Table of Contents02 OUR FORUMS!
05 IMG gives her MCCQE Part 1 Experience
08 Send Us Your Testimonials
09 Appendix
09 Step 1
09 Step 2
10 Step 3
12 Step 4
14 Step 5
15 Important Websites
Issue Five | February 2011
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‘OUR FORUMS!' continued
We have forums about:• MCCEE• MCCQE Part 1• MCCQE Part 2• Post-Graduate Training
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‘OUR FORUMS!' continued
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IMG gives her MCCQE Part 1 Experience
Hi Everyone,
I just took the MCCQE 1 today, and I wanted to share my experience. There's relatively
little information online available on the MCCQE in contrast to the USMLEs, so I'd like to add
a little for posterity.I am an IMG with Canadian citizenship, not a Canadian medical student, so my perspective
is a little different. I've also taken and passed the USMLE step 1, 2 CK and 2 CS. I also took
the MCCEE last fall. The MCCEE is relatively easy, so I won't comment much on that here.
In my opinion, MCCQE1 is most similar to the USMLE Step 2CK. The morning session is
composed of 196 questions arranged in 7 blocks of 28 questions each. The testing is adaptive,
meaning that if you score high in one block, the next block of questions will be slightly harder. If
you score poorly, the next block will become slightly easier. If you feel like the exam is getting
harder and harder, then that's a good sign.
You'll probably get an exceptionally high score. If the exam is getting easier and easier,
then, well I feel for you because I think that is what I got. I think a good strategy would be
to take more time in the first few blocks to try to answer more questions correctly, since the
earlier blocks factor more in determining the direction of your score.
The MCCQE has a lot of community health questions, pediatrics, obgyn, family medicine
questions. The USMLEs tended to emphasize internal medicine and its subspecialties. It is
absolutely essential to obtain a copy of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Canada,
by Chandrakant P. Shah. It is a blue paperback available on Amazon, and in most Canadian
medical libraries. This is the bible for the community health questions on the MCCQE. Read
this cover to cover multiple times as you're preparing for this test. Study the tables of Canadian
statistics. Read about Aboriginals and seniors in Canada.
Occupational health, federal, provincial, municipal regulations. Everything in this book is
fair game. I'm serious. 10-20% of the questions on this test will come directly from this book.
The MCCQE is not a "deep" exam, like Step 1 or Step 2. It doesn't do cross-disciplinary
questions like in step 1 where a single question may draw knowledge from anatomy,
biochemistry, patho, and a little of pedia. Rather, each question on the MCCQE comes purely
from a single discipline, like pedia, ob, community health, internal med, surgery. This makes
it much easier to study for.
Orthopedics and pediatric ortho are important. There's always a couple questions from
derma and a couple from optha. There are relatively few illustrations, ecg, or x-rays. The
6 » Issue Five | February 2011
‘IMG gives her MCCQE Part 1 Experience' continued
ones that I did get were pretty easy to figure out. The ones in the USMLEs were much more
challenging. I had no EKGs or MRI's or CT's on my test. One fetal heart tracing (late decels),
a skin lesion, etc. If you've studied for the step 2, you should be prepared for the pictorials in
MCCQE.The MCCQE test makers try to synthesize uniquely Canadian questions whenever possible.
This is kind of irritating since IMGs cannot easily obtain Canadian clinical experience. But the
Canadian medical students definitely have an advantage on this test. Just by having been
through all their rotations and seen how medicine is practiced here makes it much easier for
them to take this test. A lot of them finished an hour before the test was up. About half my test
room was empty already by 4:00 pm.
The MCCQE had weird psychological questions about what you would do if you were
assisting another attending surgeon if he suddenly became frustrated and did something
angry or odd. I really didn't know which answer option was the best. The situation would really
depend on the personality of the surgeon, the hospital staff, among other things. I wasn't sure
what was the common sense answer or what a "Canadian" response would be. If anyone
knows how to study for these kinds of questions, please let me know.
The majority of the question stems are short, like two or three sentences at most. This
is in sharp contrast to USMLE step 1/2 question stems which can fill one to two screens.
Unfortunately, short stems do not make the question easier. A lot of time, either you know it or
you don't, and there isn't enough given to make an educated guess. In this way, the MCCQE
seems to reward rote memorization for some questions.
The afternoon of the MCCQE is the CDM or clinical decision making part. Do yourself
a favor, surf over to www.mcc.ca (http://www.mcc.ca), and click on the MCCQE1/resources/
demo. Then click on both the MCQ and CDM demo sections multiple times. You will get several
questions in an accurate demo presentation of the test.
The CDM portion is not easy, however it is weighted at only 25% of the exam, although it
takes four hours to complete (this is where the Canadian medical graduates tended to finish in
2.5 to 3 hours). I believe the strategy for this part is to try to think like a Canadian doctor, not
an American one. Only order tests that are necessary for diagnosis. Do not order excessively.
Do not order exotic, expensive tests. (e.g. there are few opportunities on the MCCQE to order
an MRI, whereas I remember ordering and evaluating them frequently on the USMLEs).
Supposedly, if you have too many unnecessary entries on the CDM, you may get a score
of zero for that question, but if you have too few entries, you may still get partial points. So
be stingy and be smart. Read the question carefully and try to read between the lines. The
case scenarios are relatively short, but the answer options are many. Most of the options can
be intelligently eliminated and you can just guess which of the remaining options are most
7 » Issue Five | February 2011 www.CanadaQBank.com
‘IMG gives her MCCQE Part 1 Experience' continued
likely to score you partial credit. I think aiming for full credit is difficult for IMGs because we
don't generally have Canadian clinical experience and these questions are borne out of the
Canadian experience of medicine. I think the Canadian test makers are really proud of this
section of the exam because it is so distinctive from the USMLEs and nearly every other
computerized medical board exam on the planet.
An odd insight: some of the questions seemed to me as if they were written first in French
and then translated into English. Something about the sentence construction and the wording
just made it seem slightly awkward in English. Given the imposing presence of french-speaking
doctors on the medical council of Canada, this is not unexpected. But I sort of felt from the
questions like that they had a different view of medicine than what we get from studying English
medical books. I'm not sure how medical education is accomplished in the french speaking
world, but I imagine that they probably look down with disdain at the American-centric medical
tomes written in English and have their own far superior french texts for internal medicine and
surgery which were probably written two centuries before the English versions ever came
into existence. I never imagined that I would have to resort to studying french medical books
for the Canadian medical licensing exam, but it seems like it might offer a slight advantage.
The time management portion of the MCCQE is significantly different from USMLE.
Basically you get 3.5 hours in the morning for the 196 questions. You can split it anyway you
like. Its best to follow the recommendations and allot about 1 minute per question and 30
minutes per section. Bathroom breaks are counted within the 3.5 hours. There is no "break
screen" like on the USMLEs, you just raise your hand and leave your computer with all your
questions and answers available for everyone to see. A proctor goes to the bathroom with
you. Its kind of weird. The USMLE system is much more formal and professional.
I liked the MCCQE computer exam system better though. All 28 questions are presented
on one screen and you just scroll down. It felt more like a paper exam, and more efficient to
write. It also has a "time management" button on the side that tells you if you're doing the
questions too slowly or at the right speed or too quickly. Pretty cute.
OK, that is a lot more info about the exam than I ever got. Hope it helps somebody out
there.
Good luck!
M.T.
8 » Issue Five | February 2011
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9 » Issue Five | February 2011 www.CanadaQBank.com
Steps to becoming a licensed practicing physician in Canada:
Step 1: Take the exams Medical Licensing Exams of Canada Prepare for the exams --> Canada QBank: http://www.canadaqbank.com/ Take the exams --> Medical Council of Canada: http://www.mcc.ca/
Step 2: Learn as much as you can about how to be a physician in Canada
IMG Support Groups and Information resources
Association of International Medical Doctors of British Columbiac/o Coordinator, BCITP Net (British Columbia Internationally Trained Professionals Network)Surrey Delta Immigrant Services Society1107-7330 137th StreetSurrey, BC V3W 1A3Email: [email protected]: (604)-729-6598Web: http://aimd.bcitp.net
Alberta International Medical Graduates Association (AIMGA)1409 Edmonton Trail NE, Suite 205Calgary, Alberta T2G 3K8Tel: (403)-520-7730/ (877)-520-7730Email: [email protected]: http://www.aimga.ca
Association of Foreign Medical Graduates of Manitoba (AFMGM)Email: [email protected]: (204) 284-8509Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (AIPSO)2 Carlton Street, Suite 820Toronto, ON M5B 1J3Tel: (416) 979-8611 | Fax: (416) 979-9853Email: [email protected]: http://www.aipso.ca
Access Centre for Internationally Educated Health Professionals:http://www.healthforceontario.ca/ Hamilton International Healthcare Professionalsc/o Settlement and Integration Services (SISO)360 James Street North, Lower ConcourseHamilton, ON L8L 1H5Tel: 905-521-9917 ext 256 | Fax: 905-521-9216Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.siso-ham.org Kitchener-Waterlooc/o Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre46 Mount Hope Street, Kitchener, ON N2G2J3Tel: (519) 745-2531 | Fax: (519) 745-5857Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.kwmc.on.ca Londonc/o London Cross Cultural Learner Centre505 Dundas Street, London, ON N6B 1W4Tel: (519) 432-1133 | Fax: (519) 660-6168Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.lcclc.org
Appendix
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Welland/ Niagara-St. Catharinesc/o Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre26 East Main Street, Welland, ON L3B3W3Tel: (905) 732-5337 (Welland) Tel: (905) 685-1353 (St. Catharines)Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.wellandheritagecouncil.com
Ottawac/o Catholic Immigration Centre219 Argyle Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2P2H4Tel: (613) 232-9634 | Fax: (613) 232-3660Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.cic.ca
Windsorc/o Windsor-Essex International Medical GraduatesP.O. Box 270567720 Tecumseh Road EastWindsor, ON N8T 3N5Tel: (519) 991-0763Email: [email protected]
Guelphc/o Guelph and District Multicultural Centre214 Speedvale Avenue West, Unit 7Guelph, ON N1H1C4Tel: 519 836 2222 | Fax: 519 837 2884Email: [email protected]: http://www.gdmc.org
Québec, International Medical Graduates (IMGs): http://www.cmq.org/
Association of International Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia (AIPSNS)c/o Association of International Physicians & Surgeons of Nova ScotiaOne Research DriveDartmouth Nova Scotia B2Y 4M9(902) 442-4655Email: [email protected]: http://www.ietp-ns.ca/association_phys.html
Step 3: Obtain a residency (post graduate training position) in Canada
Specific Programs for International Medical Graduates
British Columbia: International Medical Graduates of British Columbia (IMG-BC) Program661-1190 Hornby Street Vancouver, British ColumbiaCANADA, V6Z 2K5Tel: (604) 682-2344 local 62655Fax: (604) 806-9902Email: [email protected]: http://www.imgbc.med.ubc.ca/Home.htm
Alberta: Alberta International Medical Graduate ProgramUniversity of Calgary, Faculty of MedicineRoom G212, Health Sciences Centre3330 Hospital Drive N.W.Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1Tel: (403).210.8184Fax: (403).210.8166Email: [email protected]: http://www.aimg.ca
‘Appendix’ continued
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11 » Issue Five | February 2011 www.CanadaQBank.com
Calgary Clinical Assistants ProgramSouthport Tower10301 Southport Lane SW, #5122Calgary, Alberta Canada T2W 1S7Tel: 403 943 0764 | Fax: 403 943 0916
Clinical Opportunities for International Medical Graduates in Alberta
IMGCP - International Medical Graduate Clinical Preceptorship
IMGSP - International Medical Graduate Surgical Preceptorship
Capital Health, Medical Affairs
Physician Preceptorship ProgramsSuite 500, North Tower, Capital Health Center10030 – 107 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4Tel: (780) 735-0702 | Fax (780) 735-0756Email: [email protected]: http://www.capitalhealth.ca/international
Saskatchewan: Pilot Project for the Assessment of IMGs
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of SaskatchewanAssociate Registrar211 4th Avenue SouthSaskatoon, SK, S7K 1N1Tel: (306) 244-7355Email: [email protected]: http://www.quadrant.net/cpss/registration/index.html
Manitoba:
Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduatesc/o International Medical Graduates Program (IMGP)University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine270 – 727 McDermot AvenueWinnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 3P5Tel: (204) 789-3616Web: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mlpimg/index.html#ensure
Ontario:
CEHPEA: Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professionals Educated Abroad80 Bloor Street West, 9th Floor - Suite 902Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2V1Tel: (416) 924-8622 | Fax: (416) 924-8921Email: [email protected]: http://www.cehpea.ca
Quebec: Reconnaissance d’équivalence du Diplôme universitaire en médecine et de la formation postdoctorale
Collège des médecins du Québec2170, boul. René-Lévesque OuestMontréal, Québec, H3H 2T8Tel: (514) 933-4441Toll Free: 1-888-633-3246 | Fax: (514) 933-3112Email: [email protected]: http://www.cmq.org
‘Appendix’ continued
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Recrutement Santé Québec (Recruitment Health Quebec)Direction de la main-d’oeuvre médicale (Medical Workforce Directorate)Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (Department of Health and Social Services)1075, chemin Ste-Foy, 10th floorQuébec (Québec) G1S 2M1Fax: (418) 266-6978Email: [email protected]: http://www.msss.gouv.qc.ca/sujets/or-ganisation/medecine/rsq/index.php?home
Nova Scotia: Clinician Assessment for Practice Program (CAPP)
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova ScotiaSuite 200, 1559 Brunswick St.Halifax, Nova ScotiaCanada, B3J 2G1Tel: (902) 482-2917Toll-free Tel: (Nova Scotia only): 1 (877) 282-7767 | Fax: (902) 422-7476Email: [email protected]: http://www.capprogram.ca
Newfoundland: Clinical Skills Assessment and Training (CSAT) ProgramProgram CoordinatorFaculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundlandc/o Western Memorial Regional HospitalP.O. Box 2005, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, A2H 6J7Email: [email protected] Tel: (709) 639-2728 | Fax: (709) 634-9175
Step 4: Obtain a license to practice medicine in Canada
Provincial/Territorial Licensure Authorities
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British ColumbiaSuite 400, 858 Beatty StreetVancouver, BC V6B 1C1Tel: (604)-733-7758 or 1-800-461-3008Fax: (604)-733-3503 (general)
(604)-694-6104 (registration)Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]: http://www.cpsbc.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta900 Manulife Place10180 - 101 StreetEdmonton, AB T5J 4P8Tel: (780)-423-4764 Physicians-only line: 1-800-320-8624 Fax: (780)-420-0651Email: [email protected]: http://www.cpsa.ab.ca/Homepage.aspx
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan211 Fourth Avenue SouthSaskatoon, SK S7K 1N1Tel: (306)-244-7355 or 1-800-667-1668Fax: (306)-244-0090 (general)
(306)-244-2600 (registrar)Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.quadrant.net/cpss
‘Appendix’ continued
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13 » Issue Five | February 2011 www.CanadaQBank.com
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba1000 - 1661 Portage AvenueWinnipeg, MB R3J 3T7Tel: (204)-774-4344 | Fax: (204)-774-0750Web: http://www.cpsm.mb.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario80 College StreetToronto, ON M5G 2E2Tel: (416)-967-2603 or 1-800-268-7096 (general); (416)-967-2606 (physicians only)Email: [email protected]: http://www.cpso.on.ca
Le Collège des médecins du Québec (College of Physicians of Quebec)2170, boulevard René-Levesque OuestMontréal, QC H3H 2T8Tel: (514)-933-4441 ou 1-888-MÉDECIN Fax: (514)-933-3112 | Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.cmq.org
College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick1 Hampton Road, Suite 300Rothesay, NB E2E 5K8Tel: (506)-849-5050 or 1-800-667-4641 Fax: (506)-849-5069 | Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.cpsnb.org/
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland & Labrador139 Water Street, Suite 603St. John’s, NL A1C 1B2Tel: (709)-726-8546 | Fax: (709)-726-4725Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.cpsnl.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova ScotiaSuite 5005 - 7071 Bayers RoadHalifax, Nova Scotia, B3L 2C2Tel: (902)-422-5823 or
1-877-282-7767 (toll-free)Fax: (902)-422-5035Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.cpsns.ns.ca
‘Appendix’ continued
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14 » Issue Five | February 2011
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island199 Grafton StreetCharlottetown, PE C1A 1L2Tel: (902)-566-3865 | Fax: (902) 566-3986Web: http://www.cpspei.ca
Yukon Medical Councilc/o Registrar of Medical PractitionersBox 2703 C-5Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6Tel: (867)-667-5111 | Fax: (867)-667-3609Email: [email protected]: http://www.yukonmedicalcouncil.ca
Department of Health and Social ServicesGovernment of the Northwest TerritoriesMedical Registration CommitteePO Box 1320Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9Tel: (867)-920-8058 | Fax: (867)-873-0484Email: [email protected]: http://www.hlthss.gov.nt.ca
Department of Health and Social ServicesGovernment of NunavutMedical Registration CommitteeProfessional Licensing2nd Floor NCC Building, Box 390Kugluktuk, NU X0B 0E0Tel: (867)-975-5700 | Fax: (867)-975-5705Email: [email protected]: http://www.nunavut-physicians.gov.nu.ca
Step 5: Find a job as a physician Physician Recruitment British Columbia: http://www.healthmatchbc.org/hmbc_physi-cians.asp?pageid=634
Alberta: http://www.albertaphysicianlink.ab.ca/
Calgary, Alberta: http://www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/ccap/
Saskatchewan: http://www.healthcareersinsask.ca/
Manitoba: http://www.wrha.mb.ca/careers
Ontario: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/uap/about/recruit.html
Quebec: http://www.msss.gouv.qc.ca/sujets/organisation/medecine/rsq/index.php?home
New Brunswick: http://www.gnb.ca/0396/index-e.asp
Nova Scotia: http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/employment.asp
PEI: http://www.gov.pe.ca/health/jobopp/job_oppor-tunities.php
Newfoundland: http://www.nlphysicianjobs.ca/
Yukon: http://www.hss.gov.yk.ca/
NorthWest Territories: http://www.hlthss.gov.nt.ca/Careers/default.asp
Nanavut: http://www.gov.nu.ca/health/
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‘Appendix’ continued
CanadaQBank.com provides the very best, classic, simulated question banks for the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating and Qualifying exams.
Become a part of our online network!
Web: www.CanadaQBank.com
Other Important Websites
IMG Canada: http://www.img-canada.ca
Communication and Cultural Competence Program: http://icarus.med.utoronto.ca/ccc/
Foreign Credentials Referral Office: http://www.credentials.gc.ca/
Physician Credentials Registry of Canada (PCRC): http://www.pcrc.org/en/
Canadian Resident Matching Service: http://www.carms.ca/
Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada: http://www.afmc.ca/
Canadian Association of Interns and Residents: http://www.cair.ca/
Canadian Post-M.D. Educational Registry: http://www.caper.ca/
Canadian Federation of Medical Students: http://www.cfms.org/
College of Family Physicians of Canada: http://www.cfpc.ca/
Canadian Medical Association: http://www.cma.ca/
Canadian Medical Association Journal: http://www.cmaj.ca/
Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine: http://ohs.cou.on.ca/_bin/home/cofm.cfm
Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada: http://www.fmrac.ca/
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: http://rcpsc.medical.org/
Health Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
Ontario Medical Association: http://www.oma.org/
Society of Rural Physicians of Canada: http://www.srpc.ca/
Going to Canada: http://www.directioncanada.gc.ca/
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