Canadian residency applicants

• Within 20 months of graduation: register with the Medical Council of Canada through Physicians Apply.

Fourth Year

• March/September: sit the NAC OSCE (only available to sit in Canada)
• Anytime: sit the MCCQE1 in any Prometric location in Australia

Post-Graduation

1. For CaRMS Residency Match Application

• Upload your final academic transcript and medical diploma directly to your CaRMS Online account.
• If you have already uploaded these documents to your physiciansapply.ca account, you can transfer them to CaRMS through the document sharing option.
• For detailed guidance, visit the CaRMS website - Document Submission Page.

2. For MCC and ECFMG Source Verification

• After receiving your final academic transcript and diploma, upload both documents to the Medical Council of Canada via your physiciansapply.ca account.
• MCC will process your documents and forward them to the ECFMG International Credentials Office (EICS) for source verification.
• Once ECFMG contacts your medical school, the School of Medicine will be asked to confirm the authenticity of your documents.
• This verification process is separate from CaRMS and is required for licensing purposes in Canada.

Important:

• CaRMS submission and MCC/ECFMG verification are two distinct processes. Completing one does not automatically fulfill the other.
• Ensure you complete both steps if you are applying for residency and planning to practice in Canada

The MSPR is required for residency applications. Previously known as the Dean's Letter, it is a sequential evaluation of a medical student's performance and professional attributes. An exemplar MSPR is available to guide students. 

Please note, the MSPR and MSPE (for US residency applications) are nearly identical documents. If you are applying for both a Canadian and United States residency placement, you will only need to complete one document, that will be slightly altered by the International Office for submission to both CaRMS and ECFMG.

In 2025 we are admistering Quartile Clustering

Although The University of Queensland is a non-ranking institution, for the purpose of the MSPR, UQ MD students are clustered by quartiles based on their comparative performance in medical school relative to their peers. This clustering helps differentiate among levels of student performance within the cohort.

Year Level Performance

A year level percentage for Years 1 – 3 will be calculated using the average of the course percentages for that year. Equal weighting will be applied to each course within the year. Using the average year level percentage, you will be placed into quartiles. Your quartile ranking for each year of the program will be included in your MSPR letter.

Overall Program Performance

As part of the standardised format, the MSPR includes a summative assessment of your overall program percentage. This percentage is calculated by averaging the year level percentages, with equal weighting applied across Years 1 through 3 of the program. Based on your overall program percentage (Years 1 – 3), you will be placed into quartiles. Your quartile ranking will be included in your letter. 

The summative quartile categories, along with the final descriptive adjective in the MSPE Summary, are determined by the following cohort levels:

• Superior (top quartile)
• Outstanding (second quartile)
• Excellent (third quartile)
• Very Good (fourth quartile)

Year 4 grades are not included in the clustering because of differences in student schedules and the timing of the release of the MSPR.

MSPR Contents

• Noteworthy characteristics
• Pre-clinical narrative
• Year level performance
• CPA comments from Year 3 clinical placements
• Optional elective (if applicable)
• CPA comments from first half of Year 4
• Overall program performance with graphic chart – indicates comparative performance amongst cohort
• Second half of Year 4 clinical placements are listed

Fourth Year Timeline

• April: Expression of interest (EOI) for North American residency will open. Details are provided in the MD Community Blackboard site. 
• July: you will be provided a guide to complete the Noteworthy Characteristics section.
• August: you will receive an email with instructions on how to order an official academic transcript, required for your residency applications. The academic transcript can only be ordered after the release of Semester 1 results.
• November: all MSPRs, academic transcripts, and letters of English Instruction will be uploaded to CaRMS.

Mid-August

As part of the residency application process, the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences will be required to upload your transcript to CaRMS.

• Once Semester 1 grades are released in SiNet, then grades are available on your transcripts. DO NOT order until grades from Semester 1 appear on SiNet.
  • Order your transcript online
  • Follow the Order Online process to order an electronic academic transcript
  • Under the Academic Record section, select "MyeQuals Transcript"
  • Under the Confirmation section, select "Immediately"

• You must order your transcripts no later than mid-August.

• UQ will send a notification to your UQ student email account with instructions on how to register your account with My eQuals in order to access and share your official transcript. Although the My eQuals system will allow you to share these documents in several ways, due to the specifics required by ECFMG, you will need to download a cryptographically signed PDF copy of your  transcript and email it to hmbs@enquire.uq.edu.au. Do NOT send this via the My eQuals system, attach it in an email.

• NOTE: Any outstanding fees on SiNet must be paid in advance in order to receive your transcript.

To be eligible for the Match, Canadian IMGs (International Medical Graduates) must pass the NAC OSCE. 

You must take and pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II to obtain the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). Canadian medical regulatory authorities may require you to have the LMCC to apply for a medical licence within their province or territory.

From 2019, students will no longer be required to pass the MCCEE prior to taking the MCCQE1. Please see Medical Council Cananda website for more details and eligibility requirements.

The MCC has provided a variety of study support for students/graduates preparing for the MCCQE1:

Suggested reference materials

Preparation resources

Test your knowledge (practice exams)

Communication and Cultural Competence Orientation

Study resources are reviewed and approved each year. Information about Canada specific resources will be provided to the relevant cohort via the MD Community Blackboard site.

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences prepares the United States Medical School Performance Evaluations (MSPE) and Canadian Medical School Performance Records (MSPR) for students wishing to apply for Residency in North America. The process begins around April and students will be provided further details throughout the year. 

Students wishing to apply for the match in 2026 (applying in 2025 for the 2026 residency Match), must contact the Faculty office at hmbs@enquire.uq.edu.au.

If you are a current student who is interested in applying for the match in a future cycle, please reach out to the Faculty to advise of your intentions. 

Previous graduates are encouraged to reach out to the Faculty before the end of June 2025 to begin the application process.

1. When do I need to upload my final medical diploma and academic transcript?

You are not required to upload your final medical diploma or academic transcript before the CaRMS match.

These documents are uploaded after you have been offered a residency position and after you have officially graduated from medical school. For applicants in the 2026 CaRMS match cycle, this means your final diploma and transcript are typically uploaded after Match Day on March 3, 2026, once your final documents are issued by your medical school.

2. Is there a specific deadline or date by which my final diploma and transcript must be uploaded?

There is no single universal calendar date for uploading the final diploma and transcript prior to the match.

The requirement is that these documents must be submitted once available, following graduation, and in time to support provincial licensing and hospital onboarding for your residency program. Your postgraduate medical education (PGME) office or provincial licensing authority will confirm any program‑specific deadlines after the match.

3. Is CaRMS involved in the process after the residency match?

No. CaRMS is not involved in the residency process after the match has occurred.

Once match results are released, CaRMS’ role is complete. All post‑match requirements, including documentation, licensing, onboarding, and source verification, are managed by provincial licensing bodies, regulatory authorities, and residency programs, not CaRMS.

4. What is source verification, and how does it relate to CaRMS?

Source verification is separate from CaRMS and is not required for participation in the CaRMS match.

It is a licensing and registration requirement in Canada, completed through the appropriate credential verification organisation, and is required so that provincial medical regulatory authorities can confirm the authenticity of your medical credentials before you begin residency.

5. When must source verification be completed?

Source verification must be completed before you begin your PGY1 year of residency in Canada, which typically starts on July 1.

It does not need to be completed prior to the CaRMS match, but it must be finalised in time to meet provincial licensing requirements and residency program onboarding deadlines.

6. If source verification takes a long time, should I start the process now?

Yes. Because source verification can take several months, particularly if multiple institutions or international credentials are involved, we strongly recommend starting the process as early as possible, even while you are awaiting the CaRMS match results.

Beginning early helps prevent avoidable delays that could impact:

• Provincial medical licensure
• Hospital credentialing
• Your ability to start residency on time

7. Summary of Key Timelines

• Final diploma and academic transcript
  → Uploaded after graduation and after Match Day (March 3, 2026)

• Source verification
  → Separate from CaRMS
  → Must be completed before PGY1 begins (typically July 1)

• Recommendation
  → Begin the source verification process as early as possible