- About the Program
- Eligibility Criteria
- Funding through the Repatriation Program
- Application Process
- Program Questions and Answers
- Medical School Contact Information
About the Program
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (ministry) funds postgraduate medical training positions in Ontario to recruit physicians who have completed or partially completed postgraduate residency training outside Canada and require additional training to meet the national certification requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).
In exchange for this funding, candidates are required to fulfill return of service (ROS) obligations in an eligible community (anywhere in Ontario but Ottawa, Toronto, Pickering, Markham, Vaughan, Brampton and Mississauga) for up to five years. Candidates cannot begin residency training unless they have signed and returned the Return of Service (ROS) agreement to the ministry.
For more information about fulfilling the ROS Obligation please see:
- Repatriation ROS Questions and Answers
- Repatriation ROS Guidelines
- or by contacting the Program Officer
This program is open to graduates of Canadian, U.S. or international medical schools.
Eligibility Criteria
If you are a specialist physician who has partially or fully completed your postgraduate medical training outside Canada and possess a letter of assessment from the RCPSC specifying the length of training required to be eligible to write the certification examinations, you may be eligible for this program.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Have a degree from an accredited medical school listed in the World Health Organization (WHO) medical school directory list
- Have received an offer of postgraduate training appointment from a faculty of medicine in Ontario
- Received a letter of assessment from the RCPSC specifying the length of training required to be eligible to write the certification examinations.
Applicants meeting these criteria may apply to one of the following categories:
Stream 1
Applicants who have fully completed postgraduate training in a program outside Canada and have received the following:
- A RCPSC assessment letter of the candidate’s postgraduate medical training outside Canada
- An offer for a postgraduate training position from an Ontario university
- Confirmation of funding from the university to cover the duration of the training.
Stream 1 ROS requirement – Year for year in an eligible community
Stream 2
Applicants who have partially completed their specialty or subspecialty training in a program outside Canada and have received the following:
- A RCPSC assessment letter of the candidate’s postgraduate medical training outside Canada
- An offer for a postgraduate training position from an Ontario university
- Confirmation of funding from the university to cover the duration of the training.
Stream 2 ROS requirement – 5 years in an eligible community
** Physicians applying to Medicine or Pediatrics programs through Stream 2 will only be considered after the 2nd iteration of the R4 medicine/R4 Pediatrics Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) match date.
Please Note:
- Residency training in Ontario is a full-time commitment.
- There is no application form for this program. Please follow the application procedure below.
- The ministry recommends that International Medical Graduates considering this program also connect with the HealthForceOntario Marketing and Recruitment Agency’s Access Centre. Advisors there can help those looking to enter the medical profession in Ontario find the best path into practice based on education and skill level.
Training Start Date
The training start date can be arranged at the university’s discretion.Funding through the Repatriation Program
The ministry does not provide additional funding to candidates. Once a medical school accepts a candidate, the medical school must ensure that it has capacity and funding to cover the duration of residency.
Application Process
If you meet all the program eligibility requirements, please follow these steps:
- Contact a postgraduate medical education office (PGME) at one or more of the six Ontario medical schools that offer postgraduate specialty training at the beginning of your final year of postgraduate medical training. You will be directed to the appropriate program director who will assist you in applying for a postgraduate training appointment.
- The program director will request specific documents from you in order to evaluate your candidacy such as curriculum vitae, transcripts, previous evaluations, and letters of reference. Required documents vary from program to program. However, submission of the letter from the RCPSC confirming your required length and type of training (training evaluation letter) is mandatory.
- Once you have received an offer for a postgraduate training position from a university, the PGME will forward your package to the ministry. Upon receipt of your documents from the university, the ministry will contact you about the ROS commitment.
Program Questions and Answers
How do I find out if the RCPSC will assess my education?
If you have completed or partially completed your postgraduate training in the U.S., you should contact the RCPSC (1-800-668-3740) to request an assessment of your academic credentials.
If you completed or partially completed your postgraduate training outside Canada or the U.S., you should contact the RCPSC for more information about the specialties and the jurisdictions that they currently have the capabilities to assess.
What happens if the RCPSC cannot assess the program in which I have completed my postgraduate medical training?
Please contact HealthForceOntario – Access Centre for International Educated Health Professionals.The Access Centre is the centralized point of access for all Internationally Educated Health Professionals in Ontario seeking information and advice about the licensing process and career options.
The RCPSC has informed me that it may take many months to assess my training. Can I still apply to the ministry's Repatriation program for a training position?
Candidates must receive an assessment of their training by RCPSC before their application to the program can be considered.
I am a family physician/general practitioner. How can I access the ministry's program?
If you completed your family medicine training in the U.S. you should contact the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to see if you are currently eligible to take the national family medicine certification examinations.
Medical School Contact Information
- National Certification Requirements
- Ontario Postgraduate Medical Training
Public Information
