Graduates of foreign medical schools outside North America with Canadian legal status

To access an entry level (PGY1) residency position in a designated specialty program, IMGs must apply through CaRMS. 

To access a residency position at the advanced level (PGY2 +), IMG candidates must apply directly to Touchstone Institute. 

If admitted, all IMG residents must undergo an Assessment Verification Period (AVP) of twelve (12) weeks prior to the commencement of their residency program. Residents must also sign a Return of service agreement with the Ministry of Health.

Residents must apply to CaRMS for the following:

• Residents currently enrolled in Internal Medicine who wish to apply to the R4 Medicine Subspecialty match
• Residents currently enrolled in Family Medicine who wish to apply for Emergency Medicine Subspecialty match
•  Residents currently enrolled in Pediatrics who wish to apply to the Pediatric Subspecialty match
• Please visit the CaRMS website for information and deadlines. 

Candidates wishing to apply to another subspecialty program not listed above must apply directly to the program of their choice and meet each program’s admissions criteria. Candidates must be currently registered in a postgraduate program in Canada or the United States and must not have practiced as an independent physician. Candidates are encouraged to communicate directly with the relevant residency training program for application details and deadlines. 

Practicing physicians wishing to pursue a new specialty, please refer to the Re-Entry section for options.

Applications from foreign graduates with Canadian legal status must be submitted through the Postgraduate Medical Education Office via email to pgmerte@uottawa.ca. 

You must provide this information in the body of the email:

• Name:
• Email:
• Program & Type of Fellowship:
• Country of Citizenship:
• Legal Status in Canada (Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, OR None)

Documents required in the application for a clinical/research fellowship are: 

(Must be included as attachments to the email)

• Personal statement
• CV
• copy of medical degree (including original and English translation)
• copy of specialty degree (including original and English translation) in the specialty or sub-specialty sought
• proof of English proficiency
• three (3) letters of recommendation

There is a three-year limit of licensure for all clinical fellowships. Please note that a clinical fellowship does not lead to any type of Canadian certification.

Physicians currently practicing in Canada who wish to change their area of specialty and undergo a new residency for eventual certification may be admissible to apply to the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care Re-entry Program (MOHLTC). This program is specifically designed for practicing physicians wishing to change specialties and willing to sign a return to service agreement in an under-serviced area with the MOHLTC. Candidates must communicate directly with the Ministry of Health for information. Details are provided on their Central Forms Repository webpage. 

Please read through the instructions sheet, complete the application form and Location/Specialty Selection form. Together with all the other required documents, please submit your application to the MOHLTC Health Workforce Policy Branch.

Re-entry forms 

Canadian, U.S. or international medical school graduates who have completed or partially completed a residency program outside Canada may qualify for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care Repatriation program. This program is designed to attract medical graduates who have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status in Canada to complete their residency program toward Royal College certification. The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care will fund six months to two years of specialty training if the candidate agrees to sign a return to service commitment to an under-serviced area. Please see the Ministry of Health and Long Term care website for more information. Please submit the documents listed below to: 

Manager, Postgraduate Medical Education
Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa
451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5
Email: pgmeReg@uOttawa.ca 

In your application, please also include the following: 

• letter of interest noting the Repatriation program and indicating the discipline for which you wish to be considered
• CV
• copy of medical degree
• copy of letter from Royal College ruling on your application for assessment of training indicating the number of months (or years) required to qualify for specialty exam
• proof of Canadian Citizenship or permanent resident status with the date clearly indicated
• list of three referees (name, university, address, contact information) who will be sending a letter of recommendation/reference