more topics relevant to everyday medical practice in Canada.

Demonstrated language proficiency

All practicing physicians in Canada need to be able to communicate clearly with their patients in English or French. For IMGs whose medical degree is from a country where the first language is neither English nor French, this means demonstrating language proficiency in one of the two official languages as part of the route to licensure.

Several language testing options are available, and the one(s) you choose may depend on your goals, skill level or the timeline of your planned immigration. For example, you may elect to take a language test prior to taking MCC examinations. It may help your feelings of preparedness to challenge the Occupational English Test (OET). OET Medicine is specific to the profession and assesses the language and communication skills of physicians who plan to practice in an English-speaking environment.

Check with the medical regulatory authority in the province or territory where you would like to practice and also with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to review the accepted language test options, and recency requirements.

While no single tool can guarantee a level of exam success, we hope that the two above approaches may further prepare you for your journey to practice in Canada.

We wish you the best of luck in your exam preparations.