Medical Matters: Updates from the Registration department

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While we may have welcomed the New Year just a few short months ago, it comes as no surprise that CPSA has already experienced an eventful beginning to the year. I would like to start off by introducing myself as the new Assistant Registrar, Registration, as of January 6, 2025. I am a cardiologist from Edmonton who joined CPSA’s Accreditation Department in 2016. My first two months in the Registration Department have allowed me to learn and review our current processes. The Registration Department and whole CPSA team have been very welcoming and supportive, and I have had the opportunity to gather thought-provoking feedback and ideas. While I am looking forward to working on these exciting projects in the coming months, I am happy to share progress on a few changes already underway.

Live Registration Statistics page launch

I am pleased to share an exciting new addition to CPSA’s website – our Registration & Assessments Statistics page. This page provides real-time updates on the number of physician and physician assistant applications currently undergoing our pre-screening review process. The pre-screening process ensures that candidates meet all eligibility requirements before applying to register with CPSA. The page also breaks down how many candidates have been deemed eligible to apply for registration. This live feature tracking physician applications is the first of its kind in Canada! I encourage you to explore it here.

1-year mark since sponsorship expansion

International medical graduates (IMGs) make up a significant number of practicing physicians in Alberta, and sponsorship is a key step towards bringing these physicians into the province. As you may know, until a year ago, Alberta Health Services (AHS) was the sole sponsor of IMGs in Alberta. Starting in March 2024, CPSA expanded our sponsorship program, allowing individuals, organizations, corporations and others to apply to sponsor a physician position in their desired community. Since the program launched, we have received over 280 applications to sponsor approximately 600 positions. To date, there are over 200 approved sponsors and 107 sponsored positions have been filled.

Title change from Clinical Assistant/Surgical Assistant to Associate Physician

Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced on Nov. 1, 2024, that Clinical Assistants and Clinical Surgical Assistants are now known as Associate Physicians. This new title better reflects the responsibilities associated with the role within the healthcare system and aligns with other jurisdictions. CPSA has been updating our systems to reflect this change and adopt the new title across our documentation and relevant Practice Permits. All regulated members with the former titles of Clinical Assistant/Surgical Assistant can expect to see these changes implemented by April 1, 2025. This title change does not impact the scope of practice or care provided to patients, and no additional information or action is required of those members. For more information, please see the AHS Medical Staff Update from Nov. 1, 2024.

Acknowledging Canadian Women Physicians Day on March 11

We recently commemorated Canadian Women Physicians Day on March 11. While it was an opportunity to celebrate the many advances women in medicine have made, we must also acknowledge the bias and discrimination women physicians still face. While women make up over 40% of Canadian physicians, a CMA survey of women physicians found that 77% said they had experienced gender inequity in their training or practice setting, and 99% reported that the inequity had a negative effect on their sense of wellness.

Gender bias and discrimination can have a ripple effect that impacts the wellbeing of women physicians. CMA reports that “female physicians are reporting higher levels of burnout, anxiety and harassment in the workplace compared to their male peers.”

CPSA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan includes an anti-discrimination Strategic Direction that states “CPSA will integrate equity, diversity and inclusion principles into all we do…” We remain committed to striving to be a leader in anti-bias initiatives across our organization.

Together, we must continue to advocate for supports that allow women across all employment sectors to thrive.

Resource for women physicians: Canadian Women In Medicine

As you may imagine, it has been a busy two months in my new office, and I am eager to continue my journey at CPSA. I have immense gratitude and respect for the CPSA team, who remains committed to ensuring Albertans receive access to high-quality healthcare. The team truly understands that doing the right thing sometimes means we need to innovate, and that leads to great work. I look forward to updating you on our ongoing progress in Registration. Until then, I hope you all get to enjoy more sunshine in the days ahead.

Dr. Sayra Khandekar is the Assistant Registrar for Registration at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA). She graduated from Stanford University and Tulane University School of Medicine and completed post graduate training at the University of Tennessee and the University of Alberta. She has her MBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a cardiologist and practiced at the Misericordia Hospital and the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton. She has held previous leadership roles at Covenant Health, the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association and Alberta Health Services before joining CPSA full time in January 2025.