Residents' Newsletter
March 2009
| |
College
Offices Moving
Beginning
Friday, April 24, the new address will be:
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Suite 5005 - 7071 Bayers Road
(Former Zellers location)
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3L 2C2
Phone, fax, and e-mail will remain the
same |
|
Requirements for Nova Scotia Licensure
This notice is to clarify the licensing process in
Nova Scotia for residents who are completing a training
program at Dalhousie University and plan to set up
practice in Nova Scotia. If you are considering becoming
licensed outside Nova Scotia you should write to the
appropriate provincial licensing authority (College
of Physicians & Surgeons of the particular province)
for information well in advance. If you are not nearing
the end of your training program this notice describes
the licensing process that may be expected of you
when you ultimately finish your training.
If you are NOT at the end of your training
program you will need to renew your educational
license. Details regarding renewal of your educational
license can be found below.
If you are nearing the end of your training
program and it is your intention to apply
for full registration with the College of Physicians
and Surgeons of Nova Scotia upon completion of your
residency, the web address for a full license package
is http://www.cpsns.ns.ca/Registration/docfullreg.htm.
This web address will link you to the application
form, reference forms, etc. Please read documentation
lists closely to ensure you are providing all the
necessary documents. Since obtaining some of the required
documentation can be time consuming, it is recommended
that you begin the application process as soon as
possible.
Once your application is received and processed,
you will be sent an e-mail containing web address
and password information to allow you to use our Application
Documentation Status website. This site will allow
you to track the process of your application and required
documents.
Once the documentation and application are complete,
approval of a license may be given within days. The
Registration Department is unable to guarantee that
any applicant will be issued a license by a particular
date.
Registration
Family Medicine
To become fully licensed to practice
Family Medicine in Nova Scotia you must have passed
Parts I and II of the Medical Council of Canada's
Qualifying Examination (LMCC) and
must have certification with the
College of Family Physicians of Canada.
In recent years some postgraduate trainees have not
been successful in the certification exam of the College
of Family Physicians of Canada on the first attempt.
If this happens, a physician may still be eligible
for a Defined License to practice medicine. The direct
web address for a defined license package is http://www.cpsns.ns.ca/Registration/defined-license-package.htm.
This license does not allow a physician to practice
independently. The Defined License:
- must be supported by the sponsorship of a District
Health Authority; and
- is restricted to practicing in a designated practice
or community under a mentor; and
- may be renewed yearly (with the continuing support
of a sponsor/mentor) as long as the physician remains
so eligible to take certification examinations without
the requirement of further training.
Specialist
To become fully licensed to practice
a specialty in Nova Scotia you must have passed Parts
I and II of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying
Examination (LMCC) and must possess
certification with the Royal College of Physicians
& Surgeons of Canada. A Defined License may be
available for physicians who will not be attempting
the certification exams until the Fall or who are
not successful on their first attempt at the certification
exams of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons
of Canada. Conditions 1 – 3 above also apply here.
What else is required
There are additional requirements, including an application
form, references using our forms
(including one from your programme director), a curriculum
vitae and fees. Original medical diploma/degree, LMCC
registration certificate and Certification certificates
must be presented before the license is granted.
In lieu of presenting your original documents this
College will accept certified true copies signed by
a Notary Public. Please note that documents certified
by a commissioner of oaths are not acceptable in this
instance. You will be responsible
for obtaining the references and providing any other
documentation requested by the College of Physicians
and Surgeons.
Fees
Physicians obtaining a license in Nova Scotia are
required to pay appropriate fees prior to the license
being granted.
Documentation Fee
Applicants are required to submit a documentation
fee with their application. The documentation fee
for a full license is currently $205.00
and the documentation fee for a defined license is
$305.00. There is no proration of
this fee and it is non-refundable if the applicant
does not obtain a license. It is a one-time fee as
long as the physician is maintaining the license.
Registration Fee
The registration fee for full and defined licenses
is $605.00 and is payable at the
time the license is granted. There is no proration
of this fee and it is a non-refundable fee. This is
also a one-time fee as long as the physician is maintaining
the license.
Annual License Fee
The annual license fee is also payable at the time
the license is being granted. The annual licensing
fee for the period July 1 to December 31 is currently
$675.00 and is payable at the time
the license is granted. There is no proration of this
fee and it is a non-refundable fee. Please note that
the College's year is January 1 to December 31 so
no matter what month in the year you obtain a Nova
Scotia license, the annual license fee will be due
and payable again for January 1 of the following year.
The current annual license fee for a full calendar
year is $1350.00.
Specialty Registration
Physicians holding certification with the Royal College
of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada are required
to register their specialty with the College. The
fee for specialty registration is $505.00
per specialty and is payable only once.
This fee is non-refundable.
Miscellaneous Information
Please note that obtaining a Nova Scotia license
does not guarantee a physician a billing number with
Medical Services Insurance (MSI). For information
on billing numbers physicians should contact MSI (902-468-9700).
Every duly qualified medical practitioner (licensed
and working in Nova Scotia) must pay to Doctors Nova
Scotia their annual membership dues or an equivalent
amount within one (1) month of the time of registration
under the Medical Act of Nova Scotia. This
is usually due on or before the first of September
in each year thereafter. Information on this subject
can be obtained directly from Doctors Nova Scotia
at (902)468-1866.
Approved Triplicate Prescription Pads are necessary
for all physicians wishing to prescribe Narcotics
or Controlled Drugs. These pads will only
be issued to prescribers who are registered with the
Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program. There
is no charge for the pads. To register please contact
the Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program, P.O.
Box 2200, Halifax, NS B3J 3C6 (Phone: 902-496-7123
or Fax: 902-468-4877).
Membership with the Canadian Medical Protective Association
(CMPA) is not currently a requirement for licensure
in Nova Scotia. However, this does not mean that you
are not required to have professional liability coverage.
An applicant must not begin practice until he/she
has either received their license in person or been
officially notified by the Registration Department
that the license has been granted and a license number
issued. An email to confirm licensure will be sent
to the applicant at this time. A physician who practices
medicine in Nova Scotia without a license is committing
an offence as per Section 38(2)(b) of the Medical
Act.
Physicians wishing to complete the licensing process
in person, rather than by mail, will need to make
an appointment with the Registration Coordinator.
Original documents can be presented at that time.
Renewal of Educational Licenses
Contract: The Postgraduate Medical
Education Office at Dalhousie University will be providing
the College with copies of your signed contract for
the 2009/2010 academic year.
Fees: $75.00 -
The fee for an educational license is a non-refundable
fee and covers one (1) academic year.
(A) CDHA Payroll:
Trainees who are being paid through the Capital
District Health Authority are not required to submit
the fee to this office. In an agreement between the
College and CDHA, this fee will be collected from
the postgraduate trainee via payroll deduction in
early June and then paid to the College by CDHA.
Note: If you will be on a “Leave of Absence”
during May/June and will not be receiving a paycheque
you will be responsible for payment of the $75.00
fee directly to this office. Before returning to your
training program you should check with the College's
Registration Department (Andrea den Hollander - 902-482-2920)
to ensure that your educational license is renewed.
(B) Non-CDHA Payroll:
Trainees funded by an external sponsoring
agency must submit the required $75.00
fee to renew their educational license. Those
trainees will receive an invoice from the College
of Physicians
and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
under separate cover during the first week of June.
New Brunswick Residents
New Brunswick residents who will be coming to Nova
Scotia at any time during the 2009 / 2010 academic
year to do rotations / electives must obtain an educational
license with the CPSNS. You can obtain the application
for an educational license on the CPSNS website at
www.cpsns.ns.ca.
Friendly Reminder - Defined
License for Postgraduate Trainees (Resident
Moonlighting)
If you currently have a resident moonlighting license,
it will expire onJune 30, 2009. You can obtain a moonlighting
application for the 2009/2010 academic year on the
CPSNS website at www.cpsns.ns.ca.
It is your responsibility to complete all the application
requirements. Failure to do so could result in a delay
in obtaining a defined license for postgraduate trainees
which is required prior to moonlighting in Nova Scotia.
Once your application is complete, please allow sufficient
time for processing by the Registration Department.
The Registration Department is unable to guarantee
any applicant that s/he will be issued a license by
a particular date. You must not begin moonlighting
until you have confirmation from this office that
the registration has been issued. Notification
will be sent to you via the e-mail address you have
supplied on the application form.
Certificates of Standing/Verification of
Licensure
Certificates of Standing/Verification of Licensure
are obtained from the College of Physicians and Surgeons
(CPSNS). If you require a Certificate of Standing
/ Verification of Licensure you will need to complete
a Consent for Certificate of Standing form. Consent
forms can be obtained from the CPSNS website or by
contacting the CPSNS. The completed consent form can
be sent to the College of Physicians and Surgeons
of Nova Scotia by regular mail, by fax to (902)422-5035,
or by email to registration@cpsns.ns.ca.
If sent by fax or e-mail, payment must be made by
Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Certificates
/ Verifications are sent directly to the licensing
authority requesting the document within one week
of receiving the completed form in the CPSNS office.
If you are leaving the Dalhousie program and applying
for a license outside Nova Scotia (either for further
post-graduate training with another medical school
or to obtain a full license) there is a $60 fee for
Certificates / Verifications. If you require a Certificate
/ Verification for elective purposes be sure to indicate
that on your consent form so you will not be charged
the fee.
We trust this information will be of assistance to
you. If you have any questions please do not hesitate
to contact the Registration
Department.
