Royal College accreditation promotes excellence

Among our core functions is to accredit medical education under two broad categories: the residency programs sponsored by Canada’s 17 medical schools, and the learning activities pursued by physicians who engage in continuing professional development.

Residency accreditation promotes excellence

We ensure that all residency programs in specialties that we recognize provide residents with the knowledge and expertise they need to practise specialty and subspecialty medicine at a high level.

The following resources provide ample information about the Royal College’s accreditation process for residency programs:

• General information Concerning Accreditation of Residency Programs—a reference guide
• Accredited residency programs—a list of accredited programs, program directors and postgraduate deans for medical education
• Minimum Training Requirements for Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (RCPSC) Accredited Programs
• General Standards of Accreditation—This “blue book” includes Canada-wide Standards developed by the Royal College and its partners to evaluate and accredit residency programs sponsored by a university.
  • A Standards – General Standards Applicable to the University and Affiliated Sites (July 2011)
  • B Standards – General Standards Applicable to All Residency Programs (January 2011)
  • Annotated General Standards of Accreditation – B Standards (January 2011)
• Accreditation committee position papers—Papers that expand on certain aspects of our General Standards of Accreditation.
• Standards of accreditation for individual specialties and subspecialties—Each specialty and subspecialty recognized by the College has developed specialty-specific standards that correspond to the General Standards of Accreditation but include more specific requirements for that specialty.

Questions? Contact us at: accreditation@royalcollege.ca