Nova Scotia’s Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence Receives Innovation Award
Nova Scotia’s Physician Assessment Centre of Excellence (PACE) is this year’s recipient of the Innovation in Physician Assessment and Remediation Award. Launched in February 2025, PACE provides primary care in a collaborative care setting delivered by internationally trained physicians under assessment for licensure. These physicians are overseen by experienced family physicians trained in assessment.
PACE is a partnership between the Province of Nova Scotia, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, and the Medical Council of Canada, and represents a unique approach to physician assessment and remediation in Nova Scotia and across Canada. Comprising three integrated components, the Welcome Collaborative orientation program, a comprehensive work-based and competency-based assessment program, and a dedicated medical clinic staffed by trained assessors—PACE is specifically designed to support internationally trained primary care physicians.
Conferred by the Coalition for Physician Enhancement (CPE), this award honours individuals or groups for innovation in the assessment of practicing physicians. The award recognizes Dr. Keri McAdoo, CEO of PACE as leading the development of PACE along with Dr. Gus Grant, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia and Dr. Viren Naik of the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) as co-leads of the initiative.
“PACE’s clinic-based approach allows internationally trained physicians to deliver patient care while being closely observed and guided through their practice by physicians trained in assessment. PACE provides an opportunity for physicians to demonstrate competency in all relevant areas of office-based primary care while improving access to care for Nova Scotians. This award recognizes PACE’s leadership in physician assessment,” said Dr. Keri McAdoo, CEO of PACE.
“This assessment centre is a unique approach to a long-standing need for more primary care physicians, and this award acknowledges that innovation,” said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. “As the first of its kind in North America, PACE is helping physicians see patients much more quickly, while providing the quality of care Nova Scotians expect.”
About CPE
The Coalition for Physician Enhancement (CPE) is a consortium of professionals with expertise in quality assurance, medical education and the assessment, licensing, and accreditation of referred physicians seeking higher levels of performance in patient care.
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