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MCCQE full form is the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. MCCQE 2024 is an important examination for medical graduates in Canada. The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) administers the test, which is divided into two parts: MCCQE Part I and Part II.
The MCCQE Part I test is a one-day computer-based test that assesses candidates' medical knowledge and clinical decision-making abilities, while MCCQE Part II is a practical, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) that evaluates candidates' clinical skills, such as communication, data collection, and patient management.
Passing both parts of the MCCQE 2024 exam is an essential requirement for medical graduates pursuing the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC), which is required for medical licensing in Canada. Moreover, the MCCQE exam fee for Part 1 is around CAD 1,470 (Rs. 89,101).
The MCCQE part 1 exam dates 2024 are offered in four sessions every year. Candidates can take their MCCQE 2024 exam in an available Prometric test centre or through remote proctoring on a first-come, first-served basis.
Candidates have up to four hours in the morning session to complete 210 multiple-choice questions asked in MCCQE exam, and up to three and a half hours in the afternoon session to complete the clinical decision-making component, which comprises 38 cases with short-menu and short-answer written questions.
MCCQE for international students can be taken up to a maximum of 4 times. Exams taken before 2018 do not count towards the overall limit. Students cannot retake the exam if they have a pass result. After the third attempt, candidates will be required to wait 1 year from the time they receive the result before reapplying for their fourth attempt.
All the medical graduates or students in their final year, planning to practice medicine in Canada, must read the complete article to learn more about the MCCQE exam, test requirements, how to register, exam structure, and more.
In April 2025, the MCC will implement a new assessment model for the MCCQE Part I. The clinical decision-making component will be removed and the 9-hour exam appointment will be shortened to a 6.5-hour exam appointment with a scheduled 45-minute optional break.
As the UCAT exam is opted for by all the medical students who are planning to pursue their career in Canada, we have mentioned the overview of MCCQE Exam below:
Overview for MCCQE Exam
Feature | Description |
Purpose | Assess medical knowledge for residency training in Canada |
Parts | Two Parts: MCQ-based Part I & Standardized Patient Encounters (Part II) |
Target Audience | Medical School Graduates (Canadian & International) aiming for Canadian residency |
Difficulty | Generally considered slightly easier than USMLE Step 1 |
Focus | Core Medical Knowledge for Canadian Residency |
Eligibility | Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident & Graduation from Accredited Medical School |
Cost | Typically cheaper than USMLE |
Scheduling | Potentially easier to schedule due to fewer test-takers |
Part I Passing Score | 226 out of 400 (current scale) |
Competitive Score | Above the mean (250) |
The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I is offered multiple times each year. The MCCQE 2024 results will be available about 8 weeks after each session's last day.
Month-wise | MCCQE 2024 Exam Dates |
April-May | April 17 to May 22 |
August-September | August 21 to September 18 |
October-November | October 16 to November 20 |
Month-wise | MCCQE Exam Dates |
April-May | April 17 to May 22 |
August-September | August 21 to September 18 |
October-November | October 16 to November 20 |
Note: Exceptionally, results for the August 21–September 18, 2024 session will be released six weeks after the session's last day.
Because of a standard-setting exercise, the results for the April 2025 session will be accessible around 12 weeks after the session ends.
*Note that dates are subject to change.
To apply for the MCCQE Part I, you must be a graduate of, or a student who is expected to meet all graduation requirements from:
A medical school accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS); or
A medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and identified by a Canada Sponsor Note indicating it is an acceptable medical school in Canada; or
A United States School of Osteopathic Medicine accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.
Students can apply up to 15 months before their planned graduation date. Once your application is accepted, your eligibility period will begin 12 months before your anticipated graduation date. You can only arrange an exam appointment during this time.
If you decide you are not ready to write the MCCQE Part I within your eligibility window or are not sure you will be able to do so within a year, you have the option of extending your eligibility window by an additional 12 months. You will be able to extend your qualifying window when it is within 60 days of expiration, not before.
If relevant, make sure to cancel your appointment with Prometric as soon as possible. Refer to the guidelines below for how to cancel your appointment and the associated fees.
You will receive a message in your physiciansapply.ca account with instructions for extending your eligibility window 60 days before it ends. If you do not extend your window at that time, you will receive a second notice one month before it expires.
Follow the instructions in the message and pay the administrative fee. If the exam prices have increased since you first applied for the MCCQE Part I, you will be required to pay the change in application fees as well. These costs are nonrefundable.
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Note: You will be unable to set an exam date until your application has been accepted. After your application is accepted, you will have a 12-month eligibility period to plan and take the MCCQE Part I at an available Prometric test centre or via remote proctoring. All exam appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
If the test-taker meets the qualifying conditions, he or she can apply for the MCCQE Part I at any time using their account and following the procedures below. If you do not already have an account, you must create one.
Follow the steps below if you are an international medical student, a graduate from a U.S. medical student, or a student from a U.S. School of Osteopathic Medicine and want to apply to take the MCCQE Part I:
Prepare copies of your appropriate identity document(s), which must be presented with your exam application. Your primary identity document(s) must meet the certification standards.
Candidates must have their medical school complete the Student attestation form. When submitting your exam application, students will need to attach the completed form.
Review the document preparation criteria to verify that the documents are ready for uploading.
Login to the physiciansapply.ca account.
Click Examinations from the main menu, then Apply for an Exam.
To submit your application, follow the processes provided on each page and upload the required documents.
Complete payment for the MCCQE Part I application fee.
Make a source verification request (SVR) for your medical degree using your physiciansapply.ca account. You can begin the exam application as soon as you have submitted and paid for the SVR for your medical degree.
Prepare copies of your appropriate identity document(s), which must be presented with the test application. Your primary identity document(s) must meet the certification guidelines.
Review the document preparation criteria to verify that all of your files are ready for uploading.
Login to your physiciansapply.ca account.
Click on Examinations in the main menu, then Apply for an Exam.
To submit your application, follow the processes explained on each page and upload the required documentation.
Make payment for your MCCQE Part I application.
Note: You have up to four weeks to complete the paperwork and application. Once your application has been accepted, you will receive a notification in your account confirming that you can schedule your exam with Prometric.
Appointments can be made up to 5 months before the commencement of an exam session and are only available during the specified exam periods. Appointments are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Once that you have scheduled your exam with Prometric, they'll send you a 16-digit confirmation number and additional instructions via email. You will also receive an appointment reminder notification around seven days before the planned appointment.
You can cancel or reschedule your appointment directly with Prometric, either online or by phone. Fees vary depending on when you cancel or reschedule. You'll need the 16-digit confirmation number you received when to reschedule it. The MCC will not schedule or reschedule your exam appointment.
If you do not attend your exam appointment or cancel it less than 120 hours (5 days) before the commencement time of the exam, your application costs will not be refunded.
If you have exceptional reasons for a late cancellation or absence, please provide additional proof to service@mcc.ca. Your request for a partial refund will be considered.
Candidates who reschedule or cancel their appointment are required to pay rescheduling or cancellation costs.
Below mentioned is the entire structure for MCCQE exam fee that international or Indian students need to pay in order to give the MCCQE Exam and pursue their medical license in Canada.
MCCQE part 1 fees
Fee type | Fees in USD | Fees in Indian Rupees |
MCCQE Part I fees | CAD 1,470 | Rs. 89,632 |
MCCQE withdrawal fee | CAD 735 | Rs. 44,816 |
MCCQE Eligibility window extension fee | CAD 117 | Rs. 7,134 |
MCCQE Appeal fee | CAD 1,175 | Rs. 71,645 |
Rescheduling/Cancelling fee (less than 30 days before appointment) | CAD 85 + HST | Rs. 5183 + HST |
Rescheduling/Cancelling fee (up to 30 days before appointment) | CAD 50 + HST | Rs. 3049 + HST |
Note: All payments must be in Canadian dollars. Visa, MasterCard, or secured credit cards are allowed as payment methods for the MCCQE exam fee.
MCCQE test consists of two parts: Part 1 and Part 2.
MCCQE Part I: It is a computer-based test that evaluates fundamental medical knowledge and clinical decision-making skills. It is taken after medical school graduation.
MCCQE Part II: This section assesses clinical abilities through a series of standardised encounters with simulated patients. It is currently only available in Canada.
MCCQE Part 1 exam duration is 9 hours and it includes various processes, as listed below:
Candidate’s check-in, include sign-in, security check, and, room check (if you are taking a remotely proctored exam).
A tutorial video on test security and how the exam delivery application works.
First morning session is of 4 hours, which requires test takers to complete a multiple-choice questions (MCQs) section.
After this test, an optional 45-minute lunch break is provided to candidates.
Section evening session duration is 3.5 hours, taken to complete a clinical decision-making (CDM) section.
An optional survey after each of the MCQ and CDM sections.
Particulars | Details |
Exam Type | One-day, computer-based test |
Target Audience | Medical students and graduates in Canada |
Purpose | Assess critical medical knowledge and clinical decision-making ability |
Exam Level | Expected level of a medical student completing their medical degree in Canada |
Structure | Two periods: Morning session and Afternoon session |
Morning Session | Up to 4 hours to complete 210 Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Afternoon Session | Up to 3.5 hours for the Clinical Decision-Making (CDMs) component |
Candidates must have two valid government-issued ID cards for image capture and validation by the Prometric readiness agent before beginning the remotely proctored exam. Test takers appearing for the test at MCCQE 2024 test centres, must bring two valid government IDs to the exam location. If candidates fail to produce proper identification, they will not be allowed to take the exam and the application fee will be lost.
The documents required on the test day include:
Photo of the test-taker
Signature of the candidate
Note: The name should match your account name, if the names on your documents do not match the name in your physiciansapply.ca account, please contact the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) through your account before your exam appointment.
Items not permitted in the secure exam area
Certain items that are not allowed in the secure exam area after launch are listed below:
Coat
Keys
Wallet
Purse
Any Documentation
Jewellery, including watches (wedding rings are permitted)
Large bags
Phones
Non-wired headphones
In some instances, candidates may experience exam-day incidents (procedural irregularities or extenuating circumstances, such as illness) that may have a negative effect on their exam day performance. A few of these difficulties are mentioned below:
If the test-takers face technical difficulties, they should notify Prometric staff immediately.
If candidates are taking a remotely proctored exam and are experiencing technical difficulties, they must seek assistance by visiting the Prometric technical support page.
In addition to notifying staff on exam day, all exam day incidents (procedural irregularities and extenuating circumstances) must be reported to the MCC through your account within 7 days of your exam date.
If applicants choose to start the exam, it will count as an attempt, even if they cannot finish it, their application fee may be forfeited, and hence the staff will not be able to help test takers with that issue.
The MCC results are available approximately 8 weeks after the exam session ends. In exceptional circumstances, results for the August 21–September 18, 2024 session will be released six weeks after the last day. Candidates will be notified by email and a message in their account, informing them that they can access their final MCCQE Part I results. Soon after getting this notification, two documents will be uploaded to your account:
The Statement of Results (SOR) provides your final result, total MCCQE Part I score, and the required score to pass the test.
The Supplemental Information Report (SIR) gives extra information about your exam performance, including subscores and a comparison to other candidates.
Note: To avoid fraud and maintain confidentiality, your MCCQE Part I results are only available at physiciansapply.ca and are never provided over the phone or via email.
If you cancel your MCCQE 2024 appointment with Prometric less than 120 hours before your exam or fail to appear on the day of the exam, your entire application fee will be forfeited. If you withdraw your MCCQE Part I application or let your eligibility window expire without scheduling an appointment with Prometric, you will only receive a partial refund.
Extenuating circumstances
If by some unavoidable circumstances, you have to cancel within 120 hours of your appointment or fail to attend, you could be entitled for a partial reimbursement. To obtain a partial refund, submit supporting documents to the MCC (service@mcc.ca) for evaluation. If your partial refund request is successful, the MCCQE application cost after removing the examination withdrawal fee, will be refunded to the credit card used for payment, otherwise, a credit will be given to your physiciansapply.ca account.
To apply for the MCCQE Part I, applicants must have graduated or expect to graduate soon from a medical school accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), or from medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and identified by a Canada Sponsor Note indicating it is an acceptable medical school in Canada, or A United States School of Osteopathic Medicine accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.
MCCQE focuses on the fundamental medical knowledge required for residency training in Canada, whereas USMLE covers a broader variety of health problems and can be more difficult. MCCQE is often regarded as slightly simpler than the USMLE Step 1 exam. MCCQE is less expensive than the USMLE, and scheduling is easier because there are fewer test takers.
The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) is the licensing test required for practicing medicine in Canada. The test is divided into two parts: MCCQE Part 1 and Part 2. Both MCCQE tests must be passed to become a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC), which is required for a provincial medical license to practice in Canada.
On the current scale, the passing mark for MCCQE Part I is 226 out of 400. A higher score is advantageous if you want to be considered for a competitive residency position. Scores above the mean (250) are considered excellent.
Above 280: This is significantly higher than the mean and is considered a very good score.
250-280: This range is more than the mean, indicating high performance.
226-250: This is the passing range.
Below 226: A score of less than 226 indicates that you did not pass the exam.
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