Programs which are eligible for an Associate Physician program within it are structured programs that provide team based care – for example, surgical programs, intensive care units and cancer agency programs.
The Health Authorities are required to accredit each program (site and service specific) in order to become eligible to receive and Associate Physician. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (the College) evaluates and accredits all Associate Physician programs in British Columbia. Please visit the College website for further details.
Contact: Tara Holmes - Manager, Partnerships and Programs to enquire if your program is eligible.
- What is an Associate Physician?
-
Associate Physicians are a new restricted class of physician practitioners introduced by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (the College). Associate Physicians are individuals with a medical degree and some post-graduate training, who will work within an accredited program under the supervision of a physician with active or provisional medical staff privileges and who meets the licensure requirement of the College.
- Why has the Associate Physician role been introduced?
-
Island Health has introduced the Associate Physician role to help strengthen and diversify the organization’s workforce, and address critical staffing gaps arising across a range of sites and services, and provide an additional mechanism to address anticipated growth in health human resource requirements.
- How does an international medical graduate receive qualification to work as an Associate Physician?
-
To obtain the appropriate licensing to work as an Associate Physician, an individual must complete a seven-step application process that is determined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (the College) including:
- Pre-screening with Health Match BC
- Preliminary assessment by the College
- Eligibility review by the College
- Pre-registration
- Completion of application package
- Application processing
- Registration and licensure
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (the College) evaluates and accredits all Associate Physician programs in British Columbia. Please visit the College website for further details.
- What are the qualifications of an Associate Physician?
-
Determined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, registration in the associate physician – acute care class permits a registrant to practise in accredited acute care settings within the scope of their education, qualifications, and experience. Please visit the College website for further details.
- Is the Associate Physician program a pathway for an Associate Physician to become a full physician?
-
The Associate Physician program is not a path to become a full physician. The associate physician class is for physicians who are not eligible for full or provisional licensure in the province of British Columbia. They may be eligible to apply for restricted licensure as associate physicians under the direction and supervision of attending physicians in acute care and community primary care settings.
Click here to return to the Associate Physician Homepage.