Public Consultation: Proposed New Registration Class to address urgent system needs

CPSM requests feedback from the public, registrants, regulated health professions, and other partners on the creation of a new class of registration: Provisional (Other Approved Training).

What is this being proposed? 

A new class of registration for physicians would provide a flexible regulatory tool to respond to urgent workforce needs while placing safeguards to ensure physicians entering practice in Manitoba meet appropriate standards of competence and professionalism (eligibility criteria are outlined further below). 

The proposed amendments do not create an automatic or unrestricted pathway to licensure. 

The new, proposed class establishes:

• a controlled, needs‑based mechanism grounded in individualized reviews of credentials,
• workplace-based assessment,
• supervision, and
• defined scope of practice. 

Development of this new registration class aligns with CPSM’s statutory responsibility to support access to an adequate supply of qualified physicians for the people of Manitoba. 

Addressing Emergency Medicine needs in Manitoba 

Under the current regulatory framework, only two categories of registrants are recognized as qualified to practice in Emergency Department settings:

1. Royal College - certified Emergency Medicine specialists
2. Family physicians with Emergency Medicine training 

Throughout jurisdictions around the world, many physicians practice exclusively in Emergency Medicine without completing the broader training requirements for a Canadian specialty or in Family Medicine certification. This misalignment between the competencies of available physicians and existing licensure pathways prevents competent Emergency Medicine physicians from practicing in Manitoba.

Collaboration among the Department of Emergency Medicine, Manitoba Health, and CPSM’s Registration department has resulted in the proposed new class - Provisional (Other Approved Training).

The Provisional (Other Approved Training) class would enable International medical Graduates (IMGs)/Internationally Trained Physicians (ITPs) with satisfactory training and experience to practice in Manitoba. 

How the new class works and when it will be used 

Purpose

The new class is designed for IMGs/ITPs who do not meet specific requirements for our traditional provisional specialty or family practice pathways. It represents a third, general practice pathway. It is intended to support timely access to qualified and competent physicians, while maintaining CPSM’s core mandate of public protection, and would only be activated in situations of urgent system need.

Addressing urgent needs in Manitoba’s healthcare system

Registration in this class may occur only if the Minister of Health has provided CPSM with formal notice —within the six months prior to an application— that there is an urgent need for physicians in a specific field of practice and in a defined geographic area or practice setting. Without this ministerial notice, CPSM cannot register applicants in this class.

While emergency medicine was a key driver, the proposed class has been designed to be sufficiently broad to apply to other fields of practice that may experience urgent need, should such needs be identified or arise in the future.

Eligibility and Assessment Requirements

The Provisional (Other Approved Training) class would allow CPSM to register and license physicians through an intensive, contextual, and individualized assessment of their credentials. The eligibility requirements include:

• Holding a recognized medical degree, including a Doctor of Medicine or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from an accredited institution;
• Completion of a clinical practice program (such as postgraduate training or recognized clinical practice experience) that is accepted by a medical regulatory authority in another jurisdiction as qualifying the individual to practise medicine in their field;
• Training and experience must be satisfactory to CPSM in consultation with the relevant specialty lead;
• Possession of a ministerial certificate specifying the geographic area or practice setting and confirming the urgent need;
• Evidence of recent and relevant practice experience, where applicable; and
• Entry into satisfactory supervisory and mentorship arrangements approved by CPSM. 

All candidates considered for this class would be required to undergo a practice‑ready assessment in their field of practice. Successful completion of an approved assessment is a mandatory condition of continued registration. 

Scope, Duration, and Conditions of Practice

Registration in the Provisional (Other Approved Training) class would be:

• Time‑limited, based on the period specified in the ministerial certificate;
• Restricted to a specific geographic area or setting, as identified in the certificate; and
• Subject to conditions, including ongoing supervision, mentorship, and progress toward eligibility for full practising registration.

Registrants in this class would be required to work toward meeting the requirements for full practising registration, including achieving a successful outcome in the Manitoba Practice Assessment Program (MPAP), where applicable. 

Relationship to Practice‑Ready Assessment Pathways

The proposed amendments also establish a related Assessment Candidate (Other Approved Training) class. This class would allow eligible candidates to enter Manitoba specifically to complete an approved assessment when an urgent need has been declared. Upon successful completion of the assessment, registration may be converted to Provisional (Other Approved Training) status. 

How to submit your feedback

1. Review the proposed amendments to the CPSM General Regulation.
2. Submit your comments in one of the following ways:

By email: CPSMconsultation@cpsm.mb.ca 

By mail:

The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Manitoba

1000-1661 Portage Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R3J 3T7

The deadline for feedback is Friday, June 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CST