The Province of Saskatchewan is making some changes to recruit more foreign-trained doctors to the province with the City of Lloydminster already on board. The province announced full implementation of the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA), which has been operating as a pilot project since early last year in several places including Lloydminster, Maidstone, North Battleford and Unity. Since the pilot began, 25 international medical graduates have successfully completed the project and are practising the province.

The new process is part of the government’s work to address the doctor shortage in the province. “We are pleased to introduce full implementation of the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment, a key initiative in our ongoing effort to recruit and retain physicians.”

With the old process, only graduates from six countries were eligible for assessment. Now, international medical graduates from all countries which meet licensure criteria will be eligible. As a result, the province will assess more international medical students. Under the old assessment process, the province assessed about 55 physicians a year. The province is capable of conducting about 90 assessments per year.

SIPPA will also mean graduates will receive orientation to the Canadian practise environment before their assessment. They will also be assessed before beginning independent practice. Previously, Saskatchewan was the only province in Canada allowing physicians to begin practising before being assessed. 

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