Can I use the “Physician Assistant” title if I am not registered with CPSO?
No. The title “Physician Assistant” is a restricted title under the Medicine Act, 1991. This means that once regulation takes effect, only those who are registered with CPSO will have access to the protected title “Physician Assistant.”
If you wish to practise using the title “Physician Assistant,” or if you are holding yourself out as a person qualified to practise as a PA in Ontario, you will be required to register with CPSO.
When can I register with CPSO as a PA?
CPSO will begin accepting applications for registration in early 2025 and begin regulating PAs on April 1, 2025. Individuals who wish to practise as a PA must be registered by April 1, 2025. From April 1, 2025, only PAs registered with CPSO will be permitted to use the title “Physician Assistant” in Ontario.
How do I register with CPSO?
PAs will be required to submit an online application form, upload documents, and pay the required fees to CPSO directly through CPSO’s registrant Portal. PAs will be able to review the status of their application using the Portal. Work on this is currently underway, and we will provide more information in the coming months.
Who will be eligible to register with CPSO as a PA?
You will be eligible to register as a PA if you have:
- graduated from an accredited PA education program offered in Canada or the US and
- successfully completed a certifying examination in Canada (Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada - PACCC) or the US (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants - NCCPA).
Can PAs trained through the Canadian Armed Forces PA Program or the Ontario PA Integration Program register with CPSO?
Yes. PAs who have graduated from either the Canadian Armed Forces Health Training Centre PA Program or the Ontario PA Integration Program can register with CPSO within two years of the regulation taking effect, provided they have been practising as a PA in Canada during the two years preceding their application.
Do PAs employed by the Canadian Armed Forces have to register with CPSO?
If a PA in the Canadian Armed Forces is providing care to civilian patients in Ontario, they must register with CPSO.
Can PAs educated outside Canada and the US register as a PA?
Currently, the registration requirements are focused on Canadian and American PA education programs. However, the regulations provide CPSO with the flexibility to approve new education programs and accreditation bodies as the profession expands to support the inclusion of internationally trained PAs over time.
I am an internationally educated physician/medical graduate. Can I register as a PA?
Internationally educated physicians or international medical graduates may continue to practise through delegation but may not call themselves a PA. The title “Physician Assistant” will be a protected title under the Medicine Act, 1991 when regulation takes effect. At that time, internationally educated physicians or international medical graduates will only be able to practise as a PA where they meet the standards and qualifications set out in the Registration regulation (requisite education and certification) and are registered with CPSO.
What documents will I need to provide to register as a PA?
To register as a PA, you will need to provide:
- a complete application form
- the application fee and membership fee
- evidence of a PA degree from an accredited PA education program in Canada or the US
- evidence of certification from the Physician Assistant Certification Council of Canada (PACCC) or the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
- curriculum vitae
- proof of professional liability insurance
- confirmation of good standing, where applicable
- a criminal record check
- proof of permanent residency or Canadian citizenship
Applicants may be required to submit additional documents as required by CPSO.
What fees will I be required to pay to register as a PA?
PA applicants will be required to pay a one-time application fee of $300 and an annual membership fee of $425.
More Information
If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].