The Manitoba Practice Assessment Program (MPAP) has been developed in response to a need identified by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM). Within the Province of Manitoba, physicians commonly enter practice on a conditional license. A conditional license allows physicians who have completed post-graduate training, but have not yet achieved their Canadian certification through the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), to enter supervised practice within a defined time frame during which they are expected to complete the appropriate certification exam. There are a significant number of physicians, particularly International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who are in established practices and have not yet achieved final certification for a variety of reasons. The CPSM requested that the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine develop a process to assess such physicians in their practice settings to enable the College to make a decision about granting full registration to these candidates.
Extensive research has been completed regarding current practice-based assessment approaches in other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world. This research has aided in the development of a comprehensive and multi-faceted assessment approach.