Restrictive permit – Adaptation or assessment periods – PRA

For clinicians (consult the guidelines ) and physicians who are eligible under the MRA (consult the guidelines), the process includes an assessment of the applicant's readiness to practice (Practice Ready Assessment – PRA). For clinicians, the term used is “assessment period”, while the term used for physicians who are eligible under the MRA is “adaptation/assessment period”.

The required adaptation/assessment period is not a training period; the goal is to assess the restrictive permit applicant’s adaptability, professional integration and readiness to practice medicine in the specialty in question in Quebec.

The Collège’s Medical Education Division is responsible for identifying assessment sites and coordinates adaptation/assessment periods in collaboration with these sites.

The length of time before you start your adaptation/assessment period will vary depending on a number of factors, including your availability, the identification of an assessment site, how long it takes to process the application for the work permit needed to complete the adaptation/assessment period, etc.

The process to obtain a work permit (for applicants who are not permanent residents of Canada) in order to complete the adaptation/assessment period is undertaken once the dates and site for the adaptation/assessment period have been formalized. The Collège acts as employer for the duration of the assessment period and provides the candidate with the documents required to apply for a temporary work permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Note that these formalities are undertaken by the Collège with IRCC and cover only the term of the adaptation/assessment period.

The applicant must take out professional liability insurance for the term of the adaptation/assessment period. They may do so with the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) or with another insurance company.

The adaptation/assessment period lasts 12 consecutive weeks preceded by a week of observation, takes place in an accredited university clinical setting or any other setting designated by the Collège and includes the assessment of both skills and attitudes in the main areas of the specialty in question.

A lead assessor is identified and acts as a resource person throughout the adaptation/assessment period. The lead assessor is responsible for coordinating the adaptation/assessment period, planning the various activities (clinical activities, academic activities, on-call duty, etc.) and collecting information from various assessors in order to produce adaptation/assessment period reports.

At the end of the adaptation/assessment period, the lead assessor and their team must, based on various criteria, rate the applicant’s performance, their overall competence and readiness to practice, in Quebec, the professional activities of the specialty for which the permit application is being submitted.

Two reports (mid assessment and final) will be completed by the lead assessor and sent to the Collège. They will be entered in the restrictive permit applicant’s file for the subsequent review of their permit application by the Committee on Admission to Practice (CAP), which will render a decision on the issue of the restrictive permit.