News

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

How the MCCQE Part I pass score is established

Every few years, the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) brings together a panel of Canadian physicians to define an acceptable level of performance and establish the pass score for the MCCQE Part I through a standard-setting exercise. The panel then recommends its pass score to the Central Examination Committee (CEC) for approval.

The CEC, composed of physicians and medical educators from across the country, is responsible for awarding pass/fail results to MCCQE Part I candidates.

In June 2018, the MCC completed a rigorous standard-setting exercise based on expert judgments from a panel of 22 physicians across the country who represented faculties of medicine, different specialties, and years of experience supervising students and residents.

For more information on the past MCCQE Part I standard-setting exercise, see the Technical Report on this topic.

A report on the June 2018 standard-setting exercise, using the same standard-setting method as in the past, will be available later in 2018 and will be shared through this e-bulletin.

 

How a MCCQE Part I score can be used to assess relative performance

The candidate’s total score is reported as a scaled score ranging from 100 to 400 with a mean of 250 and a standard deviation of 30.

The mean and standard deviation were set using the results from the April 2018 session. Results from the April 2018 and subsequent sessions will be reported using this scale, allowing candidates to compare their performance across sessions beginning with the April 2018 session.

On this new scale, the pass score that was recommended and approved is 226. This pass score will remain in place until the next standard-setting exercise.

Please note that more information on our score interpretation guidelines page can be accessed here.

Please be advised that pre-application for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II is now closed. Of note - with the introduction of the new 2018 MCCQE Part II, capacity this fall will be slightly less than in previous fall sessions. Capacity will be increased this coming spring to compensate.

A reminder for PGY-1s who would like to take the exam at the end of their first year of residency – please sign up here to receive notification when the pre-application process will open in fall 2018 for the May 2019 session.

The following webinar titled The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me? was conducted on April 15, 2018. Please click here to view this presentation and question and answer session. Please note that registration is required for new visitors.

It is designed for residents, colleagues and others interested in this topic and applies to the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II and future sessions.

Presentation Title: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me?

Speaker: Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa
Chief Medical Education Officer, Medical Council of Canada

Presentation: 20 minutes
Question and answer session: 25 minutes

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

The Medical Council of Canada is pleased to launch the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) orientation program. This program is designed to help candidates prepare for the OSCEs, including the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II. The orientation outlines the purpose of an OSCE and the logistics behind this type of exam, gives an overview of how to demonstrate knowledge and skills in different stations as well as provides useful links and resources for preparation.

More specifically, the OSCE orientation program is structured into six main sections:

• Definition of an OSCE: breakdown of the exam’s objectives, structure, and clinical context


• What happens on the day of an OSCE: how to prepare for the day


• Moving through the OSCE stations: the logistics of this type of exam


• How to demonstrate your knowledge and skills, including a series of four different sample cases and tips on candidate behaviours to avoid


• The history of the OSCE and the reason why it has become widely used for clinical assessment in Canada


• OSCE tips and resources

By providing these preparation resources, the MCC hopes to increase candidate awareness and readiness before they take on the NAC Examination or the MCCQE Part II. The content featured in this program has been created by physicians and experts with experience in the Medical Council of Canada’s content development process.

Consult the OSCE orientation program

The preparation resources can be found here: http://mcc.ca/examinations/osce-orientation/

The following webinar titled The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me? was conducted on April 15, 2018. Please click here to view this presentation and question and answer session. Please note that registration is required for new visitors.

It is designed for residents, colleagues and others interested in this topic and applies to the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II and future sessions.

Presentation Title: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me?

Speaker: Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa
Chief Medical Education Officer, Medical Council of Canada

Presentation: 20 minutes
Question and answer session: 25 minutes

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

The information below applies to the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II session and future sessions.

The MCCQE Part II is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) that assesses the candidate’s core abilities to apply medical knowledge, demonstrate clinical skills, develop investigational and therapeutic clinical plans, as well as demonstrate professional behaviours and attitudes at a level expected of a physician in independent practice in Canada. You are assessed on your physical examination and history taking abilities as well as on your clinical and ethical decision making.

You are presented with problems related to 12 clinical scenarios: eight on day 1 (Saturday) and four on day 2 (Sunday). You are expected to complete 12 stations, even though two stations could be wait or pilot stations that do not contribute to your total score.

There are two types of stations included in the MCCQE Part II: 14-minute stations and 6-minute paired stations.

Day 1 (Saturday) – 14-minute encounter stations – eight stations

• Consists of seven stations that will count towards your total score. The eighth is a wait or pilot station that will not count. There are no content linkages between stations.


• Involves encounters with standardized patients or standardized professionals (SPs) such as physicians, nurses or other health-care professionals


• Features in most stations observations and scoring by an examiner based on your interaction with the SP. The examiner may be a physician or a trained non-physician.

Note: You may be assigned to start at any station.

Day 2 (Sunday) – 6-minute paired stations – four stations/eight rooms

• Consists of three stations that will count towards your total score. The fourth is a wait or pilot station that will not count.


• Comprised of two 6-minute components in any combination:
  
  
  
  • Encounter component
    
    
    
    • Consists of encounters with SPs. In most cases, you are observed and scored by an examiner based on your interaction with the SP. The examiner may be a physician or a trained non-physician.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Non-encounter component
    
    
    
    • Consists of a reading task or responding to one or more extended match questions
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Content dependencies exist between the odd and even-numbered stations
    
    
    
    • One component (odd-numbered room) usually provides information required to complete the second component (even-numbered room)
    
    
    • You must complete station 2 immediately after station 1, station 4 immediately after station 3, etc.
    
    
    • You start the exam at the odd-numbered station to which you have been assigned
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • You will rotate through all stations on your own (i.e. you are not paired with another candidate in this type of station)
  
  
  
  

The examiners score you based on standardized scoring instruments. We supply the appropriate materials and score sheets for each station along with any necessary props such as X-rays or photographs. We also provide case materials for training the SPs for each role.

What is assessed in the stations?

• Obtaining a focused history


• Conducting a physical examination


• Managing an acute patient problem


• Organizing a discharge


• Discussing goals of care


• Delivering difficult news


• Dealing with forgetful or angry patients


• Providing advice


• Interacting with colleagues


• Addressing conflicts within the health-care team

Sample cases

You can take a look at three sample stations. These examples include the candidate’s instructions, the examiner’s checklist, and the non-encounter component questions (with the correct answers).

• Case 1: 14-minute station / Ken Scott


• Case 2: 14-minute station / Angela White


• Case 3: 6-minute paired station / Raymond Bedford

Please be advised that the MCC will be phasing out the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE). November 2018 will be the final MCCEE session offered. The deadline to apply to the last session is September 30, 2018.

• On November 1, 2017 we announced a more streamlined assessment process for international medical graduates and international medical students.


• Starting in April 2019, we will be delivering the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I in Canada and internationally to over 500 sites in 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.


• The timing for phasing out the MCCEE is as follows: November 2018 will be the last session. Candidates will have until mid-November 2018 to take the MCCEE. The deadline to apply to the last session is September 30, 2018.


• It is anticipated that application to the 2019 MCCQE Part I will open in October 2018.

We anticipate the following examination schedule in 2018, 2019 and 2020*:
MCCEE

• 2018: January, March, May, September, November


• 2019: N/A


• 2020: N/A

MCCQE Part I

• 2018: Spring and fall


• 2019: April/May, July, September/October, November


• 2020: January, April/May, July, September/October, November

*Please note that sessions are subject to change.

Candidates interested in applying to the MCCQE Part I in 2019 are encouraged to sign up to our distribution list to receive the application notification, which will be sent in fall 2018. Please visit this page, and click on the button at the top of the page to subscribe.

We are working in collaboration with Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Deans and residency program directors across Canada to update their exam requirements and residency program descriptions for the 2020 Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) R-1 Main Residency Match.

• As confirmed in a decision by PGME Deans, beginning with the 2020 CaRMS residency application cycle, the MCCQE Part I will replace the MCCEE as the prerequisite for IMGs applying for postgraduate medical education in Canada.


• The MCC is working diligently with PGME Deans, CaRMS and the many residency program directors across Canada to provide the timing and details for the phase-out of the MCCEE and to ensure that their information and program descriptions are updated to reflect this change.


• We will continue to update mcc.ca and mccevolution.ca in the coming months with more information on the 2019 international delivery of the MCCQE Part I.

Information resources are available if you have additional questions or concerns.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the phasing out of the MCCEE can be viewed here.


• We invite you to send questions about MCC examinations to communications@mcc.ca.


• Please note that candidates should contact CaRMS directly regarding the participation requirements for the 2019 R-1 Match. 2020 Match requirements will be updated on the IMG eligibility section on carms.ca when the final information is available.

MCC’s business session was held on April 30 to a packed room, with some attendees standing. Dr. Ian Bowmer, Chair of the session and MCC’s Executive Director, outlined some of the points attendees need to know.

Be prepared

For learners challenging the new MCCQE Part I or Part II (coming later this year), the watchword is preparation. The business session was a chance to guide learners and faculty to the mcc.ca website and to other resources where they can:

• Purchase practice tests (currently for Multiple-Choice Questions, but Clinical Decision-Making questions will be available soon)


• Watch a video with tips on Clinical Decision-Making questions


• Check Frequently Asked Questions to find answers


• Understand Examination Objectives


• Watch a webinar on the MCCQE Part I or Part II


• Learn about communication and cultural competencies

Coming in 2019, candidates will be able to try a full MCCQE Part I Preparatory Examination with the answer key.

You can view the MCC’s business session presentation by clicking here.

The following webinar titled The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me? was conducted on April 15, 2018. Please click here to view this presentation and question and answer session. Please note that registration is required for new visitors.

It is designed for residents, colleagues and others interested in this topic and applies to the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II and future sessions.

Presentation Title: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me?

Speaker: Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa
Chief Medical Education Officer, Medical Council of Canada

Presentation: 20 minutes
Question and answer session: 25 minutes

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Beginning in January 2018, candidates may apply and take the MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II a maximum of four times each.

A one-year waiting period will be required between the third and fourth attempts. After four attempts, in exceptional personal circumstances, the candidate can request that the Central Examination Committee (CEC) grant them special permission to make a fifth attempt.

Exam attempts before 2018 will not count towards the limit; the count starts in 2018. If candidates receive a result of “no standing” because, for example, they fell ill during the exam, this will not count as an attempt. However, failing or a status of “denied standing” will be considered attempts.

As is currently the case, candidates who have passed the MCCQE Part I or the MCCQE Part II will not be able to re-take it.

New Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018.

Please be advised that for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the planned results date will be in July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, the results release will be in January 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam.

Impact:

• In some cases, postgraduate programs require their incoming residents to provide MCCQE Part I results. For those programs who have this requirement, please be advised of the change in timing for the planned results release for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I (to July 2018), in order to reorient or change the timeline of this requirement for this session.

Candidates who are planning on taking the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II should be aware of the change in timing for the release of their results, especially if they must submit their results to other medical organizations before the end of 2018.

We recognize that when an examination determines a professional’s future, a lot depends on the score needed to pass. It sets the standard for physicians in Canada. How is that pass score determined? Who makes that determination?

The MCC ensures that the standard is arrived at by a rigorous process that uses best practices and methods accepted worldwide. One of the things we do routinely is to assess what level determines competency and provides regulatory authorities with a standard that we can stand by.

Panels set the standard

The process starts by recruiting panels of physicians from across Canada to take part in a standard-setting exercise. Such exercises are conducted every three to five years, to reflect the rapid pace at which medicine and medical education evolve. Major changes to examinations can also trigger standard-setting.

To ensure panels are as representative as possible, they are balanced by region, years of practice, specialties, gender, language and whether physicians were trained in Canada or abroad.

The rigorous process for standard-setting offers both patients and candidates confidence in the steps taken. The intent of the MCC examinations is to protect the safety of the public. Candidates can also take comfort in the fact that we use an extremely high-quality process to arrive at this score, and we involve their professors, peers, and colleagues to do so.

For more on this topic, read the full article and for detailed information on standard-setting methods, read the most recent technical reports on the exercises for the MCCEE, MCCQE Part I, MCCQE Part II, and NAC Examination.

• Learn about upcoming changes to the MCC's examination program based on the new Blueprint


• Find out more about the new resources available to help candidates challenge these exams


• Discover how to interpret new scores and get a sneak-peak of the new results reports

The following webinar titled The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me? was conducted on April 15, 2018. Please click here to view this presentation and question and answer session. Please note that registration is required for new visitors.

It is designed for residents, colleagues and others interested in this topic. 

Presentation Title: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part II: What’s in it for me?

Speaker: Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa
Chief Medical Education Officer, Medical Council of Canada

Presentation: 20 minutes
Question and answer session: 25 minutes

If you have questions regarding upcoming examination changes, please visit mccevolution.ca or email your question to communications@mcc.ca at any time to receive a response.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Check out the modified samples of the Supplemental Information Report for candidates taking the MCCQE Part I starting in spring 2018, and for the MCCQE Part II starting in fall 2018.

What’s new

• The name “Supplemental Information Report” – to better reflect the report content.


• Simplified and standardized wording and figures across the exams.


• The subscores have changed to reflect domains under the two dimensions of the new Blueprint. Under Dimensions of Care there is health promotion and illness prevention, acute, chronic and psychosocial aspects. Under Physician Activities there is assessment/diagnosis, management, communication and professional behaviours. The information and figures remain similar to previous formats.


• Domain definitions and the percentage they represent on the test are now included on Page 3 of the report, to assist candidates’ understanding regarding the make-up of the exam.

What prompted these modifications?

• These Supplemental Information Report modifications are based on the new Blueprint for the MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II.


• These modifications are part of an overarching series of exam enhancements based on best practices to ensure the highest level of medical care for Canadians through excellence in evaluation of physicians.

How were these modifications developed?

• Data display, design, figures and text were developed internally across a number of MCC divisions, with checks against best practices from both a content and measurement perspective. Comments were also gathered from a small sampling of students, with planning in place to expand external input for future modifications.

To view samples of the modified Supplemental Information Report for the MCCQE Part I starting in spring 2018 please click here.

To view samples of the modified Supplemental Information Report for the MCCQE Part II starting in fall 2018, please click here.

Please note that candidates will be able to access their post-exam Supplemental Information Report through their physiciansapply.ca account.

A reminder that the MCC is making changes to its examination program in 2018 and 2019 to reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians. As part of this transition, the NAC Examination eligibility criteria are changing to provide candidates with more flexibility and enhanced access to the examination.

The following changes will be introduced with the March 2018 session:

The MCCEE is no longer an eligibility requirement to apply to the NAC exam

International medical students and graduates are no longer required to pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) before they can apply to the NAC exam. Eligible candidates can challenge the NAC exam first – or the MCCEE – in the order that they prefer and can even apply to both at once.

Candidates can retake the NAC exam if they have a pass (or fail) result, for up to three attempts in total

Previously, only candidates who had failed the exam could retake it. Now, candidates with a pass are also able to retake it. The candidate’s latest result will be the only valid result and will not expire.

Candidates taking the exam will have to skip a session before reapplying. For example, a candidate who took the September 2018 NAC exam will be able to retake the exam, at the earliest, in September 2019, skipping the March 2019 session.

International medical students may take the NAC exam within 12 months of their anticipated date of graduation

Previously, students could challenge the NAC exam in September of their final medical school year, further to passing the MCCEE.

The NAC exam may now be the first assessment that international medical students challenge, instead of the MCCEE. As such, the requirement of taking the NAC exam at the earliest within 12 months of the anticipated date of graduation was made explicit in the exam’s regulations.

This requirement does not apply to medical graduates who may apply to the exam at any time as they have already completed their medical degree.

See NAC exam Application and eligibility for more information. Candidates interested in applying to the September 2018 NAC exam are encouraged to sign up to our distribution list to receive the application notification, which will be sent the second week of April 2018. Please visit this page, and click on the button at the top of the page to subscribe.

New Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018.

Please be advised that for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the planned results date will be in July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, the results release will be in January 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam

Impact:

• In some cases, postgraduate programs require their incoming residents to provide MCCQE Part I results. For those programs who have this requirement, please be advised of the change in timing for the planned results release for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I (to July 2018), in order to reorient or change the timeline of this requirement for this session.

Candidates who are planning on taking the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II should be aware of the change in timing for the release of their results, especially if they must submit their results to other medical organizations before the end of 2018.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.  

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

The Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) Practice Test is now available on our new Practice test Portal.

We are pleased to advise that several Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) Practice Test forms are now available for purchase, and each one features 100 MCQs.

Of note — these practice tests align with the new MCCQE Part I Blueprint and content weightings.

How practice test content is developed

Practice test content is created by physicians and experts who have experience with the Medical Council of Canada’s content development process.

How to access practice tests

A new Practice Test Portal, that offers many user-friendly features, has been developed to allow test takers to complete practice tests anytime, anywhere. Visit test.mcc.ca to create an account within our Practice Test Portal.

Practice test results

Once you’ve completed a practice test, you’ll receive immediate high-level information and instructions on how to interpret your results.

Purchase a practice test

These new practice tests are designed to provide you with a sample of questions you could encounter on the MCCQE Part I.

You’ll gain an understanding of the MCCQE Part I content areas and get a sense of how the exam is structured. You’ll also discover the testing platform features, such as flagging a question and highlighting options.

Want to buy more than one? Be our guest! There’s no limit to the number of test forms you can purchase.

Cost: Each practice test form is $100.

Please visit test.mcc.ca to create an account within our Practice Test Portal.

Interested in purchasing a group of practice tests?

Representing an organization and want to purchase a group of practice tests? Please visit our organization bulk purchases page.

What’s coming up next?

The Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Practice Test will be launching in the fall 2018.

In early 2019, we’ll be launching our MCCQE Part I Preparatory Examination, which is intended to replicate the exam experience. The Preparatory Examination will provide question-level feedback, including what the correct answers are and why.

Please stay tuned for more details about the launch of these products, and keep your eyes peeled – we’ll be adding new test forms to the Practice Test Portal on a regular basis.

 

Prometric, an internationally recognized firm with more than 20 years’ experience in exam development and administration for professional sectors that include engineering and medicine, has been selected as the vendor for the Canadian and international delivery of the MCCQE Part I, starting in 2019.

Work is underway to help expand exam site capacity across Canada to meet the anticipated demand for the April/May session of the 2019 MCCQE Part I, as well as subsequent sessions.

This shift in 2019 to a vendor-delivered model will ensure broad access for candidates and more opportunities to take the MCCQE Part I.

MCC and Prometric have worked collaboratively for close to 10 years to deliver examinations that are developed and administered to the highest quality standards and to ensure that candidates have a similar exam experience — together, our two organizations have been offering the MCCEE to candidates since 2008.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices. 

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Please be advised that the number of Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) cases will change from approximately 50 to 38 in the 2018 Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I.

The CDM component in the 2018 MCCQE Part I assesses problem solving and Clinical Decision-Making skills. Candidates may be asked to elicit clinical information, order diagnostic procedures, make diagnoses or prescribe therapy. Candidates’ decisions should reflect the management of an actual patient. Of note: the session time allotted for this exam component is 3.5 hours.

We had previously communicated that the 2018 MCCQE Part I would feature 35 CDM cases. This number has changed to 38 due to requirements to increase the number of pilot cases in the exam. Prior to 2018, the exam had more CDM cases (approximately 50), and the length of the segment was four hours.

Please click here for helpful tips on how to prepare for the CDM component, including time management, question instructions, scoring and scenario details.

Please note that the Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) component to the 2018 Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I will increase from 196 questions to 210 questions.

The MCQ component of the 2018 MCCQE Part I will consist of 210 questions. The maximum time allotted for this component is four hours. Candidates can flag questions, and return to those questions at any point during the MCQ portion of the exam.

For helpful candidate instructions for this MCQ component, please click here

New Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018.

Please be advised that for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the planned results date will be in July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, the results release will be in January 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam

Impact:

• In some cases, postgraduate programs require their incoming residents to provide MCCQE Part I results. For those programs who have this requirement, please be advised of the change in timing for the planned results release for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I (to July 2018), in order to reorient or change the timeline of this requirement for this session.

Candidates who are planning on taking the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II should be aware of the change in timing for the release of their results, especially if they must submit their results to other medical organizations before the end of 2018.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices. 

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

We recognize that when an examination determines a professional’s future, a lot depends on the score needed to pass. It sets the standard for physicians in Canada. How is that pass score determined? Who makes that determination?

The MCC ensures that the standard is arrived at by a rigorous process that uses best practices and methods accepted worldwide. One of the things we do routinely is to assess what level determines competency and provides regulatory authorities with a standard that we can stand by.

Panels set the standard

The process starts by recruiting panels of physicians from across Canada to take part in a standard-setting exercise. The MCC does not set the standard; the standard is recommended by panels. Such exercises are conducted every three to five years, to reflect the rapid pace at which medicine and medical education evolve. Major changes to examinations can also trigger standard-setting.

To ensure panels are as representative as possible, they are balanced by region, years of practice, specialties, gender, language and whether physicians were trained in Canada or abroad.

The rigorous process for standard-setting offers both patients and candidates confidence in the steps taken. The intent of the MCC examinations is to protect the safety of the public. Candidates can also take comfort in the fact that we use an extremely high-quality process to arrive at this score, and we involve their professors, peers and colleagues to do so.

For more on this topic, read the full article and for detailed information on standard-setting methods, read the most recent technical reports on the exercises for the MCCEE, MCCQE Part I, MCCQE Part II, and NAC Examination.

Following the successful launch of mcc.ca, we are proud to introduce the newly redesigned ECHO newsletter as part of our continued efforts to enhance e-communications with our valued stakeholders.

What’s new?

• While remaining vibrant and visual, the new ECHO is shorter and more concise


• Preview text is designed to peak interest, give readers a window into the related article without having to open it


• Individual web articles link readers directly to mcc.ca where they can find related articles on topics of interest


• More mobile friendly, this e-newsletter format offers users a better reading experience on any device


• Emails and individual articles are easier to share. Readers are encouraged to forward the newsletter or share its content on social media within their networks.

These enhancements are informed by reader input, including a brief survey.

In publishing the ECHO, it has always been the MCC’s goal to distribute content that is informative, engaging and visually appealing.

Readers can continue to expect article topics important to them, such as:

• Assessment Evolution


• New and ongoing projects and initiatives


• Services and resources available to candidates and stakeholders


• Upcoming events and conferences


• Special interest series and profiles


• Research and development activities


• Partner organization features and recognition


• Corporate social responsibility initiatives

The ECHO newsletter will continue to be published twice yearly, with plans to increase frequency in the future.

And, check out MCC’s newly redesigned News and events and Publications webpages. Here, you will have access to all the latest MCC activities, important updates, reports, presentations, posters and much more.

Interested in signing up to receive the new ECHO? Please visit mcc.ca and sign up by submitting your email in the footer of the page.

Beginning in January 2018, candidates may apply and take the MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II a maximum of four times each.

A one-year waiting period will be required between the third and fourth attempts. After four attempts, in exceptional personal circumstances, the candidate can request that the Central Examination Committee (CEC) grant them special permission to make a fifth attempt.

Exam attempts before 2018 will not count towards the limit; the count starts in 2018. If candidates receive a result of “no standing” because, for example, they fell ill during the exam, this will not count as an attempt. However, failing or a status of “denied standing” will be considered attempts.

As is currently the case, candidates who have passed the MCCQE Part I or the MCCQE Part II will not be able to re-take it.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

On November 1, the Medical Council of Canada announced a more streamlined assessment process for international medical graduates and international medical students.

Starting in 2019, we will be delivering the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I in Canada and internationally in over 80 countries, up to five times per year.

The MCCQE Part I is currently offered twice per year in Canada only. Internationally trained candidates must first pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) before being eligible to apply for the MCCQE Part I.

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, we will be phasing out the MCCEE. November 2018 will be the last session. Candidates will have until mid-November 2018 to take the MCCEE.

We anticipate the following examination schedule in 2018, 2019 and 2020:

MCCEE

• 2018: January, March, May, September, November


• 2019: None


• 2020: None

MCCQE Part I

• 2018: Spring and fall


• 2019: April/May, July, Sept./Oct., Nov.


• 2020: Jan., April/May, July, Sept./Oct., Nov.

*Please note that sessions are subject to change.

We are actively working with Postgraduate Medical Education Deans and residency program directors across the country to update the exam requirements for the 2020 Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) R-1 Main Residency Match. Candidates should contact CaRMS directly regarding the participation requirements for the R-1 Match.

Candidates interested in applying to the MCCQE Part I in 2019 are encouraged to sign up to our distribution list to receive the application notification, which will be sent in fall 2018. Please visit this page, and use the button at the top of the page to subscribe.

We will be updating mcc.ca and mccevolution.ca in the coming months with more information on the 2019 international delivery of the MCCQE Part I. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about key developments related to MCC examination modifications, as well as new preparatory resources that we will be making available for candidates challenging the new MCCQE Part I, please watch for updates in upcoming editions of our Assessment Evolution e-bulletin.

New MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018.

Please be advised that for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the planned results date will be in July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, the results release will be in January 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam.

Impact:

• In some cases, postgraduate programs require their incoming residents to provide MCCQE Part I results. For those programs who have this requirement, please be advised of the change in timing for the planned results release for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I (to July 2018), in order to reorient or change the timeline of this requirement for this session.


• Candidates who are planning on taking the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II should be aware of the change in timing for the release of their results, especially if they must submit their results to other medical organizations before the end of 2018.

Beginning in January 2018, candidates may apply and take the MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II a maximum of four times each.

A one-year waiting period will be required between the third and fourth attempts. After four attempts, in exceptional personal circumstances, the candidate can request that the Central Examination Committee (CEC) grant them special permission to make a fifth attempt.

Exam attempts before 2018 will not count towards the limit; the count starts in 2018. If candidates receive a result of “no standing” because, for example, they fell ill during the exam, this will not count as an attempt. However, failing or a status of “denied standing” will be considered attempts.

As is currently the case, candidates who have passed the MCCQE Part I or the MCCQE Part II will not be able to re-take it.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices. 

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Practice tests offer candidates the opportunity to test their level of preparedness for the MCCQE Part I. These tests are designed to familiarize candidates with the look and feel of the MCCQE Part I, and the types of questions they could encounter. Practice test content will align as much as possible with the MCCQE Part I Blueprint and content weightings.

About the new practice tests:

• Starting in January 2018, two Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) test forms will be available for purchase - each with 100 MCQ questions


• Practice test content is created by physicians and experts who have experience with the MCC’s content development process


• A new Practice Test Portal offering many user-friendly features will also be launched to enable anytime, anywhere access for test takers to sign up for practice tests and take the test to completion


• Test takers will be able to self-manage their access to MCC practice tests. They may view their test history, including their results from previous practice test attempts


• All test takers will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their practice test experience via an online survey. Our aim is to enhance the practice test experience based on this valuable input. Organizations can also self-manage their practice test account – request quotes, purchase access codes, manage access codes, etc.

What benefit do practice tests provide?

• The practice tests are intended to familiarize candidates with the MCCQE Part I and provide information to test takers that may help them focus their studies

Practice test results:

• Practice test results will be immediately available, and will provide overall performance information in relation to the new Blueprint, showing the 4x4 grid with the number of correct answers per cell

Cost:

• For Test Takers: The cost will be $100 for each test form. There is no limit to the number of test forms that can be purchased.

Stay tuned to mccevolution.ca for the new Practice Test Portal link, which will be made available in January 2018.

Please be advised that new exam score ranges will be implemented next year and will appear different than exam score ranges used for past sessions.

The current scale for both MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II is from 50 to 950. The new scale for MCCQE Part I will be from 100 to 400, and the new scale for MCCQE Part II will be from 50 to 250.

New exam score ranges are being developed to reflect best practices. An independent review of the new exam score ranges was conducted by the Central Examination Committee, responsible for the quality of content and exams, and comprised of the Chairs of all test committees for the MCCQE Part I and Part II.

How to compare scores with the new exam score ranges:

The manner in which scores can be compared remains consistent for both the former and new exam score ranges—that is, scores can be compared to the mean and standard deviation of total scores using results from when the new exam score range is established (spring 2018 for MCCQE Part I and fall 2018 for MCCQE Part II).

Timing overview:

• New exam score ranges will be implemented in spring 2018 for the MCCQE Part I and fall 2018 for the MCCQE Part II.


• New MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018/2019:For the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the MCC plans on releasing results in late June or early July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, results will be released in January 2019.


• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam.

A reminder that the MCC is making changes to its examination program in 2018 and 2019 to reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians. As part of this transition, the NAC Examination eligibility criteria are changing to provide candidates with more flexibility and enhanced access to the examination.

The following changes will be introduced with the March 2018 session:

The MCCEE is no longer an eligibility requirement to apply to the NAC exam

International medical students and graduates are no longer required to pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) before they can apply to the NAC exam. Eligible candidates can challenge the NAC exam first – or the MCCEE – in the order that they prefer and can even apply to both at once.

Candidates can retake the NAC exam if they have a pass (or fail) result, for up to three attempts in total

Previously, only candidates who had failed the exam could retake it. Now, candidates with a pass are also able to retake it. The candidate’s latest result will be the only valid result and will not expire.

Candidates taking the exam will have to skip a session before reapplying. For example, a candidate taking the September 2018 NAC exam will be able to retake the exam, at the earliest, in September 2019, skipping the March 2019 session. This change will be applied moving forward, starting with those taking the March 2018 session. Candidates who took the September 2017 exam will still be able to retake it in March 2018, if they so choose.

International medical students may take the NAC exam within 12 months of their anticipated date of graduation

Previously, students could challenge the NAC exam in September of their final medical school year, further to passing the MCCEE.

The NAC exam may now be the first assessment that international medical students challenge, instead of the MCCEE. As such, the requirement of taking the NAC exam at the earliest within 12 months of the anticipated date of graduation was made explicit in the exam’s regulations.

This requirement does not apply to medical graduates who may apply to the exam at any time as they have already completed their medical degree.

See NAC exam Application and eligibility for more information.

The following webinar titled The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part I: What’s in it for me? was conducted on September 7, 2017. Please click here to view this presentation and question and answer session.

It is designed for third-year or final year medical students who will be challenging the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination in Spring 2018.

Presentation Title: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part I: What’s in it for me?

Speaker: Dr. Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC , Chief Medical Education Advisor, Medical Council of Canada; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Presentation: 20 minutes
Question and answer session: 20 minutes

If you have questions regarding upcoming examination changes, please visit our FAQs section or email your question to communications@mcc.ca at any time to receive a response.

Do you want to find out more about the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination that you will be challenging in Spring 2018? 

Are you a third-year or final year medical student? Then this webinar is for you!

INVITATION:
For the following webinar: The new MCC Qualifying Examination Part I: What’s in it for me?

Thursday, September 7, 2017
English webinar: 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET

Speaker:
Dr. Claire Touchie, MD, MHPE, FRCPC
Chief Medical Education Advisor, Medical Council of Canada
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WEBINAR:
No advance registration is required.

The webinar link will be activated on Thursday, September 7 at 8 a.m. ET [it is not currently activated].

On Thursday, September 7:
We encourage you to test your access to the webinar link in advance (an extra set-up step may be required for some participants).

Please go to: mcc-cmc.adobeconnect.com/webinar (to be activated Sept. 7 at 8 a.m. ET)
Please enter as “Guest”.

To download the free Adobe App, click here

Browser selection:
Edge™ and Explorer™ browsers are suggested.

If you use the Chrome™ browser, an extra step is required for compatibility with Adobe Connect. Please click here for instructions to make the Chrome™ browser compatible with Adobe Connect™.

If you are located in Ottawa, Canada and would like to attend the webinar in person, here are the details:
University of Ottawa
Roger Guindon Pavillon, Room RGN 2005
451 Smyth Road
Ottawa

Please note that seating will be available on a first-come basis.

Question and answer session with Dr. Claire Touchie, Medical Council of Canada:
We invite you to ask questions during the question and answer segment of the webinar that will follow Dr. Touchie’s presentation. Instructions on how to submit a question will be provided to webinar participants during the webinar.

Questions at any time about MCC examination changes can be sent to communications@mcc.ca.

Technical support:
Adobe technical specialists are available to assist you at 1-800-422-3623. (Canada, United States, Mexico). For additional international telephone #s for technical support, please click here.

This webinar will be recorded and available for viewing after September 7 on our mccevolution.ca website at www.mccevolution.ca/resources/news/.

Information will also be posted in the Assessment Evolution e-bulletin. Click here to be added to the Assessment Evolution e-bulletin distribution list.

Webinar Project Manager, Medical Council of Canada: wcumming@mcc.ca

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices. 

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, the competencies of our nation’s medical professionals must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Enhancements are being made to the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination. There will be a standard-setting exercise following the first implementation of the new enhanced NAC exam in the March 2019 exam session. Enhancements to the exam are part of the MCC’s and the NAC’s commitment to ensuring that current best practices in assessment are integrated into examination development and delivery.

The purpose of the NAC exam

Each year, international medical graduates (IMGs) from approximately 100 countries involving over 400 international medical schools take the NAC Examination, which assesses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to enter postgraduate training in Canada. The NAC exam is overseen by the NAC Examination Committee (NEC) which is comprised of physicians and experts in medical education and assessment.

What is standard setting?

Standard setting is a process used to define an acceptable level of performance in the domains assessed by an examination.

How MCC will continue to guide stakeholders through the NAC standard-setting exercise and outcomes

Residency programs/medical educators: Guidelines will be provided on how to interpret changes to the reporting of candidate results following the 2019 standard-setting exercise.

Candidates: Those taking the March 2019 NAC exam session will be the first cohort to experience the enhanced exam and receive results following the standard-setting exercise. The MCC and the NAC will provide information resources to help candidates interpret the new score scale, including an updated Supplementary Information Report, and updated content on the NAC exam Scoring page on mcc.ca.

Please be advised that in the sessions when standard setting is done, the extra steps to complete the exercise require a delay in the date of the results release. In the case of the NAC exam, the impact is anticipated to be minimal as the timing of the standard-setting exercise will still allow candidates to receive results well in advance of the opening of the 2020 CaRMS R-1 Main Residency Match process.

We invite your questions and comments, and we will continue to keep you informed about key developments every step of the way.

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, medical professionals’ competencies in Canada must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address patient population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

 

The introduction of a more flexible and internationally delivered Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I in the spring of 2019 will see several complementary eligibility changes to the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination. These modifications will support candidates, provide more flexibility and enhance fairness as we approach this transition in our assessments’ evolution.

Please note that we will be introducing the following eligibility requirements for the NAC Examination starting with the March 2018 session:

For international medical students and graduates: A pass on the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) will no longer be an eligibility requirement to apply to the NAC exam

International medical students and graduates will no longer be required to pass the MCCEE before they can apply to the NAC exam. Eligible candidates will be able to challenge the NAC exam first – or the MCCEE – in the order that they prefer, or even in the same month.

For all candidates taking the NAC exam

Candidates who obtain a pass (or fail) result on the NAC exam will be able to retake it, up to a maximum of three times.

Starting in March 2018, candidates retaking the exam will, however, have to skip a session before retaking it regardless of a pass or fail result. For example, a candidate taking the September 2018 NAC exam will be able to retake the exam, at the earliest, in September 2019, skipping the March 2019 session.

These new NAC exam eligibility requirements apply to all candidates and offer an enhanced opportunity for candidates to prepare for their next attempt.

Since the new criteria on “skipping” a session applies starting in 2018, candidates taking the September 2017 exam with a pass or fail result will be able to retake it if they so choose in March 2018.

Previously (since 2015): Candidates with a pass result could not retake the exam. The governance committee, the National Assessment Central Coordinating Committee (NAC3) has revisited this approach to take into consideration the competitive process candidates face when applying to residency.

For international medical students applying to the NAC exam

Formerly, students could challenge the NAC exam in September of their final medical school year, further to passing the MCCEE. The eligibility rules are now changing, given that candidates may now challenge the NAC exam first. As such, the eligibility rules now indicate that international medical students may take the NAC exam at the earliest within 12 months of their anticipated date of graduation.

For more information on these changes, please see our NAC exam Application and eligibility web page.

We will issue a reminder about these changes in the fall, prior to the application opening for the March 2018 NAC exam session.

 

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes, and MCC will continue to model its approach to excellence in physician evaluation based on best practices.

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, our nation’s medical professionals’ competencies must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and learners.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine continues to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations to align with our new Blueprint and to better address patient population health issues and psychosocial aspects of care;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials, including modules, videos, orientation and preparatory examinations for convenient online access anytime, anywhere.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Report on the practice test pilots recently conducted and next piloting opportunity for Canadian graduating medical students (3rd and 4th year): Thank you to the 2,000+ students from across Canada who participated in MCC’s Multiple-Choice Question Practice Test (March/April 2017) - valuable feedback was gathered. Another cross-Canada piloting activity (also free for participants) will be offered with a Clinical Decision Making and Multiple-Choice Question focus in March/April 2018. Practice test pilots as well as ongoing consultations and Q&A sessions at key conferences are among the many ways that MCC continually gathers candidate and stakeholder input to inform examination planning and content, including creating additional candidate support tools and products.

About the practice test pilots* conducted in March/April 2017 (Multiple-Choice questions focus):

• MCC engaged graduating medical students (3rd and 4th year) in the delivery of a Multiple-Choice Question self-administered practice test;


• The pilot was scheduled from March 20-April 13, 2017 and was offered for free to universities and students; and


• Fifteen universities provided laboratory space, computer seats for students, and proctors to simulate a true examination.

Overall experience and outcomes:

• More than 2,000 students participated across Canada;


• Data was collected on the performance of 384 newly created items/questions;


• While there were isolated technical issues and one contingency planning incident (one venue experienced a fire alarm), overall this was a highly successful initiative. Our thanks to participants for your patience as we worked swiftly to correct any problems. We have logged lessons learned and will have a new user-friendly platform to deliver next year’s pilot activity;


• Examples of student feedback include:
  “Overall, very helpful to go through this and get a sense of what the exam will be like”
  “Thanks for offering this practice test”
  “Great preparation for the MCCQE Part I”
  “Was easy to use, straight forward, clear on how to maneuver”


• This activity will help launch three new Multiple-Choice Questions Practice Tests in January 2018 (fee-based), with more to follow in 2019.

Piloting opportunity for graduating medical students - 3rd and 4th year (Clinical Decision Making and Multiple-Choice question focus, spring 2018):

• MCC will be offering another free piloting activity across Canada from March 6 to April 6, 2018 for Canadian graduating medical students (3rd and 4th year);


• The focus will be Multiple-Choice Questions and Clinical Decision Making cases.

Why are we doing practice test pilots?

• Our primary goal was to collect data on newly created Multiple-Choice Questions to update the MCC Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I preparatory products for 2018 and 2019. These future preparatory products will provide Canadian and international medical students and graduates with high quality practice tests available to them when preparing to write the MCCQE Part I; and


• MCC wants to ensure that the quality of new candidate support tools and products follow the current content development processes of the MCCQE Part I as well as the new Blueprint starting in 2018.

Next steps:

• MCC will be reaching out to universities shortly to sign-up for the spring 2018 practice test pilots.

*Please go to “Tests” in our Glossary to source the definition for “Practice Tests”

MCC Examinations — Test Security: Preserving the integrity and security of the entire examination process and protecting examination content are critical to the MCC as an assessment body that has earned Canadians’ trust. All candidates taking an MCC examination must be aware of their legal and professional responsibilities prior to taking the exam. Applicants, test takers and potential applicants and anyone interested in test security are encouraged to click here for updated information.

 

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes.

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, our nation’s medical professionals’ competencies must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and students.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine is continued to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations and aligning them to our new Blueprint;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

Revisions to the MCC’s Objectives: With the upcoming changes to the Blueprint for the Medical Council of Canada’s Qualifying Examinations starting in 2018, the following revisions have been made to the MCC’s Objectives. The Objectives describe the attributes expected of medical graduates entering supervised and independent practice in Canada, and can be used by candidates preparing for MCC examinations as well as by educators and medical assessment organizations in Canada and around the world.

The Objectives serve as MCC’s guide when developing questions for the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE), the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) examination and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and Part II.

Why are we doing this?

• Revisions to the MCC Objectives ensure that they are aligned with the newly approved examination blueprints.

Detailed information on the Blueprint project can be found here

How are the MCC Objectives developed?

The Objectives are organized by physician role as defined by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons’ CanMEDS (Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists) framework. This includes the roles of communicator, collaborator, health advocate, leader/manager, scholar, professional and medical expert. The CanMEDS framework is used extensively in Canada and is recognized worldwide.

Using the Objectives as a study guide

The Objectives are also organized by clinical presentation and diagnoses, each with learning objectives that set out what is expected of a Canadian physician. When preparing for the MCC Qualifying Examination, each role and clinical presentation/diagnosis can be reviewed with a careful read of the related key and enabling objectives.

To assist you in identifying the specific revisions made to the MCC Objectives, we have consolidated several tracking lists for your information. The lists have been separated into the following three categories: New Objectives, Revised Objectives and Deleted Objectives.

New MCCQE Part I and MCCQE Part II results release dates will take effect in 2018: Please be advised that for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I, the planned results date will be in July 2018; for the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II, the results release will be in January 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• The new results release dates are linked to the launch of the new exams, and the time and attention required to conduct and complete a full standard-setting exercise following each exam.

Impact:

• In some cases, postgraduate programs require their incoming residents to provide MCCQE Part I results. For those programs who have this requirement, please be advised of the change in timing for the planned results release for the spring 2018 MCCQE Part I (to July 2018), in order to reorient or change the timeline of this requirement for this session.


• Candidates who are planning on taking the fall 2018 MCCQE Part II should be aware of the change in timing for the release of their results, especially if they must submit their results to other medical organizations before the end of 2018.

Test Specifications for the MCCQE Part II: Following the publication of MCCQE Part I test specifications, the specifications for the MCCQE Part II have been posted, detailing the content weightings across the two Blueprint categories: physician activities and dimensions of care.

Of note: The test specifications will refer to content weightings for the MCCQE Part I starting in spring 2018, and content weightings for the MCCQE Part II starting in fall 2018.

MCC Business Session at CCME: Monday, May 1, 2017 in Winnipeg, Manitoba: The MCC is proud to take part in the Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME). CCME attendees are encouraged to attend the MCC’s Business Session on Monday, May 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (local time/CST) at the Delta Hotel (Charleswood B Room) for the latest Assessment Evolution information and updates.

Please extend this invitation to registered and prospective CCME attendees.

On Monday, May 1, 2017, we invite you to attend our business session, titled: The times they are a’changing. In this session, we will be reviewing the following topics:

• Upcoming changes to the MCC's exam program and the communications activities that will support this evolution;


• Previewing our new candidate score reports; and


• Reviewing the results of the university pilot activity of the new multiple-choice question tests.

We will also be highlighting the existing candidate orientation tools and will discuss the additional preparatory materials that will be available.

MCC Speakers:

• Dr. Ian Bowmer, Executive Director


• Ms. Jessica Hertzog-Grenier, Director of Communications


• Dr. André De Champlain, Director of Psychometrics and Assessment Services


• Ms. Ingrid De Vries, Associate Director of the Evaluation Bureau

Date/Time: Monday, May 1, 2017 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (local time/CST)

Location: Delta Hotel, Charleswood B Room

Canadians are living healthier and longer lives. And Canada now has the most diverse population of any country in the world. The delivery of care is adapting rapidly to keep pace with global changes.

As the delivery of health care to Canadians evolves, our nation’s medical professionals’ competencies must reflect the reality of medical practice and the current health-care needs of Canadians.

Modifications to MCC exams are required to modernize and streamline the exam experience for candidates. These modifications are an extensive undertaking, and have involved in-depth consultations with stakeholders across the medical community, including medical professionals, medical educators and students.

The following measures are being enacted to ensure that medicine is continued to be practised safely and effectively:

• Revising examinations and aligning them to our new Blueprint;


• Increasing testing frequency; and


• Creating additional preparatory materials.

These steps are part of the MCC’s commitment to Canadians—to deliver the highest level of medical care through excellence in the evaluation of physicians.

 

Exam delivery by MCC will continue to take place at current sites in 2018, and broaden in 2019 when we move to a vendor-delivered model: It will continue to be business as usual with exam delivery continuing at faculty and some private sites in 2018. We plan to introduce the vendor-delivered model in all Canadian cities where the examination is currently delivered, and internationally starting in spring 2019.

Why are we doing this?

• This will ensure continuity in the short term and ensure broad access for candidates, especially for the spring examination window, when most candidates take the MCCQE Part I.


• In 2019, the shift to a vendor-delivered model will provide more opportunities to take the MCCQE Part I.

A longer multiple-choice component, language selection at the start of the exam, and the ability to flag questions during the multiple-choice component and return to those questions at any point during the multiple-choice component portion of the exam.

The new exam structure will see a longer multiple-choice component (four hours) and a shorter clinical decision making component (3.5 hours). Currently, candidates have 3.5 hours to complete the multiple-choice component portion of the exam, and four hours for the clinical decision making component.

Why are we doing this?

• The multiple-choice component portion was increased to be able to test more competencies in the required content areas.

Candidates will be required to make their language choice at the start of their exam on exam day, and then take the exam in one language; the language choice cannot be changed throughout the exam, and the toggling feature between English and French questions during the exam will no longer be available.

Why are we doing this?

• Our analyses showed minimal usage of the toggling feature by candidates.


• This change is also based on input from stakeholders, including medical educators, who have asked that their candidates take the exam in a single language.


• The introduction of enhanced quality assurance measures for both language versions of the examination has made the need to toggle obsolete.


• As well, the time spent toggling between language versions presented a potential risk for candidates of not completing the examination.


• We are introducing this change in 2018, to align with how the exam will be offered at vendor operated sites in 2019.

Candidates will have the ability to flag questions during the multiple-choice question component, and return to those questions at any point during the multiple-choice question portion of the exam. As is currently the case, candidates will continue to be able to flag clinical decision making (CDM) questions and go back to the flagged CDM items at any point during the CDM component of the exam.

Why are we doing this?

• This is being done to enhance the exam experience for candidates and align with how the exam will be delivered by the vendor starting in 2019.

 

Limits to number of exam attempts for MCCQE Part I and the MCCQE Part II starting in 2018: As you may be aware, limits will be introduced to the number of times candidates can take the MCCQE Part I and the MCCQE Part II starting in 2018.

Beginning in January 2018, candidates may apply and take the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I and Part II a maximum of four times each. A one-year waiting period will be required between the third and fourth attempts. After four attempts, in exceptional personal circumstances, the candidate can request that the Central Examination Committee (CEC) grant them special permission to make a fifth attempt.

Exam attempts before 2018 will not count towards the limit; the count starts in 2018. If candidates receive a result of “no standing” because, for example, they fell ill during the exam, this will not count as an attempt. However, failing or a status of “denied standing” will be considered attempts.

This policy, put forward by the MCC’s Central Examination Committee (CEC) and approved by the Council last September, ensures fairness for candidates who are unlikely to be successful after numerous exam attempts, and prevents undue content exposure.