American Board-certified doctors can now get a full license to practice medicine in Nova Scotia without needing certification from the Royal College.

Nova Scotia is the first province to make this change. The College will also accept enrollment in the relevant continuing professional development (CPD) program in the United States instead of the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program with the Royal College or the Mainpro+ program with the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Dr. Gus Grant, the CEO & Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, said that these changes were made to help Nova Scotians get access to care during a time when there is a shortage of physicians.

“These are challenging times for Nova Scotians seeking access to care in the face of physician shortages. We are making every effort to open the door wider to welcome physicians seeking licensure who are competent to deliver safe care to Nova Scotians”, Grant said.

International subspecialists can also get Full Licensure without needing Royal College certification, which is particularly useful for physicians who have had their post-graduate training exclusively in the sub-specialty of internal medicine. However, all physicians holding a Full license are expected to practice to the scope of their specialty or subspecialty, and hospitals and health authorities need to ensure physician privileging aligns with their training and experience. The College is committed to exploring all routes to license safe and competent physicians, and Access to Care is a top priority.