International Medical Graduates

Practicing Medicine and Life in BC

New to BC?│Practice Integration Resources│IMG Organizations

New to BC?

Welcome to Canada│Health Care│Taxation│Housing│Transporation│Education│Employment for Spouses

Welcome to Canada
Health Care
Taxation
  • Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
    http://www.cra.gc.ca
    CRA administers tax laws for the Government of Canada and for most provinces and territories; and various social and economic benefit and incentive programs delivered through the tax system.
Housing
Transportation
Education
Employment for Spouses
  • WorkBC
    http://www.workbc.ca/
    Search the comprehensive job board or use up-to-date labour market information to help guide your education and career path.

 

Practice Integration Resources

Canadian Medical Association: New in Practice Guide
https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/new-in-practice-guide.aspx
The Canadian Medical Association's annually-updated guide on transitioning to practice, covering topics such as: (i) financial planning and insurance, (ii) checklists to help you evaluate practice opportunities, (iii) tables on overhead costs and remuneration, (iV) social media guidelines and (v) provincial and territorial medical association overviews.

Rural Programs: A Guide to the Rural Physician Programs in British Columbia
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/physician-compensation/rural-practice-programs
Handbook outlining programs and resources made available to physicians through the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement (RSA).

BC Nominee Program (BCPNP)
http://www.welcomebc.ca/pnp
Offers accelerated immigration for qualified skilled workers and experienced entrepreneurs who wish to settle in British Columbia (BC) and become permanent residents of Canada.

Clinical Practice Guidelines in BC
http://bcguidelines.ca/gpac/
Guidelines developed by the Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee on behalf of the Medical Services Commission. The Guidelines are intended to give an understanding of a clinical problem, and outline one or more preferred approaches to the investigation and management of the problem.

MD Management (MDM)
http://www.mdm.ca
MDM, is a financial management company that, “offers CMA [Canadian Medical Association] members and their families a complete range of financial products and services”. MDM’s services include: financial advice, investment & portfolio management, investment counsel, insurance consulting, estate and trust planning, and personal and business banking and borrowing solutions.

Medical Services Plan (MSP) Information for Physicians
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp
Information provided: MSP tutor, MSC payment schedule, resource manual, physician compensation for H1N1, Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV) Form Fee Items, Alzheimer’s Drug Therapy Initiative (ADTI), Diagnostic Code Descriptions (ICD9), new vaccine codes, and physicians’ newsletter.

Physician Health Program of BC
http://www.physicianhealth.com
The Physician Health Program strives to provide advocacy and support for physicians, including those in training and their families, who are experiencing problems related to personal and family emotional health issues, the inappropriate use of alcohol and/or drugs or coping with physical illness.

 

IMG Organizations

BC Health Authorities│BC Organizations│National Organizations

BC Health Authorities 

A map of provincial health authorities

Provincial Health Services Authority
http://www.phsa.ca/default.htm

Fraser Health Authority
http://www.fraserhealth.ca/ 

Interior Health Authority
http://www.interiorhealth.ca/

Northern Health Authority
http://www.northernhealth.ca/ 

Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
http://www.vch.ca/

Vancouver Island Health Authority
http://www.viha.ca/ 

First Nations Health Authority
http://www.fnha.ca/

BC Organizations

BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP)
http://www.bccfp.bc.ca
BCCFP is a chapter of The College of Family Physicians of Canada, a national voluntary organization of family physicians that represents family physicians/general practitioners in the discipline of Family Medicine. BCCFP represents over 2500 family physicians. It supports the highest quality of health care in BC by providing and accrediting CPD programs and promoting life-long learning for family physicians.

Doctors of BC (formerly BC Medical Association or BCMA)
https://www.doctorsofbc.ca/
Doctors of BC is a voluntary association of British Columbia physicians, medical residents, and medical students.

BC Ministry of Health Services
http://www.gov.bc.ca/health
Mission is to guide and enhance the province’s health services to ensure British Columbians are supported in their efforts to maintain and improve their health.

College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (the “College”)
https://www.cpsbc.ca/
The College protects the public by establishing and endorsing high standards of medical practice by licensed physicians.

Requirements for Provisional Licensure
https://www.cpsbc.ca/physicians-area/registration/provisional-licensure

Health Match BC
http://www.healthmatchbc.org
A comprehensive, no-fee, health care recruitment service for the province of British Columbia. 

Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc)
http://www.rccbc.ca
RCCbc develops and supports strategies that improve the health of individuals and rural communities. This organization supports and encourages collaboration in order to prepare students for a career in rural health care professions, encourage rural based health education, and recruit and retain health professionals to rural settings and communities.

University of British Columbia (UBC)
http://www.ubc.ca

UBC Continuing Professional Development (UBC CPD)
http://www.ubccpd.ca
UBC CPD is a Division of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of British Columbia that provides accredited and unbiased continuing medical education (CME) and continuing professional development (CPD) for physicians. Services include conference and event management, accreditation and research.

National Organizations

Canadian Medical Agency (CMA)
http://www.cma.ca
The CMA is a national, voluntary association of physicians that advocates on behalf of its members and the public for access to high quality health care, and provides leadership and guidance to physicians.

Canadian Medical Protective Agency (CMPA)
http://www.cmpa-acpm.ca
The CMPA is a not-for-profit organization funded and operated by physicians for physicians. It provides physician members with medico-legal advice, risk management education and legal assistance related to their clinical practice.

College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
http://www.cfpc.ca
The CFPC is a national voluntary organization of family physicians that makes continuing medical education of its members mandatory. The CFPC promotes high standards of medical education and care in family practice, by contributing to public understanding of healthful living, by supporting ready access to family physician services, and by encouraging research and disseminating knowledge about family medicine.

Medical Council of Canada (MCC)
http://www.mcc.ca
Through medical assessment, the MCC provides a qualification known as the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada to candidates who meet its requirements and pass its examinations. This MCC Licentiate is one of the requirements of the provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities for a license to practice medicine within their jurisdiction. Although each province and territory maintains the right to grant a license to practice medicine, the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada is a uniform qualifications recognized across Canada, ensuring portability across the country.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
http://www.royalcollege.ca
The Royal College is the voice of specialty care in Canada, and is “the national professional association that oversees the medical education of specialists in Canada.” It ensures the highest standards for the training and evaluation of medical and surgical specialists in 65 specialty disciplines of medical, surgical and laboratory medicine including two special programs. The Royal College is not a licensing or disciplinary body, its mission is educational and standards setting.

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