IMG FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) (Adobe Acrobat File)
Overview
In 2008, the Government of Nova Scotia, the NS Department of Health and Dalhousie University began a pilot project for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) living in Nova Scotia. The two-year program provides two IMGs per year the opportunity to enter third year medicine at Dalhousie University in order to upgrade their clinical skills, to become Canadian Medical Graduates (CMGs) and to provide a return of service in a specialty of need in a rural location in Nova Scotia.
The Nova Scotia Department of Health requires a return of service to a rural Nova Scotia community upon completion of the residency program in a specialty (determined annually).
The IMG Clerkship Program will prepare IMGs for residency training. Upon completion of the program, participants will be eligible to enter the first round of the CaRMS match as Dalhousie graduates.
Please note that the program is intended for newcomers to Canada. Canadians who attended off-shore medical schools are not eligible to apply.
Admission Requirements
Criteria:
- English language proficiency: IELTS (required minimum score: 7) or TOEFL iBT (required minimum score: 100)
- Have been living in Nova Scotia for at least one year - must be within one (1) year of the application deadline.
- Completed one of the following Canadian clinical assessments*:
- CAPP or
- MCCQE II or
- CAPE (Manitoba) or
- CSAT (Newfoundland) or
- CEHPEA (Ontario)
- NAC
- Clinical Assessment Alternative
*If applicants have not undergone CAPP, we require them to register their documents at www.pcrc.org ($250 fee) for source verification. A passing grade is not required in the clinical assessment.
Clinical Assessment Alternative
OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Exams) is scheduled for Friday 16 December 2011 (LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE), as an alternative clinical assessment for IMGs intending to apply to the IMG Clerkship Program in 2012. Please come register in-person at the Global Health Office.
- To be eligible you must have passed the MCCQE1 (or be planning to take the MCCQE1 before October 2011) and not have taken any other clinical assessment (CAPP, MCCQE II, CAPE, CSAT, CEHPEA).
- You must have become a resident of Nova Scotia before October 2010 and you must currently be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.
- Registration deadline is Monday, December 12, 2011 at 4:00pm.
Please contact Said Msabaha for further details at 494-1574.
Required Documents:
Please do not submit original copies; a notarized copy will be accepted.
- Completed application (found here). Please note that there is no application fee.
- CV
- Proof of residency in Nova Scotia for one year (driver’s license or health card)
- Medical school transcript
- Dean’s letter (if applicable)
- Landed immigrant or citizenship documents
- English Language Proficiency Test Score IELTS (required minimum score: 7) or TOEFL iBT (required minimum score: 100)*
- Exam results from the MCCEE, MCCQE1 and a Canadian clinical assessment (CAPP, MCCQE II, CAPE, CSAT or CEHPEA)
- References - Please include a complete list of clinicians with whom you have worked or who may provide a reference on your behalf. Include the referees name, title, clinic/hospital, city, country, phone number and the number of years you have known the reference. We may be contacting a selection of referees. Please note reference letters are no longer required.
* TOEFL computer-based tests are not accepted as they did not assess speaking and listening.
* We no longer require personal letters. Please see guidelines for additional information.
Application Deadline:
The deadline for application, including supporting documentation, is October 1, 2011 - CLOSED
Applications are to be mailed in hard copy format. NO late applications will be accepted.
Applications should be submitted to :
Admissions & Student Affairs
Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University
5849 University Ave, CRC Building, Room C-124
PO Box 15000
Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2
Guidelines for additional information:
- List of all jobs/employment you have held including Canadian lists of volunteer work.
- List of North American clinicians.
- Medically-related experiences. Ex: courses, observerships, certificates.
Application:
Admission Process:
Applications will be reviewed and a selection of applicants will be invited in to participate in the Medical School Interviews (MMI – Multiple Mini Interview), which are anticipated to take place in November 2011. Please note that there is an interview fee of $75 (CDN).
Candidates who participate in the MMIs will be informed of the results early in the new year.
Meeting minimum admission requirements and deadline dates is not a guarantee of admission or invitation to the interviews. Interest in the IMG Clerkship Program has increased annually and regularly exceeds the number of positions available.
IMG Clerkship Program Description
The IMG Clerkship program is comprised of the final two years of Dalhousie’s medicine program leading to an MD degree. Successful candidates are invited to take part in the LINK program, a preparatory program which runs from late May until the end of August. The LINK Program reviews skills and procedures as well as provides experience in OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examination), clinical settings, and numerous sessions with simulated patients (SPs). IMGs may register individual sessions or the complete program (tuition fees apply).
Clerkship Structure:
In September, IMG students begin clerkship alongside their Dalhousie classmates, starting with Introduction to Clerkship. The following description provides a brief summary of the Dalhousie Clerkship Program:
MED 3
Med 3, the first phase of clerkship, is structured in four 12 week blocks plus the two week introduction to clerkship (ITC). All students complete the ITC in September together, after which students are separated into four different groups for the remaining blocks.
CURRICULUM - MED 3
MED 4
In phase two, which begins the following September, there is a scheduled block that is designed for clerks to participate in 18-weeks of elective time. In addition, clerks will complete a 3-week rotation in Care of the Elderly (CoE).
CURRICULUM - MED 4
Many of the rotations take place in communities throughout the Maritimes, so students will be required to live away from Halifax for varying lengths of time. There is some support for travel and accommodation but students may have to pay some of the cost out of their own pockets. Students may be eligible for student loans and there are a variety of scholarships and bursaries available.
Said Msabaha is the Program Coordinator for the IMG Program and is happy to answer your questions. He can be reached at 902-494-1574 or by e-mail at said.msabaha@dal.ca
IMG Multi-Stakeholder Work Group
Dalhousie University and the Global Health Office are pleased to be a part of the IMG Multi-Stakeholder Work Group.The IMG Working Group is an inclusive group of organizations in Nova Scotia with a common goal to promote the integration of International Medical Graduates into the Canadian health system. The IMG Work Group works to:
- Identify gaps and barriers to education and licensure for IMGs in Nova Scotia
- Provide advocacy to appropriate institutions to reduce gaps/barriers as they are identified
- Share information on all aspects of IMG education and licensure both in Nova Scotia and across Canada
- Provide leadership on development of specific programs when appropriate
The IMG Multi-Stakeholder Work Group meets quarterly, co-chaired by Jan Kutcher and Dr Guy Brisseau. For more information please contact the Global Health Office at +1.902.494.1965 or gho@dal.ca.
Participating Organizations:
Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Capital District Health Authority (CDHA)
College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia
College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia
Dalhousie University
Doctors Nova Scotia
Government of Nova Scotia
Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS)
Professional Association of Residents in the Maritime Provinces (PARI-MP) |
