Apply as a Medical Student, Resident or Fellow

All medical learners in Alberta are expected to register with CPSA.

Medical learner registration

All medical learners in Alberta are expected to register with CPSA.

If you are interested in an Alberta residency, fellowship or elective program, you need approval from one of Alberta’s medical schools before CPSA can register you. Your registration helps you adjust to the responsibilities of being part of the medical profession, including staying on top of professional developments, consulting CPSA’s Standards of Practice, reflecting on your practice and completing permit renewal forms.

Apply for registration as a medical learner

CPSA has the same basic expectations of all applicants.

All applicants must meet the following standard requirements:

Standard eligibility requirements

Verify your medical degree

Verify your medical degree

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Verify your medical degree

Verify your medical degree

Verify your medical or osteopathic degree through physiciansapply.ca.

English language proficiency

English language proficiency

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English language proficiency

English language proficiency

Must provide acceptable proof of English language proficiency. For more on this requirement, visit English Language Proficiency.

Criminal record check

Criminal record check

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Criminal record check

Criminal record check

A criminal record check is required from all locations where you’ve trained or worked for more than 90 days in the past 5 years (official police checks only).

Do you meet the standard eligibility requirements?

Follow these steps to apply as a medical learner with CPSA.

Acceptance to an Alberta postgraduate medical education (PGME) program

Once you’re enrolled, your university will add your name to our postgraduate tracking system and follow up with you by email about what you need to know about postgraduate training.

Apply for Physician Extender Registration (if applicable)

If your postgraduate training requires you to provide medical services as part of your training, you might need additional physician extender registration.

Learn more about physician extender registration

Registration fees

There is a one-time fee of $400 for the duration of your program and $100 for out-of-province elective registrations.

Registration fee   $400
Out-of-province elective registration fee   $100

Contact Alberta's PGME offices

University of Alberta PGME office

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University of Alberta PGME office

Email: pgemail@ualberta.ca
Phone: 1-780-492-9722

If any details of your program change, including the start date and/or end date, please contact your PGME office directly.

University of Calgary PGME office

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University of Calgary PGME office

Email: pgme@ucalgary.ca
Phone: 1-403-210-7984

If any details of your program change, including the start date and/or end date, please contact your PGME office directly.

Postgraduate training FAQs

All FAQs

How do I know if CPSA received all my documents?

You can check the status of your application in the Postgraduate Tracking System and learn which documents we have received. It takes about 2 business days for new information to show up on the tracking page after we receive it.

I already did an elective in Alberta and am returning for another. Do I have to complete the entire registration process again?

If you were already registered in Alberta for an elective, you do not have to reapply or pay a registration fee. You need to:

  • Ask your university to update CPSA with your new elective dates.
  • Send CPSA a Certificate of Professional Conduct.
  • Send CPSA a new criminal record check or police certificate from every jurisdiction you have ever lived (90+ days) within 5 years of your CPSA application or dating back to your 18th birthday. We do not need a vulnerable sector check, but will accept one if it is a part of your criminal record check.

What happens when my registration is complete?

Once CPSA receives all your documents, if you are eligible for registration, you will get a confirmation email with your new CPSA registration number. This is the identification we use for all our future interactions with you. We’ll also send you an email to let you know when your permit is available in our secure physician portal for you to access.

What is physiciansapply.ca?

physiciansapply.ca is the tool that all physicians are required to use to apply for practice in Canada, physiciansapply.ca standardizes the application process for medical registration in Canada. CPSA only accepts applications through physiciansapply.ca.

Through your physiciansapply.ca account, you can

  • apply for any Medical Council of Canada (MCC) exams
  • view your exam results
  • submit your credentials and documents
  • have your credentials translated (if they need to be)
  • share your credentials and exam results with CPSA or any other medical authority
  • submit a Review of Qualifications to CPSA

Where do I get a Certificate of Professional Conduct / Certificate of Standing?

You must obtain a Certificate of Professional Conduct / Certificate of Standing from all the jurisdictions in which you were registered and practising medicine. These documents come from a licensing body, not from a university.

Why can't I log on to the tracking system?

Please try these suggestions:

  1. Clear your cache.
  2. Please ensure you are using Chrome or Microsoft Edge as your browser.
  3. Please ensure you are using a desktop or laptop and not a mobile phone.
  4. Access your tracking page through the following link https://oats.cpsa.ca/oats using your assigned email address.
  5. From some countries outside North America, you may need to log in via a VPN.

If you are still struggling to log in, please contact us for assistance.

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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  • Providing your CPSA registration # will help us resolve your inquiry more efficiently.

Innovation at CPSA

We are the only medical regulator in Canada with an in-house Analytics, Innovation & Research (AIR) team. Learn how CPSA's regulatory-based research supports quality medical practice.