COVID-19

CCME moving to a virtual format

On March 13, CCME partners approved moving to a virtual CCME for 2020 as a result of COVID-19. We will be leveraging state of the art virtual technology for all accredited plenary sessions which will be held on April 19 and April 20.

AFMC will be holding the following virtual events:

the AFMC Board of Directors meeting
the Learner Forum, Humanism in the Learning Environment: Current State and Future Directions
A Healthy Response to Climate Change: A Hot Topic for Medical Education.

The following events are postponed and will be rescheduled:

AFMC International Social Accountability and Accreditation Summit
AFMC Student Affairs Committee Meeting
AFMC UGME Committee Meeting
AFMC CPD Committee Meeting
AFMC PGME Committee Meeting
AFMC Vice-Deans of Research Committee Meeting
Sneak peak: Addressing the Opioid Crisis through new national curriculum
AFMC Faculty Development Network Meeting
AFMC Clerkship Network Meeting
AFMC Faculty Affairs Network Meeting
AFMC Francophone Minority Network Meeting
AFMC Social Accountability Network Meeting
AFMC FUAL Network Meeting
AFMC Postgraduate Affairs Network Meeting
AFMC Equity, Diversity, and Gender Network Meeting
AFMC EPA Working Group Meeting
AFMC Student Portal Application Fees and Refunds Working Group
AFMC Student Portal Steering Committee Meeting
Visiting Electives: Best Practiices in Request Management Session
AFMC Student Questionnaire Committee Meeting
AFMC Data Stewardship Committee Meeting

Visiting electives for undergraduate medical students

April 15, 2020

Visiting electives are suspended until September 26,2020. Currently, students are unable to submit applications on the AFMC Student Portal. No decision has been made on when the portal will re-open. It will reopen 16 weeks before visiting electives are offered by the faculties. We understand the concern these disruptions may cause, and we ask that students regularly check the AFMC Student Portal for updates as they become available.

March 20, 2020

On March 20, the undergraduate medical education deans across Canada decided to suspend new visiting elective applications until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will not be able to submit applications on the AFMC Student Portal.

We understand the concern these disruptions may cause, and we ask that students regularly check the AFMC Student Portal for updates as they become available. The decision to reopen the Portal will also be made collaboratively, nationally and students will receive communication through the Portal and from their home school regarding the plans and timelines for reopening.

Please visit the AFMC Student Portal for more detailed information.

March 18, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian faculties of medicine are not offering visiting electives at this time. AFMC will be refunding the Portal registration fee for international students unable to complete all of their visiting electives in Canada as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are an international student that has been affected, please contact service@afmcstudentportal.ca.

Canadian students will not receive a refund for their Portal registration fee as they have used the Portal for a visiting elective in the past or will use the Portal for future visiting electives.

Please visit the AFMC Student Portal for more detailed information.

March 13, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic a number of Canadian faculties of medicine are not accepting international students of affected countries/regions for visiting electives at this time. AFMC will be refunding the Portal registration fee for international students unable to complete their visiting elective in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are an international student that has been affected, please contact service@afmcstudentportal.ca. Please visit the AFMC Student Portal website for more detailed information.

AFMC Partner COVID-19 Updates

Canadian Medical Forum

COVID-19 Joint statement from Canadian Medical Forum

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada released its four-point plan for the Royal College spring 2020 cohort.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has had to postpone all exams, including the written exams for March and April, which will have an impact on oral/OSCE exams this spring.

For the full details visit: www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/home-e.

Medical Council of Canada

The Medical Council of Canada will postpone the MCC Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I session scheduled from April 15 to May 15, 2020 and the MCCQE Part II scheduled for May 2 and 3, 2020.

For the full details visit: mcc.ca/

MCC offers the MCCQE Part I via remote proctoring. More information is available here.

College of Family Physicians of Canada

After careful consideration, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) has decided to postpone the spring 2020 Certification Examination in Family Medicine. This postponement applies to both the written (SAMPs) and performance (SOOs) components of our certification examination at all locations.

For the full details visit: www.cfpc.ca

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

The IRCC has updated its exceptions for COVID-19 travel restriction measures. Providers of emergency services and students at medical teaching institutions will be allowed to enter Canada.

Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®)

For information regarding MCAT exams, please visit the MCAT Coronavirus page.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Please consult this page for all COVID-19 information related to CIHR: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51917.html.

Canadian Resident Matching Service

For information on impacts to future match cycles visit: https://www.carms.ca/

Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada

March 24, 2020 - Licensing the 2020 graduating cohorts

The shared position of the medical regulatory authorities of Canada is the following:

Final year medical students who have completed their undergraduate training but not yet taken the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part One will still be able to obtain an educational license to enter residency training in Canada on 1 July 2020, provided that:

they have an offer of a residency position in Canada;
the medical regulatory authority has received confirmation of graduation from the Dean’s Office of a Canadian medical school; and
they understand that they must take the MCC QE Part One at the earliest opportunity.

Graduating residents will be eligible for a provisional / temporary / restricted license in a Canadian province, provided that:

they have confirmation that they completed their postgraduate training program in Canada;
they have received notice of eligibility to take the certification exam (from the College of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada); and
they understand that they must take the certification exam at the earliest opportunity.

For specific information on any other requirements or conditions, all trainees are invited to consult the website of the relevant medical regulatory authority or contact the MRA: fmrac.ca/members.