Board certification in general surgery in Canada is handled by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Surgeons in Canada receive board certification in general surgery after completing a residency program accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and completing the examinations administered by the college.
Qualification
To take the board examinations administered by the college, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited residency program. The college lays out particular qualifications that ensure the residency program receives specific accreditation for general surgery. Applicants must pass a preliminary assessment of their qualifications before applying to take the examinations.
Written Component
The written component of the board examinations takes place in various locations and is comprised of the Principles of Surgery examination, which can be taken when at least two years of specialty training in general surgery are completed. The Principles of Surgery exam must be passed successfully before the Final Written Examination is undertaken. The Final Written Examination is comprised of two sections lasting three hours each, and contains only multiple-choice questions.
Oral Component
The Oral and Clinical Examinations take place in Ottawa, Ontario, and are approximately two hours in length. Candidates respond to questions from examiners that cover clinical surgery and other areas, including basic sciences.
Final Evaluation
After successfully passing the general surgery examinations, the candidate must pass a Final In-Training Evaluation Report (FITER) before receiving board certification from the college.
International Medical Graduates
Passing the board examinations is the usual route to certification. However, there are alternate routes for qualified individuals such as internationally trained medical graduates. Information on this can be found on the College's website.
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