Every international medical graduate heading to Canada must go through PhysiciansApply.ca — the Medical Council of Canada's central platform for credential verification. It's the first step in every Canadian medical licensing pathway, and it's the one most UK doctors underestimate in terms of time and complexity.
What PhysiciansApply.ca does
The platform serves as a secure repository for your medical credentials. It verifies your qualifications directly with the issuing institutions (your medical school, postgraduate training body, and licensing authority) and makes the verified credentials available to provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, PRA programmes, and CaRMS.
You create an account, submit your credentials, and PhysiciansApply contacts your institutions to confirm that your qualifications are genuine. Once verified, the credentials sit in your account and can be shared with any Canadian authority that requires them — without repeating the verification process.
The step-by-step process
Step 1: Create your PhysiciansApply.ca account. Register online with your personal details, medical school information, and current licensing details. This takes 30 minutes.
Step 2: Request source verification of your primary medical degree. PhysiciansApply contacts your medical school directly to verify: that you graduated, the date of graduation, the degree awarded, and that you're in good standing. For UK graduates, this means they contact your university (King's College London, UCL, etc.) — not the GMC.
Timeline for this step: 4–12 weeks, depending on how quickly your university responds. Some UK universities have dedicated verification offices that respond within days; others take months. You cannot speed this up — it depends entirely on the institution.
Step 3: Request source verification of postgraduate training. PhysiciansApply contacts the body that supervised your postgraduate training. For UK-trained GPs, this is typically Health Education England (or equivalent deanery) and the RCGP. They verify: the type of training, dates, completion status, and any certifications.
Timeline: 4–12 weeks, same dependency on institutional response times.
Step 4: Request verification of current registration/licensing. PhysiciansApply contacts the GMC to verify your current registration status, including any fitness-to-practise history.
Timeline: 2–6 weeks for the GMC, which is generally efficient.
Step 5: Upload supporting documents. Curriculum vitae, personal statement, reference letters, English language test results (if required), and any other documents requested by the provincial pathway you're applying to.
Step 6: Share your verified credentials. Once verification is complete, you authorise PhysiciansApply to share your credentials with the relevant provincial College or PRA programme. This is done through the platform.
Common problems and how to avoid them
University doesn't respond. This is the most common delay. If your medical school's verification office is slow, contact them directly (by phone, not email) and explain that PhysiciansApply has sent a verification request. Some universities need a nudge.
Name discrepancies. If your name has changed since graduation (marriage, deed poll), you need documentation proving the name change. Any mismatch between your credential documents and your current legal name causes delays.
Missing postgraduate training records. If you did training across multiple deaneries or had periods out of programme, getting comprehensive verification can be complex. Gather all your training certificates and CCT documentation before starting the process.
International postgraduate training. If you did any training outside the UK (e.g., a fellowship in Australia or the US), that training needs separate source verification from the relevant institution. Each additional institution adds weeks to the timeline.
The timeline reality
From creating your PhysiciansApply account to having all credentials fully verified: 3–6 months for a straightforward UK-trained GP with a single medical school and a single deanery. Add 2–4 months if you have training from multiple institutions or countries.
Start this process immediately — before you've decided on a province, before you've started exam preparation, before you've even committed to moving. Credential verification is the critical path item with the longest lead time and the least ability to accelerate.
What it costs
PhysiciansApply charges fees for account creation and source verification requests. Total fees for a typical IMG: approximately CAD $500–$800. Your medical school may also charge a verification fee (varies by institution).
The practical advice
Create your account today. If you're even considering Canada, start the credential verification now. It costs relatively little, commits you to nothing, and saves months on your timeline if you do decide to proceed.
Keep your GMC registration active. Even if you're planning to leave the UK, maintain your GMC registration until your Canadian licence is secure. Canadian authorities verify your current licensing status — a lapsed GMC registration raises questions.
Save copies of everything. Every certificate, every training record, every letter of good standing. Canadian authorities request documentation that UK doctors often don't keep readily accessible.
iatroX supports UK doctors preparing for Canada with MCCQE1 qbanks and IMG pathway guides. Start credential verification today; start exam preparation with us when you're ready.