The last MCCEE session will take place November 2018.
Currently, the MCCQE Part I is offered twice a year in Canada only, and internationally trained candidates must first pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) before being eligible to apply for the MCCQE Part I.
Starting in 2019, the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I will be delivered in Canada and internationally in over 80 countries, up to five times per year. Once the MCCQE Part I is offered internationally, all candidates will be challenging this examination directly, without first having to pass the MCCEE.
As a result of this change, the MCCEE will be phased out, and November 2018 will be the last session. Candidates will have until mid-November 2018 to take the MCCEE.
Read more about this HERE.
Becoming a specialist physician: the journey 
Its crazy , how will carms judge fairly ? Some will have ee others wont have ee
LikeLike
I know right? 😁 After 2019, I think they will not require it during the CARMS so that those that have it and those don’t have it will only be required to use their QE1 results. Unfortunately, we have to continue to use it for our CARMS applications until then. 😁 😁
LikeLike
Hi, thank you for your blog, that’s really helpfull. For someone who just passed MCCEE what will be your advice.. In which order do we have to take the test for MCC QE1 or NAC .. Is there some importance?
I read that you consider Alberta program for your residency, and I saw that they do not require the MCCEE.. so that is not necessary to pass or to fail in this exam in order to apply in this kind of program ?
Thank you again
LikeLike
Hi Dr Wais. I did my NAC before my QE1 because of scheduling issues, so it depends. If you are good in taking histories, performing clinical examinations, making accurate diagnosis, treatment plans, and answering follow-up questions, then you can take the NAC first. However, if you feel that your medical knowledge needs a lot of revision, I advise you do the QE1 first because you will need a sound medical knowledge to answer those follow-up questions in the NAC.
With regards to the MCCEE, if you want to do any MCC exams this year, you still have to sit for that exam, but if you are doing your MCC exams next year, then you won’t need to do it.
LikeLike
Hey Dr Fomski, glad to hear you and thank you for your time, what did you use for NAC exam and the QE1 EXAM.. which books.. between the edmonton manual and the NAC review book for example ?
LikeLike
For the NAC, I mostly used the USMLE Step 2 CS Book and the Edmonton Manual. For the QE1, I used the USMLE Step 2 CK Book and USMLE World Questions because I had a short time to prepare. If you have more time and you want higher scores, studying the Toronto Notes might give you a more thorough view. If you like watching video lectures, check out a YouTube channel called Paul Bolin. It’s for USMLE but he has a broad range of topics discussed.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Doctor fomski.
I will graduate from medical school in April 2018 in LUTH( university of Lagos nigeria).
I want to practice medicine in Canada and am so glad I found your blog.
Please I would like you to send me a mail as regards the way to go about being clinical assistant you talk about. The link you put wasn’t reachable
And I will also want you to advice me on the way to practise medicine in Canada that you think might be best for a Nigerian doctor.
Please Doctor, I really need information about those things I talked about because I have really searched a lot for infotmation but couldn’t get until I saw your blog.
LikeLike
Hi Dr Odediran, congratulations in advance! There are currently 3 provinces that I am aware of which offer the Clinical Assistant pathway: Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.
Alberta: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/medstaff/page7094.aspx
Manitoba: http://cpsm.mb.ca/cjj39alckF30a/wp-content/uploads/formsapps/clinasst2nc/Clinical_Assistant_Requirements_2016.pdf
Nova Scotia: https://cpsns.ns.ca/Registration-Licensing/Licence-Type/Clinical-Assistant-Licence/
For Alberta, you need at least one year of post-graduate training (housejob would be adequate for that).
Nova Scotia requires 3 years so I think housejob, youth service and one extra year will also give you these three years.
I didn’t really see any experience required for Manitoba but to be on the safe side, just do your house job and possibly youth service.
With at least 2 years of experience, you may also qualify for another pathway called Practice Ready Assessment http://mcc.ca/projects-collaborations/practice-ready-assessment/
The third option is to apply for post-graduate residency. This is the most competitive pathway but it is do-able. You need excellent grades and a high QE1 score to be considered seriously. Secondly, you need to add extra-curricular activities (like involvement in research and volunteer experience) to your CV. Get your name included in a publication. They like applicants with such experience.
What you can start doing now is:
1. First, apply for Canadian permanent residency as soon as you graduate. You can’t practice here if you’re not a resident
2. Start preparing for your QE1 exam in the mean time. I advise you start with the Toronto Notes Book (also called Essential Med Notes).
3. Keep your mind open to U.S and possibly Australia. The USMLE step 1 is harder to pass than any of the Canadian exams but there are more residency positions.
Hope this helps. Thanks for your comment!
LikeLike
Thank you so much for the information. Am glad I found this blog
LikeLiked by 1 person
hello Dr. Fomski, I am so glad I found your page.
I am a medical student in a 5 year MBBS program and would like to find a residency in Ontario.
Will I need to pass the NAC before applying to CARMs? Or is having passed MCCQE Part 1 sufficient to apply for CARMs, and I can then take the NAC during residency?
Also, can I take MCCQE during medical school, or do I have to wait and take it only after graduation?
Thanks a lot.
LikeLike
Hi Lizzy. Thanks for leaving a comment. I believe that most programs require IMGs to have a pass score in NAC before they can apply for CaRMS. In addition, now that the MCCQE Part 1 is going to replace the MCCEE, you’ll need it to apply. I believe you can do the QE1 during medical school, but not earlier than 6 months before you expect to graduate.
LikeLike
Hi Dr Fomski,
I have been doing research about all the exams in order to apply for the carms . I just saw that in order to apply for the 2019 match as IMG(therefore applying this coming year ) we would have to have done our MCCEE and NAC as well as MCCQE1 for Quebec. I am aware that the mccee will be phased out later this year, but being an IMG, does this mean that I should have taken my MCCEE by March in order to apply for the 2019 match? I am very confused since they are phasing it out, Im not sure of the process at alll at this point and I believe it is too late to apply for the 2019 match since even if the last MCCEE is given in november, i would have needed it done by March 2018. So lets say i change my plans and apply for the 2020 match, will my MCCEE be useless ? thank you in advance for your help.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Leila, I can understand your confusion, and that’s why I started this blog. I’ll do my best to clarify.
2019 CaRMS match opens later this year. To be eligible, you need to have done your EE, QE1 and NAC before then. So, yes if you want to apply this year, I think it’s a bit late.
To apply next year, you’ll need to do your QE1 and NAC by October 2019. However, if you want to do your QE1 this year, then you still need to do the EE. On the other hand, if you wait till next year to do the QE1, then you probably don’t need to do the EE this year. With that said, I still think it’s a good idea to do the EE this year. Some programs might still accept it next year. Secondly, it might give you an idea to how the MCC exams are set. I hope this helps .
Do stay in touch. Thanks
Best regards.
LikeLike
Hello doctor, if I only have the MCCEE (done in 2018) can I still use it to apply for 2019? without NAC and Q1?
LikeLike
Hi Dr Rozan, you need at least EE and NAC for most provinces. For Alberta, you need all three to apply for CaRMS. Hope this helps!
LikeLike
I forgot to add that you still have time to prepare for NAC and/or QE1.
LikeLike
Hi! I love your blog. I am a South African Medicl school graduate looking to relocate to Canada in 6 months, I have passed the MCCEE and scheduled to write the Nac Osce this sept and the QE1 in April. I have only heard negativity and discouragement from most people. Thanks for being a breath of fresh air. Do you personally know people (IMGs)who have matched and also how many years out of practice is acceptable? I am scared to resign my job in South Africa.
LikeLike
Hi Seun. I’m glad you found my blog a breath of fresh air. It is difficult getting into practice here but possible so I tell people to try but realising that it may not work out for everyone. You might be one of the people who get in. It might be God’s will for you. Make sure you have great scores and have great references. If possible, good volunteer experience and research articles. Those are all criteria some programs look at.
I wouldn’t advise you to resign your job in South Africa just yet. Have you tried doing your residency over there? South Africa is one of the countries in the ‘approved jurisdictions’. What that means is that their residency training is accepted here and you wouldn’t have a lot of hurdles to cross if you trained there.
Getting a residency here is very competitive but possible. I personally know about 5/6 people who have matched and hundreds who haven’t. Years out of practice accepted is less than 3 years.
LikeLike
Also, another quick question. Do I need to do the SVR for my transcripts for the CARMS? ( I already did for my degree). Thanks in advance
LikeLike
Yes you need to do an SVR for your transcript.
You will also need to get a Dean’s letter or Medical School Performance Report from your school. You don’t need an SVR for that. Your school will need to send it directly to CaRMS.
LikeLike
One more thing. You can also have your school send your transcript sent straight to CaRMS.
LikeLike
Hello, Dr Fomski!
Thank you so much for this blog. It certainly has a lot of valuable information for IMGs.
I graduated from medical school (2009) and completed my Dermatology training and licensing (2016) in Egypt. I am now looking to move and practice in Canada. I have some questions about the Practice Ready Assessment route for specialists:
1. Do I only need to sit the MCCQE Part I?
2. Which provinces offer PRA for Dermatologists?
TIA
LikeLike
Hi Dr Dina, I believe you would have to sit for both the QE Part 1 and Part 2.
I’m not sure which provinces offer PRA for dermatologists but I believe that provinces who assess specialists like Alberta and Manitoba should offer PRA for dermatologists. You would need to get in touch with their respective Provincial Medical Colleges to confirm (College of Physicians and Surgeons in Alberta and Manitoba respectively). Thanks!!
LikeLike