Statements of Need for Postgraduate Training in the United States - Medical graduates not currently enrolled in Canadian postgraduate training and not licensed to practice medicine in Canada [Category B]

Table of Contents

• Who is eligible?
• Which specialties are eligible for a Statement of Need?
• Which training programs are eligible?
• Where can I learn about the requirements to practice medicine in a Canadian province or territory?
• When do I submit my application?
• How long will my application take to process?
• What documents do I need to submit?
• Where do I submit my application?
• I already have a Statement of Need - what do I do if I wish to change my specialty, change my location or undertake additional training?

Who is eligible?

Candidates in this category intend to pursue medical specialty or sub-specialty. Eligible candidates must be:

• a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident in Canada; and,
• not currently enrolled in Canadian postgraduate medical training; and,
• not already licensed to practice medicine in a Canadian province or territory; and,
• a final year medical student or graduate of a medical school that is not accredited by Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) or the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Which specialties are eligible for a Statement of Need?

The medical specialties and sub-specialties eligible for a Statement of Need within this Category are determined annually by a committee of representatives from provincial and territorial ministries or departments of health. These requirements are compiled into a single List of Needed Specialties that is accessible to all eligible^{Footnote 1} applicants. Applicants can request the List of Needed Specialties by contacting the Program Administrator by email: j1visa@hc-sc.gc.ca.

Health Canada is authorized to issue Statement of Need only for training that is identified within the List of Needed Specialties or directly endorsed by a provincial or territorial ministry or department of health. Applicants wishing to discuss training outside of the List of Needed Specialties or unique situations are to contact the provincial or territorial representative in the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice medicine.

List of contacts within Provincial and Territorial Ministries / Departments of Health

Which training programs are eligible?

Accreditation and RCPSC Recognition

Programs in RCPSC-recognized specialties and subspecialties which are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) are eligible to receive a Statement of Need. Medical training programs in the United States that are accredited by the ACGME are recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada towards certification in the specialty and subspecialty. Physicians who have not yet met the RCPSC specialty training requirements (STRs), are encouraged to pursue ACGME-accredited programs.

Combined Specialty Programs in the United States

There are some combined specialty programs in the United States that train the physician in two specialties. These combined programs are not eligible to receive a Statement of Need because they are not recognized in Canada by the RCPSC and they are not accredited by the ACGME. In addition, although there are some combined programs in internal medicine/ pediatrics, which are listed on the ACGME website as being accredited, the RCPSC does not recognize these training programs and they are not eligible for a Statement of Need.

Preliminary Year and Transitional Year

If the applicant has obtained a one-year position in a Preliminary Year or Transitional Year, Health Canada will issue a Statement of Need for one year. The applicant is expected to obtain a categorical residency position commencing the following year and apply for a new Statement of Need. If the medical graduate obtains both a Preliminary Year and a residency program, the Statement of Need will be issued for both the one year program and the residency program.

Where can I learn about the requirements to practice medicine in a Canadian province or territory?

Applicants are responsible for undertaking training that will be relevant in the Canadian context as eligibility to practice medicine in Canada is determined by provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities.

To inform themselves of the certification and licensure requirements to practice medicine in Canada, applicants should contact the  medical regulatory authority specific to the province or territory in which they intend to practice medicine. Information on Canadian postgraduate medical education standards is available from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with the individuals or entities that are involved in the recruitment of physicians within the province or territory in which they intend to practice medicine. Further, applicants should develop an action plan to inform themselves of the requirements to practice medicine in the province or territory to which they will be returning. The development of an action plan will help an applicant appreciate and plan for:

• The pathways available to licensure and medical practice in Canada.
• The timing and sequencing of certification examinations and licensure requirements necessary to practice medicine in Canada.
• The issue that some residency training programs in the United States are shorter in length by one or two years than the Canadian residency training program, and therefore do not fully meet Canadian certification requirements.

Sample Action Plans

• Action Plan for Licensure and Certification (Medical Speciality)
• Action Plan for Licensure and Certification (family Medicine)

Resources

• Medical Licensure and Certification in Canada
• Physician Recruitment in Canadian provinces and territories

When do I submit my application?

Residencies: Applications for Statements of Need for residency programs that commence in July will be processed after the results of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in March and the San Francisco Matching Program (SFMatch) in January, or once the physician has received an out-of-match letter of offer or a contract from a U.S. medical training program.

Extensions: Applications for extensions of Statements of Need for sub-specialty programs should be submitted no less than two months before expiry of the Statement of Need for the specialty. See the I already have a Statement of Need section below for more information.

Fellowships: Applications for a Statement of Need in support of fellowship programs that commence in July/August will be processed starting in January of each year. See the I already have a Statement of Need section below for more information.

How long will my application take to process?

Please allow 30 working days to process an application and issue the Statement of Need. The Statement of Need, bearing the seal of the Canadian Federal Department of Health, is delivered directly to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). A copy of the signed Statement of Need is sent by Canada Post to the applicant.

What documents do I need to submit?

Below is the list of documents that applicants in this category (medical graduates not currently enrolled in Canadian postgraduate medical training and not already licensed to practice medicine in Canada) must submit in order to apply for a Statement of Need:

1. Application Form

Provide a signed application form.

• Application Form for a Statement of Need (Category B: Unlicensed Medical Graduate)
• Print the PDF form and fill it in, then submit it by mail, email, courier or fax to the Program Administrator (Health Canada).

2. Proof of Canadian Citizenship/Permanent Residency

Provide proof^{Footnote 2} of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency by submitting a certified copy^{Footnote 3} of one of the following documents:

• Canadian citizenship card
• Canadian Passport
• Record of birth
• Permanent Resident Card

3. Provincial Letter of Endorsement (only for physicians intending to practice in Quebec)

Physicians intending to practice medicine in Quebec must obtain a letter of endorsement directly from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux before applying for a Statement of Need from Health Canada. Physicians intending to practice medicine in all other provinces and territories do not require a unique letter of endorsement but their proposed training program must be in a specialty or sub-specialty contained in the List of Needed Specialties^{Footnote 4}.

Contact Information

Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (Quebec)
M. Sébastien Arseneault
Responsable du programme
Direction de la main-d'oeuvre médicale
Direction générale des services de santé et médecine universitaire
Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux
1075, chemin Ste-Foy, 8^e étage
Québec (Québec) G1S 2M1
Téléphone : (418) 266-5807
Télécopieur : (418) 266-6938
visaj1@msss.gouv.qc.ca
Alternate: Brigitte Moreau, (418) 266-6986

4. RCPSC Letter of Recognition of U.S. Training (for training programs of two years or more)

For medical specialty training programs of two years or more in duration, applicants need to provide a letter from the RCPSC indicating that the clinical training program in the United States would be recognized in full or in part to the extent that the content of training satisfies the College's training requirements.

Requests to the RCPSC must include a copy of the residency training contract with the U.S. Program and the name of the program director and may be submitted by email or facsimile. The RCPSC charges a fee of $140 CDN for the letter of recognition; this fee is subject to change without notice.

Email: credentials@rcpsc.edu (include "J-1 Visa Letter" in the subject line)

Fax: (613) 730-3707 (include "J-1 Visa Letter with your request)

Note: The RCPSC letter of recognition of US training is always delivered by email to both you and the Program Administrator at Health Canada in approximately five working days.

5. Letter of Offer/Training Contract/ U.S. Match Webpage

Provide a copy of one of the following:

• A letter of offer for a residency training program from the clinical training program in the United States. The letter must be on the institution's letterhead and should be accompanied by your signature of acceptance of the offer; or
• A training contract for a residency training program from the clinical training program in the United States. The training contract should bear your signature indicating you have accepted the offer; or
• The secure web page confirming you have matched to a clinical residency training program in the United States.

6. Optional: Consent to Disclosure of Personal Information form

Provide a signed original of the Consent to the Disclosure of Personal Information to Provincial and Territorial Governments for Recruitment Purposes (the Consent Form). By signing the Consent Form, the individual permits Canadian provincial and territorial health authorities to initiate the process of recruitment of an individual for employment in Canada after completion of their medical training in the United States.

The individual can sign the Consent Form at the time of application for a Statement of Need or at any time during their training in the United States. Physicians will be subject to any physician resource management policies in existence at the time of their return to Canada.

Where do I submit my application?

All the required documents listed above must be sent to the Program Administrator, Statement of Need Program, Health Human Resources Policy Division, Health Canada. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure all required documents are submitted.

With the exception of certified and notarized documents, all the required documents listed above can be submitted to Health Canada by fax, email, mail or courier.

Certified and notarized documents must be sent by mail or courier.

See below for electronic mail, regular mail, facsimile and courier addresses:

• Regular Mail
  Program Administrator
  Statement of Need / J-1 Visa Program
  Health Human Resources Policy Division
  Health Canada
  Jeanne Mance Building, Address Locator 1918C
  200 Eglantine Driveway
  Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K9
• By Courier
  Program Administrator
  Statement of Need / J-1 Visa Program
  Health Canada
  200 Eglantine Driveway
  Jeanne Mance Building, Address Locator 1918C
  Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
  Telephone: (613) 952 1912
• By Facsimile
  Program Administrator
  Statement of Need Program
  Health Human Resources Policy Division
  Facsimile: 613-948-8081
• By Electronic Mail
  j1visa@hc-sc.gc.ca
  Subject: Application for Statement of Need, "Your Name"

If you have a question about the administration of your application, please contact the Program Administrator using the following email address: j1visa@hc-sc.gc.ca.

I already have a Statement of Need - what do I do if I wish to undertake additional training, change location or undertake additional training?

Change of Specialty

If you wish to make a change of specialty you must submit a new Statement of Need application with all the required documentation.

Change of Location

Application requirements if you wish to change the location of your training program.

Additional Training (Extension)

Applications for extensions are subject to the List of Needed Specialties that is generated each calendar year. Applicants can request the List of Needed Specialties by contacting the Program Administrator by email: j1visa@hc-sc.gc.ca.

Application requirements if you wish to extend your Statement of Need in order to pursue additional training.