As of March 2021, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in the United States is no longer accrediting Canadian medical schools. Canadian medical schools continue to be accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS).
This means that individuals who will graduate from Canadian medical schools on or after July 1, 2025 will be considered International Medical Graduates (IMG’s) by the United States. Students and residents at Canadian Faculties of Medicine wishing to pursue residency or fellowship training in the U.S. will have to register and obtain certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). They will be able to apply for ECFMG Certification beginning in late spring 2025, prior to the start of the 2026 residency application cycle in the United States. This may involve fulfilling other requirements as laid out by the ECFMG. The AFMC recommends that Canadian medical students and residents contact the ECFMG for detailed information and allow for more time and planning to undertake these processes.
Furthermore, Canadians graduating from a non CACMS accredited medical school on or after July 1, 2025 will be considered an International Medical Graduate in the residency application process in Canada. The AFMC recommends that students and residents from non CACMS accredited medical schools contact the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) for additional information.
Combined degree exception for applicants at an LCME accredited institution:
Medical students or graduates who have obtained or are in the process of completing a combined medical degree from an allopathic medical school in the U.S, such as an MD-PhD, will be considered Canadian Medical Graduates (CMG’s) within the residency application process under the LCME-CACMS agreement in effect prior to July 1, 2025 provided they meet the following conditions:
- They began the MD component of their program Dec 31, 2020 or earlier;
- They complete the combined program before June 30, 2028.
An official transcript from the medical school confirming the MD start date and expected completion date, will be required to prove eligibility for an exemption.
This exemption is being granted to accommodate learners who started their combined degree program prior to the announcement of the LCME-CACMS split, had already planned to return to Canada upon completing their combined program, and are affected by the timing.