Working

In Saskatchewan, a physician can be registered to practice as either a family physician or a specialist.  Saskatchewan does not use the term "general practitioners".

Family physicians diagnose and treat the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients.  They provide primary contact and continuous care toward the management of patients' health.  They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics.  [NOC 3112]

Specialists in clinical medicine diagnose and treat diseases and physiological or psychiatric disorders and act as consultants to other physicians.  Specialists in surgery perform and supervise surgical procedures.  Specialists in clinical medicine usually work in office-based practice and/or in a hospital, while those in laboratory medicine and in surgery usually work in hospitals.  The physicians who are specialists in clinical medicine, in laboratory medicine, or in surgery are regulated in Canada.  This means that to practice or use the title of a specialist physician, you must be licensed as a specialist member in the provincial or territorial medical regulatory authority. [NOC 3111]

Basic Requirements:

• Graduate of medicine from a university approved by the provincial Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS).
• Completion of post-medical residency-training of a nature and length acceptable to the CPSS.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS) is the licensing body for all physicians in Saskatchewan. Their website address is www.quadrant.net/cpss.

On September 20, 2010 Health Minister Don McMorris announced a new Saskatchewan-based assessment process designed to recruit more foreign-trained physicians to the province. The new program is currently being developed. Details about the new program will be posted on the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan as they become available.

All Internationally-Educated Physicians

Before you begin, go to the website for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS), Alternative licensure for physicians with international medical qualifications (Paragraph 8) and review the Procedure to apply for a licence (Paragraph 2). Read the information carefully.

You may want to review either the Screening Application for Family Physicians (Paragraph 28) or the Screening Application for Specialist Physicians (Paragraph 29) depending on which applies to you. These forms will ask for information on your education, post-graduate training, work history, certifications, and examinations.

In addition, the questions in Section 10 (Paragraph 28) and Section 9 (Paragraph 29) of the Screening Application form ask about your conduct and your licensing history in other jurisdictions.  Reviewing this information will help you determine if you are likely to be successful in pursuing licensure in Saskatchewan.  If you have questions, contact CPSS Registration Services by e-mail at cpssreg@cps.sk.ca.

Your first step is to submit a completed Screening Application for Family Physicians OR Screening Application for Specialist Physicians to CPSS, along with the required fees.  You may also choose to send your CV (curriculum vitae).  You can find more information about what to include in the screening application forms and your CV, and information on current fees, on the CPSS website.  If you have questions about registration, you should send an email to CPSS Registration Services at cpssreg@cps.sk.ca.  

You can submit your Screening Application before you arrive in Canada.

When the CPSS has reviewed your Screening Application, you will receive a letter from them that will advise you whether you are eligible to apply for licensure and what type of licence you can expect to obtain.  It will include details of the steps you need to take.  Read this letter carefully to make sure you understand exactly what is required, including what documents you will need.  It may be helpful to make arrangements for the documents you will need before you come to Canada. 

If your post-graduate training is not accepted, you may have to complete an approved residency program.  Paragraph 13 of the Registration Requirements on the CPSS website lists the postgraduate training that is generally accepted. If you need to complete additional residency training, you should be aware that it can be difficult to obtain a residency position in Canada. There are a limited number of spaces and many applicants compete for them each year.

After the Screening Application

Based on the result of your Screening Application, choose your situation from the list below to see the next steps you will need to follow.  It is important to follow the correct process and to contact CPSS directly if you have any questions.

If the letter from CPSS that contains your Screening Application results says that you are eligible to apply for licensing, choose one of the following two options:

Family Physicians – Eligible to Apply for Licensing

Specialist Physicians – Eligible to Apply for Licensing

If your letter from CPSS that contains your Screening Application results indicates that you are NOT eligible to apply for licensing, choose the following:

Family or Specialist Physicians – Not Eligible to Apply for Licensing

Please note that the licensing process and the length of time to receive a licence can vary based on a number of factors.  It is important to make sure that you understand the process and that you contact CPSS if you have any questions.