Source Verification
In 2004, source verification of the medical degree diploma was implemented for all international medical graduates who apply to, or request an exemption from, the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE).
Since 9 July 2007, the Physician Credentials Registry of Canada (PCRC), a division of the Medical Council of Canada, is the credentials source verification service responsible for obtaining primary source verification of the validity of credentials from the body that issued the documents. (International medical graduates who first applied for the MCCEE before 9 July 2007 must be sent for source verification through the MCC Credentials and Registrations Department (MCC/C&R)).
The MCC (both MCC/C&R and PCRC) uses the services of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) International Credentials Services (EICS) to verify an international medical graduate’s medical diploma with the appropriate officials of the medical school that issued the diploma.
Note: ECFMG/EICS, a company incorporated in the United States, is subject to the USA Patriot Act. Under the terms of the USA Patriot Act, ECFMG/EICS could be required to provide access to MCC candidate information and documentation if requested by any of the governmental authorities granted rights under the USA Patriot Act. Furthermore, under the USA Patriot Act, ECFMG/EICS would be prohibited from disclosing that such access had been provided.
Although the source verification process does not need to be completed in order for a graduate candidate to be eligible for the MCCEE, or for an exemption from the MCCEE, his or her credential and identity documents must have been reviewed and approved before he or she can be deemed eligible.
Source verification of the medical degree diploma must be completed or in progress for eligibility to the MCC Qualifying Examination Part I and must be completed for eligibility to the MCC Qualifying Examination Part II.
If a candidate’s university should fail to verify his or her credentials, the candidate would be required to provide new and credible evidence that the credentials submitted are authentic. Until the matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the MCC, the candidate would not be eligible to participate in any MCC examinations.
If a candidate wishes to have other credential documents verified (e.g., postgraduate training, specialty certificates, certificates of registration, professional licenses, etc.) in order to facilitate acceptance to other programs, licensure, etc., he or she may do so by submitting a source verification request to PCRC (www.pcrc.org).
