R-1 Summary of language proficiency requirements

Medical students or graduates who have obtained or are in the process of obtaining a medical degree from an allopathic medical school in the U.S can either be considered Canadian Medical Graduates (CMG’s) or International Medical Graduates (IMG’s) within the residency application process, depending on their graduation date. This differentiation is due to changes made in the joint accreditation process of medical schools in the U.S and Canada.

• If you graduated from a U.S. allopathic medical school before July 1, 2025, you are considered a Canadian Medical Graduate (CMG). Refer to the CMG tab.
• If you graduated on or after July 1, 2025, you are considered an International Medical Graduate (IMG). Refer to the IMG tab.

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 (CMGs) 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.