ºÚÁÏÉç

On June 24, 2023, the ºÚÁÏÉç Board approved proposed amendments to the Bylaws under the Health Professions Act, RSBC 1996, c. 183 (HPA) specifically, the below sections related to registration.

Full – family (section 2-11) and full – specialty (section 2-12)
The proposed bylaw amendment is to enable registrants who are currently in the provisional class of registration to transfer to the full class after successfully completing an assessment of competency, at the registrant’s cost, and satisfactory to the registration committee, as an alternative to obtaining the certification examinations of the ºÚÁÏÉç of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal ºÚÁÏÉç of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

Provisional – family (section 2-15)
Section 2-15(1)(b)(i) – housekeeping amendment
It is proposed that this section be deleted as it is no longer applicable given that the ºÚÁÏÉç now requires an applicant who has completed a family medicine program in Canada to be a licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (MCC). In October 2022, the bylaws were amended to require applicants in the provisional, associate physician, or assessment class to be a licentiate of the MCC or have successfully completed a medical licensing examination in the USA, acceptable to the registration committee. This was the result of the MCC ceasing the delivery of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II.
 
Section 2-15(1)(b)(iii) – In the United States of America, physicians who have obtained certification with the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP) can practice family medicine independently. The ºÚÁÏÉç of Family Physicians of Canada has recognized that these physicians may qualify to sit the exam as practice-eligible candidates after two years of continuous full-time active practice in a Canadian jurisdiction. The proposed bylaw amendments will provide a route for registration in the provisional – family class for physicians who have obtained certification with the AOBFP.

Provisional – registration requirements (section 2-18)
The proposed bylaw amendment is to enable registrants who are currently in the provisional class of registration the option to transfer to the full class of registration (by either obtaining the certification examinations of the ºÚÁÏÉç of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal ºÚÁÏÉç of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or completing an assessment of competency, at the registrant’s cost, satisfactory to the registration committee) or to a new class of registration, the restricted class, as explained below.  

Restricted class (new sections 2-XX, 2-XX and 2-XX)
The proposed amendments include the implementation of a new class of licensure for current registrants in the provisional class who have not obtained the certification examination of the ºÚÁÏÉç of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal ºÚÁÏÉç of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to be eligible under this class without the requirement to undergo further assessment. To be registered in this class, registrants must complete five years of practice in British Columbia and will require sponsorship from a health authority. 

The bylaw amendments have been posted for a 30-day notification period, giving ºÚÁÏÉç registrants and other interested parties the opportunity to review and comment.

For more information, please see the bylaw amendments page.