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The CCFP is the Canadian family medicine certification examination — required at the end of a 2-year Family Medicine residency for the right to practise as a family physician in Canada. Two components: SAMP (Short Answer Management Problems — written) and SOO (Simulated Office Orals — clinical scenarios). Mapped to the CFPC's 99 Priority Topics framework and key features. An AI-adaptive question bank by Canadian family physicians.
Full CCFP bank, AI Tutor and timed mocks — $29/month or $99/year. All paid exam banks included.
Approximately 40 case-based problems requiring brief written responses (typically 1-3 word answers or short lists). Tests application of family medicine knowledge across the CFPC 99 Priority Topics. Computer-based delivery.
4 simulated patient consultations of approximately 15 minutes each (format and number of cases recently restructured). Candidates demonstrate patient-centred clinical method (PCCM): exploring the patient's health, disease, and illness experience; understanding the whole person; finding common ground; incorporating prevention and health promotion; enhancing the patient-doctor relationship; being realistic.
The CFPC defines 99 Priority Topics — high-yield clinical content areas for Canadian family medicine. Each topic has specific Key Features (the must-know clinical decision points). These are the central revision framework for the SAMP exam.
The CFPC's defined consultation framework, central to the SOO marking. Tests the candidate's ability to integrate clinical reasoning with patient-centred communication. Marking schemes assess specific PCCM domains in each SOO case.
Family physicians become Certificants of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) and can practise as fully qualified family physicians in Canada. Many Canadian provinces require CCFP certification for full licensure.
Two sittings per year — typically Spring (May) and Fall (November). Confirm 2026 dates and application windows on the CFPC website (cfpc.ca). Most family medicine residents sit the exam in their second residency year.
Approximate distribution across the CFPC 99 Priority Topics. The CCFP emphasises common, important family medicine presentations in Canadian primary care.
Source: official College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) blueprint
Drawn from the CFPC 99 Priority Topics and Key Features, Canadian Family Physician (CFP) journal, and CFPC SOO marking framework.
CFPC 99 Priority Topics — these are the central revision framework. Each topic has Key Features (the must-know clinical decision points). Cover them systematically; SAMP questions test these decision points directly.
Patient-Centred Clinical Method (PCCM) — the 6 components: exploring health/disease/illness, understanding the whole person, finding common ground, incorporating prevention, enhancing patient-doctor relationship, being realistic. SOO marking maps directly to these.
Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC) — Canadian cancer screening recommendations (breast 50-74, colorectal 50-74 with FIT every 2 years, cervical with HPV primary), and screening recommendations that differ from US norms
Diabetes Canada algorithm — T2DM management with A1C-individualised targets, SGLT2i and GLP-1 for CV/renal protection, sick day rules, screening intervals. Tested directly.
Opioid prescribing in chronic pain — Canadian opioid prescribing guidelines (CDPHCA), opioid use disorder management, opioid agonist therapy (methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, slow-release oral morphine), naloxone access
Indigenous health and cultural safety — Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations applied to clinical practice. Recognising historical trauma, intergenerational effects, and barriers to care. Increasingly emphasised in CCFP exam content.
Common SOO scenarios — chronic disease review, mental health (depression with suicide risk), substance use, perinatal mental health, paediatric well-baby check, end-of-life family conversations. Practise PCCM application to each.
Canadian women's health — SOGC guidelines for contraception, antenatal care, perimenopause, abnormal uterine bleeding, hormone therapy. Differs slightly from UK FSRH framework.
Observations from recent CCFP candidates. Verify against the current CFPC 99 Priority Topics, Key Features, and SOO marking framework.
Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.
A pragmatic phased approach used by recent CFPC certificants, integrated with residency clinical rotations.
A live item from the iatroX bank. Try it before launching a full session.
A 50-year-old man presents with heartburn occurring 4 days per week for 4 months. He has no dysphagia, gastrointestinal bleeding, weight loss, anaemia or vomiting. Lifestyle modifications provide only partial symptom relief. What is the most appropriate next step in management?
Why iatroX is built differently for CCFP.
Every iatroX item is tagged to a blueprint topic, so your performance dashboard mirrors the structure of the exam itself.
The engine surfaces your weakest topics first, in real time, instead of marching you through a static syllabus.
Incorrect items return at increasing intervals to interrupt the forgetting curve and lock knowledge into long-term memory.
Timed full-length simulations that mirror the official exam structure under realistic conditions.
One iatroX subscription includes the CCFP bank, the Socratic Tutor inside supported sessions, and every other premium iatroX exam bank.
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Family Medicine residents in the final year of a CFPC-accredited 2-year residency program. Also Practice Ready Assessment (PRA) candidates — IMGs who have demonstrated equivalent training via the PRA-IMG pathway in participating Canadian provinces. Specific eligibility requirements detailed on the CFPC website.
Two sittings per year — typically Spring (around May) and Fall (around November). Confirm 2026 dates and application windows on the CFPC website at cfpc.ca. Most family medicine residents sit during their R2 year.
Two components: (1) SAMP (Short Answer Management Problems) — approximately 40 written problems requiring brief responses; (2) SOO (Simulated Office Orals) — 4 simulated patient consultations of approximately 15 minutes each. Both components must be passed for certification.
The CCFP is awarded by the College of Family Physicians of Canada — it certifies family medicine. RCPSC (Royal College) certifies all other medical specialties (internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, surgery, etc.). They serve different specialty pathways. The MCCQE Part 1 is required for both before specialty certification.
Increasingly emphasised since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. CCFP exam content includes recognising historical trauma, intergenerational effects, cultural safety, barriers to care, and the TRC Calls to Action relevant to health (especially #18-#24). Often tested in both SAMP and SOO.
Practise the Patient-Centred Clinical Method (PCCM) explicitly with peer feedback. Each SOO is marked specifically against PCCM components (exploring health/disease/illness, understanding the whole person, finding common ground, incorporating prevention, enhancing patient-doctor relationship, being realistic). Real residency clinics provide raw material — debrief consultations using PCCM language.
Yes. A single iatroX subscription (£29/month or £99/year for UK users; $29/$99 elsewhere) includes the CCFP bank alongside MCCQE Part 1, RCPSC IM/EM, NDEB-AFK, and every other premium iatroX exam bank. No add-ons or per-exam fees.
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Reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MSt MRCGP · Last reviewed 12 May 2026
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