First iteration
To participate in the first iteration of the R-1 match, you must be a medical student or graduate who has obtained, or is in the process of obtaining, a medical degree by July 1 of the match year from an institution that meets one of the following criteria:
- A Liaison Committee on Medical Education/Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (LCME/CACMS) accredited school;
- A school of osteopathic medicine; or
- An international medical school listed with the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).
You must also be a Canadian citizen or hold a valid Canadian permanent resident card.
International medical graduates and graduates of osteopathic medical schools*
If you are an international medical graduate who is attending or has graduated from a school listed with the IMED, or who is attending or has graduated from a school of osteopathic medicine, you must also have:
- Written and passed the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE); and
- Written and passed, or be scheduled to write, the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination by September 2018.
Note: if you write the October – November MCCEE, your exam score will not be available as part of the CaRMS application until after first iteration file review opens, as the results are not available until late December. Programs may elect to not review the application of applicants who do not have the MCCEE results at the opening of file review.
Please note that Quebec, Alberta and BC have additional provincial requirements for IMGs. See provincial criteria for more information.
Postgraduate training
Only applicants without previous Canadian or US postgraduate training** are eligible to attain a position through CaRMS in the first iteration. If you have previous Canadian or US postgraduate training or plan to participate only in the second iteration of the match, please review the second iteration eligibility information.
*Graduates of osteopathic medical schools who wish to apply to programs in Quebec are not required to pass the NAC.
**Preliminary training in the US is considered accredited postgraduate training for the purposes of R-1 match first iteration eligibility. Applicants with previous preliminary training in the US are therefore not eligible to participate in the first iteration.
Second iteration
To participate in the second iteration of the R-1 match, you must be a medical student or graduate who has obtained, or is in the process of obtaining, a medical degree by July 1 of the match year from an institution that meets one of the following criteria:
- A Liaison Committee on Medical Education/Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (LCME/CACMS) accredited school;
- A school of osteopathic medicine; or
- An international medical school listed with the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).
The second iteration is open to eligible applicants who fit one or more of the following categories:
- Applicants who submitted a rank order list for the first iteration but went unmatched.
- Applicants who participated in the first iteration but later withdrew participation.
- Applicants who did not participate in any way in the first iteration.
- Applicants who are only eligible for the second iteration based on the provincial criteria and previous postgraduate training.
Please note that to participate in the second iteration you must be a Canadian citizen or hold a valid Canadian permanent resident card. The eligibility criteria regarding the MCC examinations for the first iteration of the match also applies for the second iteration, unless otherwise stated in the provincial criteria.
In Québec, to be considered in the second iteration an applicant must have participated in the first iteration.
Provincial criteria
In addition to being eligible to participate in the match, each province has additional criteria that must be met by applicants applying for positions. Eligibility requirements differ from province to province, so you should carefully review the provincial criteria below when preparing to apply to programs. In addition, you should be sure to review the Association of Faculties of Medicine in Canada (AFMC) motion (in the next tab) and specific program descriptions to learn more.
Summary of intake criteria for international medical graduates (IMGs) by province
Summary of intake criteria for United States medical school graduates
Summary of intake criteria for Canadian medical graduates
Summary of intake criteria for Osteopathic school graduates
Summary of intake criteria for visa holders
The Association of Faculties of Medicine (AFMC) is the academic partnership of Canada’s Faculties of Medicine and is the national voice for academic medicine in Canada. The resolutions outlined below partially inform the eligibility criteria for the match.
AFMC motion
Since Canadian medical schools are the principal source of the physician workforce for Canada
Be it resolved by the AFMC Board of Directors:
- That all graduates of Canadian medical schools be assured access to a residency position in Canada to complete training necessary to enter practice,
- That access to postgraduate training organized by the Residency Match in Canada be through a defined and transparent process for eligible graduates of LCME/CACMS accredited medical schools and also for eligible graduates of international medical schools,
- That these processes must be defined by July 1 of the calendar year to ensure proper implementation can occur,
- That we affirm that eligibility for a postgraduate training program is determined by each Canadian medical school,
- That participation in the first iteration of the Canadian Residency Match be restricted to eligible graduates of LCME/CACMS accredited schools or international medical schools, who have had no previous RCPSC/CFPC/ACGME accredited postgraduate training.
Approved by AFMC Board, May 2nd, 2006.
London, Ontario
NAC examination
For the R-1 Main Residency Match, the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) examination is a mandatory requirement for all international medical graduates (IMGs) and graduates of osteopathic medical schools applying to residency programs in all provinces. We recommend you refer to the provincial criteria for more information.
The NAC examination assesses the readiness of an IMG for entrance into a Canadian residency program. It is a national, standardized examination that tests the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for entrance into postgraduate training in Canada. Comprising a series of clinical stations, the NAC examination presents typical clinical scenarios. The examination may include, but is not limited to, problems in medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, psychiatry and surgery.
For more information on the NAC examination, including the examination schedule, eligibility requirements, exceptions and OSCE station description, please visit the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) website.
CaRMS cannot provide information on NAC examination eligibility or exceptions. Please contact the MCC if you have any questions related to these topics.
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