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Apply for Limited Practice

Clinical or surgical assistants on the limited practice register provide care under supervision.

What is limited practice registration?

Limited practice registration is available for physicians and osteopaths who don’t currently meet our criteria for independent practice, but have successfully completed Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) Clinical Assistant/Surgical Assistant orientation program.

Physicians and osteopaths on the limited practice register may provide limited medical services as clinical or surgical assistants while under supervision.

To apply for a clinical or surgical assistant position within AHS, you must meet certain licensure requirements.

Learn about these AHS job opportunities and the pre-screening process.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for limited practice registration as a clinical or surgical assistant if you:

  • have successfully completed Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) Clinical Assistant/Surgical Assistant orientation and assessment process, and
  • have ongoing support from AHS to remain on the limited register.

Clinical or surgical assistant registration criteria

CPSA has seven expectations of clinical or surgical assistants with limited practice registration:

  1. Medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
  2. Postgraduate training (minimum of 1 year).
    • For clinical assistants, this needs to be hospital-based training in clinical services providing direct patient care interaction in the acute care setting. Medical or clinical research, full-time administrative activity, and instruction in aspects of medicine not contributing to direct patient care do not qualify.
  3. Medical Council of Canada’s Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCCQE1)

  4. Proof of English Language Proficiency if you were trained in a country where English is not the first and native language (even if English was the language of instruction). For more on this requirement, visit English Language Proficiency.

  5. A criminal record check or police certificate is required from all locations you have practised and/or trained for more than 90 days in the last 5 years. Canadian criminal record checks are nation-wide, so only 1 is required. Although we don’t need it, we will accept a vulnerable sector check if it is a part of your criminal record check.
  6. Demonstrate currency of practice. Within the last 3 years, you need to have been in postgraduate training or independent practice for at least 6 months.
  7. Letter of offer from Alberta Health Services.
  8. Successful completion of Alberta Health Services Clinical or Surgical Assistant orientation programme.

Apply for limited practice registration

To register for limited practice registration, you first need to apply for AHS’ pre-screening process.

Learn how to begin AHS’ pre-screening process.

Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you.

Local: 780-969-4924
Toll-free: 1-800-320-8624
Fax: 780-424-0805

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