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Clinical currency

CPSBC registrants must maintain currency in their clinical practice. This is defined in sections 2-8 and 2-9 of the Bylaws made under the Health Professions Act.

Clinical practice is defined as direct patient care for the purpose of making a diagnosis and/or providing treatment. This includes diagnostic specialties such as pathology and radiology, and the specialty of public health and preventive medicine.

According to section 2-8 of the Bylaws, a registrant must have practised clinically in their field for a minimum of 960 hours over the preceding three-year period (24 weeks full-time) to be considered current.

Research, teaching, administration and medical regulation do not constitute clinical practice.

Retraining process for obtaining or regaining clinical currency

If an applicant or registrant wishes to obtain or regain currency (as defined in section 2-8 of the CPSBC Bylaws) for independent clinical practice, they must contact CPSBC and undergo a retraining process, satisfactory to CPSBC, to be deemed current in clinical practice.

This process is available to:

• current or former registrants who were in a class of registration where they were practicing independently
• applicants for an independent practice class where, absent currency, they are eligible for registration and licensure in an independent practice class of licensure
• current or former registrants for the surgical assistant class
• applicants for the surgical assistant class where, absent currency, they would be eligible for registration and licensure in the full class
• associate physician applicants who have secured a position in an accredited associate physician program within a health authority

The process is outlined in the Change of Scope/Return to Practice registration policy.

In summary, CPSBC will review the applicant or registrant's circumstances, which include:

• past clinical practice
• the length of the absence from clinical practice
• continuing professional development
• the anticipated future scope of practice

The physician will develop an individualized retraining plan, satisfactory to and approved by the CPSBC. For associate physicians the retraining plan will be developed by the applicant and health authority. 

Upon completion of the retraining plan, satisfactory to the CPSBC, the applicant/registrant will be deemed current in clinical practice and will then be required to maintain that currency in clinical practice.