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Breadcrumbs
NEW Learner
International MD (on Work Permit)
Steps to follow
1) Login to POWER (Complete Now)
- Review the email sent by PGME with your POWER credentials
- If needed, retrieve your pin and/or password. Click "Forgot your pin and/or password?" on the login page
Enter the email address you use in POWER and click "Send". Your pin/password will be immediately sent to your email address (check your junk mail).
Please use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for optimal performance when accessing POWER
2) Sign the Letter of Appointment (LOA) (Complete Now)
- In POWER, go to the "LOA Documents" to review and ensure accuracy of your LOA. If all is correct, type your name and click on the "Submit" button. This is your electronic signature indicating your acceptance of the appointment.
- The LOA will only reflect training in the upcoming academic year (July 1- June 30). If your training continues past June 30, you will receive a new LOA next Spring.
CPSO begins to accept LOAs in mid-April each year. PGME will automatically forward you signed LOA in mid-April, which is part of your CPSO license application.
3) Complete a Background Attestation (Complete after May 8 in POWER)
This is an electronic statement that you attest/not attest to regarding your background. If you CANNOT ATTEST you must email a written explanation to adpgme@utoronto.ca with a copy to postgrad.med@utoronto.ca.
Complete your Background Attestation in POWER after May 8, 2024. If your training starts between May and June, please add the background attestation prior to May 8, 2024.
You will receive email alerts from the POWER system reminding you to obtain the VSS or complete the Background Attestation in the POWER system. Only email postgrad.med@utoronto.ca if there is an error.
- A Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) Police Record Check is NOT required for new learners on a work permit who arrived in Canada on or after April 1, 2024.
- A Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) Police Record Check is required should you continue training for the 2025-26 academic session. POWER will reflect your VSS requirement automatically, do not email postgrad.med@utoronto.ca unless it is incorrect.
- A Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) Criminal Record Check is required for learners on a work permit who arrived in Canada before March 31, 2024 (those that have been in Canada for 3+ months)
4) Register with the College of Physicians & Surgeons (CPSO) (Begin once appointment approved by Visa Team)
- Begin once your appointment is approved by the PGME Visa Team via email.
- Create a New Portal account and register with CPSO.
- PGME automatically forwards your signed LOA directly to CPSO in mid-April. Please allow CPSO sufficient time to process (CPSO processing time can take 3-5 weeks).
- Regularly check on your application status in your CPSO Member Portal.
- It is recommended, you apply for a Canadian Bank account while abroad if possible.
- If your CPSO account does not reflect the LOA by the end of May or 30 days after CPSO receives your signed LOA, please email postgrad.med@utoronto.ca to resend.
Do not begin medical practice or postgraduate training in Ontario until you have received confirmation from the CPSO that you are registered. It is an offence under the Regulated Health Professions Act for a person to practice medicine in Ontario, postgraduate training included, until such time as an appropriate certificate of registration has been renewed or issued.
5) Submit Immunization Records (Submit 2+ Months before Start Date)
- Download the following forms from "LOA Documents" folder on POWER
- Immunization
- Mask Fit form
- Upload your forms to the PGME Forms Site.
- Updated forms must be received within 60+ days to avoid potential delays.
- Your full immunization and mask fit forms are to be completed and signed by a clinic/health care centre, or health care professional other than yourself.
- Training 1 year or more, you will have 2 months to acquire your mask fit test at the training hospital of your first rotation
Training less than 1 year, you will need to supply your mask fit information before your start date
- Learners who have a communicable disease or are carriers of an infectious agent (Hepatitis B/C or HIV) must contact You must contact pgme.immunization@utoronto.ca for consideration by the Expert Panel on Infection Control.
- Appointments for carriers are conditional upon review of the Expert Panel on Infection Control.
- Learners CANNOT register without a complete immunization record.
- It is mandatory to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to PGME. You will not be able to participate in clinical activities if proof of vaccination is not provided. Please upload proof of vaccination to the PGME Form Site.
- Your ‘Immunization Alert(s)’ under ‘Messages’ on your initial view page in POWER will outline what is missing/expired and requires your attention.
6) Register with Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) (Complete 2 Months before Start Date)
- Create an account on the CMPA website for malpractice insurance or contact CMPA if needed.
- This is a MANDATORY registration requirement for all those with a CPSO licence.
- Ensure your CMPA coverage dates MATCH the training START dates in POWER. You cannot start without CMPA coverage MATCHING your training START date.
Already have CMPA coverage, but you're new to U of T? If you previously attended another school in Canada for your PGME training, please ensure you contact CMPA and update your record from your old school to University of Toronto so your CMPA data will be included in our daily data import.
Already have CMPA coverage with U of T? CMPA provides PGME with daily data imports which may take 48 hours to be reflected on your POWER profile.
7) Submit Work Permit & Passport (Submit Upon Arrival to Canada)
- Upload the following to PGME Forms Site upon arrival in Canada:
- Scanned Work Permit
- Scanned Passport
- A reminder to monitor your work permit and passport expiry dates and be aware if renewal is required; if either expire during the academic year, please ensure you work with your visa coordinator to ensure proper processes/documentation is provided to assist you with renewal. Please do not submit your work permit application until you receive new approvals from your visa coordinator.
- The renewal process should start 6 months in advance of the expiry date.
8) Acquire OHIP upon arrival (Acquire within 10 days of Arrival to Canada)
Ontario has waived the three-month waiting period for access to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
- Please visit Ontario Health Ministry for information
- Complete the registration forms to immediately access health insurance for yourself and accompanying family members within 10 days of your arrival in Canada
9) Complete Hospital Health & Safety Policy Modules (Complete Modules 8-9 Now & Modules 1-7 after May 8)
Our training sites and hospitals require all learners to complete 9 MANDATORY Hospital Health and Safety Policy (HHSP) Modules. PGME collects the completed modules on behalf of training sites and hospitals so that you will only have to complete per the timelines below prior to the start of training. Modules 1 through 7 are available and to be completed in POWER after MAY 8. Select ‘HHSP Modules’ in the main menu on POWER after May 8.
- Click on each outstanding module in POWER and work through to completion.
- Donning on Doffing Personal Protective Equipment (required every 2 years)
- Emergency Colour Code System (required every 2 years)
- Integrated Privacy and Cyber Security eLearning (required annually)
* Please take a screenshot of the completion page in case this auto upload times out. - Hand Hygiene (required every 2 years)
- Sharps Safety Module (required every 2 years)
- Workplace Violence and Harassment (required every 2 years)
- WHMIS-Workers Hazardous Materials Information Systems (required every 2 years)
- Worker Health and Safety Awareness Module
- Working Together: The Code and the AODA Module
Modules 8 and 9 can be completed before May 8 as they are available online (see links below) – both modules require one-time completion, if you have previously completed please save a copy of your certificate for future use and upload to the PGME Form Site.
- Upload the saved completion certificates to PGME Form Site
- Completion of these modules with confirmation on the POWER system means this training does not have to be repeated as you start a rotation at a new training site.
Modules 1-7 preferred browsers include: Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox
Module 8 preferred browsers include: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera or Safari
Module 9 preferred browsers include: Chrome 20 or higher, Firefox 4 or higher, Microsoft Edge or Safari
10) Pay Registration Fee (Only after ALL above Steps are Completed)
- Pay your registration fee by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on POWER under Payment tab
The registration fee for the 2024-2025 academic year is $945 and is NON-REFUNDABLE.
If your appointment is less than a full year for example July to September your registration fee will prorated
11) Print confirmation of registration (Only after ALL above Steps are Completed)
Upon completion you can print a confirmation of registration from the initial view page in POWER using the ‘Reg. Confirmation’ section. This may be required by the hospital/training sites, the UofT libraries or TCard Office as proof of registration with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Be sure to select the correct academic year at the top of your screen.
*For more information on access to other services please visit the PGME website