The College expects physicians to adhere to and support the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding vaccinations for COVID-19. The public is assuming all physicians are fully vaccinated. Physicians who are unable to be fully vaccinated due to a medical exemption, or who choose to not be fully vaccinated, are expected to: advise their patients of their vaccination status in advance of any in-person clinical encounters; andtake all recommended precautions to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19, including testing, masking and PPE. The College’s Professional Standards Committee, composed of physicians and public members, will be preparing a Professional Standard clarifying…

Please direct your questions regarding medical exemptions for COVID -19 vaccines to Public Health at: covid19info@novascotia.ca

These are extraordinary times. We commend physicians for their service and flexibility as we move through the pandemic. Across the province, primary care physicians are providing both virtual and in-person care. Physicians have developed office systems to pre-screen and sequester potentially COVID-19 infectious patients. They are practicing safely and effectively, accessing the supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available through the NSH.  We are aware that there is a scattering of primary care providers practicing virtual medicine exclusively or only offering in-person care to the fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.  Physicians and the public have contacted the College seeking guidance regarding virtual and…

Throughout Nova Scotia, many organizations are requiring that all staff and visitors be vaccinated against COVID-19.  It is not unreasonable to expect that, in response, physicians will be asked to provide medical notes for patients who have chosen not to be vaccinated. As physicians continue to work to mitigate any further spread of COVID-19, the College aims to support their leadership with clear guidance on their responsibilities in this circumstance.  Physicians must only support requests for a medical exemption from COVID-19 vaccination for patients with a legitimate medical condition that would warrant an exemption.  The office of the Chief Medical Officer…

We wish to express our appreciation to all physicians who have been deployed by Nova Scotia Health or IWK to contribute to the pandemic response in ways outside their normal scope of practice. As the province moves through the third wave of the pandemic, physicians have continued to demonstrate leadership in their commitment to providing care.  These continue to be stressful times, with physicians raising their hands to help wherever needed. We wish to reassure physicians the College will not hold deployed physicians to practice within a scope strictly consistent with recent training and experience. This approach applies to physicians…

The College has been asked by the Department of Health & Wellness (DHW) to distribute this message to registered physicians.  Physicians are to refer patients regarding covid vaccine booking to 1-833-797-7772 only. 

Given the public health directives in response to the recent increase in COVID cases, licensed physicians may be asked by their Health Authority to contribute to the pandemic response in ways outside their normal scope of practice. The College wishes to reassure physicians its support of this measure. When deployed by a Health Authority to support the pandemic response, the College will not hold physicians to practice within a scope strictly consistent with recent training and experience.  This approach applies to Physicians privileged and working under the direction of NSH,  the IWK (inpatient or outpatient settings), and/or the Chief Medical…

Retired physicians within three years of practice may be eligible for an Emergency Licence. The College is working closely with Nova Scotia Health to license those retired physicians wishing to assist in the COVID-19 immunization efforts. There is no fee for this emergency licensure. A streamlined process is in place to quickly issue such licences. Physicians who are interested in supporting immunization clinics have been asked by Nova Scotia Health to complete please complete the Covid-19 immunization intake form.

The Medical Council of Canada has provided a backgrounder addressing questions regarding the MCCQE Part II. Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part II: MCC backgrounder.

The College has instituted a new policy in recognition of the postponement of the Medical Council of Canada’s Qualifying Examinations Part II. As a result of this exam delay, a number of physicians are unable to meet the requirements of obtaining LMCC for Full licensure.  The College’s Pandemic-Related Exceptions to the Requirement for the MCCQE Part II Policy allows exceptions for those who were affected by the postponement of this qualifying examination. Review the new policy. Currently, Nova Scotia is the only province with such an exemption and therefore we encourage postgraduate trainees to continue to challenge the MCCQE Part II as it becomes available…

This Fall in Nova Scotia we have not experienced the significant number of COVID-19 cases as elsewhere in Canada.  Physicians across the province are playing key leadership roles in safely caring for patients during the pandemic. The College expects that physicians in all practice settings adhere to the direction provided by public health regarding safety protocols and to clinical guidelines developed by health professionals. We are truly grateful to patients and physicians who continue to take all measures necessary to protect the health of Nova Scotians.

On October 2, 2020, Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine and the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance (MIPP) hosted a roundtable at which 27 people met online to discuss what went well and what lessons were identified from the health sector’s response to COVID-19. Participants included senior representatives from both the public health and healthcare systems of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as academics. Most of the participants were from Nova Scotia, which was the focus of most of the discussion.  The briefing note starts by highlighting selected observations that were drawn from these discussions, and summarize the goals…