Specialties – Practice Ready Assessment

About

A Practice Ready Assessment (PRA) is a way for specialists to get a Defined licence if they:

  • Are not eligible for a Defined licence.
  • Have the qualifications but have not practised in Nova Scotia in the last three years. In this case, you need at least 450 hours in the intended scope of practice in the last five years. If you have been away for more than five years, you will need extra training and assessment before you can obtain independent licensure.

You need support from Nova Scotia Health or the IWK for this pathway to licensure. If you are chosen for a PRA, you must hold a Clinical Assessment licence during the assessment.

Before you apply

  1. Contact the College to check if you are eligible for a PRA.
  2. If the College says you can use the PRA pathway, contact the health authority(s) to see if a PRA is available. This will include an interview to make sure your skills and expectations match the practice environment.
  3. If the health authority confirms a PRA is available, start verifying your medical degree, postgraduate training, licence, and specialty certificates. All documents must be source verified through physiciansapply.ca.

Credentials

Recognized medical degree

Training and practice experience

  • You must have completed postgraduate training that is similar in length to Canadian training programs in the same discipline.
  • You must have specialty recognition in the jurisdiction where you completed training, and it must match your intended PRA discipline.
  • You must have at least 3 years of unsupervised, independent practice as the most responsible physician (MRP) in the discipline of the intended PRA.

Currency of practice

Complete at least 450 hours of clinical practice in the scope you intend to practice in Nova Scotia within the five years preceding your start date in Nova Scotia.

English language proficiency

You will be exempt from language testing if you have one of the following:

  • you successfully completed one of the following technical examinations in English:
    • Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I
    • College of Family Physicians of Canada certification examinations (written and oral)
    • Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification examinations (written and oral)
  • a letter from your postgraduate training program confirming that your training was conducted in English and that the primary language for patient care was also in English
    • please note this only applies if you completed your postgraduate training within the last 5 years

Otherwise, the College will require one of the following:

  • IELTS* – Academic taken within the 24 months prior to applying, with a minimum score of 7 on each component
  • OET – Medicine taken within the 24 months prior to applying, with a minimum score of B on each component
  • CELPIP* – General taken within the 24 months prior to applying, with a minimum score of 9 on each component

* The College will only accept the IELTS-Academic and CELPIP-General until January 1, 2027. Any test results dated before January 1, 2027, will be considered when determining an applicant’s ELP.

Review of qualifications

The licensure application is comprised of a two-part process: a Review of Qualifications and the balance of the application.

The Review of Qualifications checks and verifies your credentials to confirm you are eligible for a PRA in a specialty other than family medicine.

You start this review by submitting an ‘application for medical registration’ through physiciansapply.ca. This is separate from verifying your documents through the same portal.

Before initiating a Review of Qualifications, please ensure you have completed the following:

  • A review of the credentials checklist to ensure you meet all qualifications.
  • When applicable, have your English language test reports ready for submission.

What to expect after submitting the Review of Qualifications:

  • A Registration Agent will be assigned to your file and will be in touch to provide a list of documents to complete your review.
  • Upon receipt of all required documents and confirmation of requirements for licensure eligibility, you will receive a letter confirming your eligibility for licensure. This can be presented when securing a letter of offer.

Letter of Endorsement

If the health authority selects you, they will send a letter of endorsement to the College. This letter confirms:

  • the need for your specialty in Nova Scotia
  • an offer for you to practise in Nova Scotia after you complete the PRA
  • funding approval from the Department of Health and Wellness and a return of service agreement
  • an assessment plan proposal, which will be finalized with the College’s Department of Assessment

Clinical Assessment licence

At this stage, you will need to provide documents that show your character, skills, and ability to practise medicine in Nova Scotia. Allow 6–8 weeks to complete this part of the application.

Your next steps:

  • complete balance of application through physiciansapply.ca
  • you will receive a list of required documents to finalize your application
  • submit the required documents
  • once all required documents are received, your file can be approved and your licence issued within 1–3 business days

Assessment

  • You will hold a Clinical Assessment Licence during your assessment.
  • This licence is for assessment only, and you will not practise as the most responsible physician (MRP) during this time.
  • After your assessment, your Clinical Assessment Licence ends and you must wait for a licensing decision. You will not practise during this waiting period.

Approval for Defined licensure

After your assessment, the Registrar will decide if you can get a Defined licence. If approved, your Registration Agent will contact you with a final list of documents needed to issue your licence. This may include:

  • Once PACE makes a recommendation, the Registrar will decide on your licence.
  • If you are approved for independent, long-term licensure (Defined or Restricted), your Registration Agent will send you a final list of documents needed.
  • These may include:
    • enrolment in a continuing professional development program
    • letter of intent with your return of service location
    • updated liability coverage
    • documents from your sponsor and supervisor (Nova Scotia Health will help with this)
    • payment of licensure and supervision fees
    • a virtual interview to review your licensing agreement

Outcome

  • Once your application is complete and your licence is issued, you will start independent practice under supervision for at least six months.
  • If you are successful in the first six months, you will get a long-term Restricted licence with no further supervision or to challenge additional exams.
  • If you are not successful, supervision can be extended for up to 18 more months.

After licensure

Supervision

Here are some resources to help you settle into your new life and your new practice in our province:

Pathways to Full licensure

You do not have to pursue Full licensure, but you may choose to do so.

If you choose to challenge the Canadian certification exams, the College will consider moving you from Restricted to Full licensure.

Alternatively, after two years of unsupervised practice in Nova Scotia, you can request a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Practice (CCAP). For more information, see: Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Practice.

The College acknowledges that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship. We also acknowledge that people of African descent have been in Nova Scotia for over 400 years, and we honour and offer gratitude to those ancestors.