Applications and National Consultations: Active

We are committed to transparency of discipline recognition and committee decision-making. On this page you will find:

View the approved documents for recognized disciplines.

National Consultations

The Royal College regularly conducts consultations on pending decisions regarding the recognition of new disciplines and major changes to existing disciplines to ensure that the point of view of its stakeholders is taken into consideration and to avoid unintended consequences to the system of specialty medicine. Feedback from each consultation is presented to the Committee on Specialties (COS) at their next meeting. The COS values the feedback from consultations as it helps the committee to make critical decisions of importance to the entire system of specialty medicine.

Consultation recipients are identified for each proposal, based on their role in the system of specialty medical education/regulation and the projected impact of the proposal. If you do not regularly receive invitations to participate in national consultations and you’d like to be included in an upcoming consultation for one of the applications below, please email cos@royalcollege.ca.

The Royal College is currently conducting national consultations on the following disciplines:

  • There are currently no active national consultations.

Subspecialty Applications for Recognition


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To become a recognized Royal College discipline, subspecialty applications must pass five votes: two at the Committee on Specialties and one each at the Committee on Specialty Education, Executive Committee of Council and Council. Filled circles (to the left) show how many votes an application has passed.

Read a full description of the application process.

Dermatopathology

Status: Committee on Specialties Part II ⚫◯◯◯

Entry Routes
  • Anatomical Pathology
  • General Pathology

Summary

Dermatopathology is that branch of laboratory medicine concerned with the study of the morphologic aspects of diseases of the skin. It is a subdomain of both anatomical pathology and dermatology. It includes the techniques of immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, in-situ hybridization, and molecular pathology, as they pertain to diseases of the skin. Application is available upon request and permission of the applicant.

COS Part I

Deferred in Spring 2019, Approved in Fall 2019

National Consultation

Closed

COS Part II and CSE

TBD

AFC Applications for Recognition


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To become a recognized Royal College discipline, AFC applications must pass three votes: two at the Committee on Specialties and one at the Committee on Specialty Education. Filled circles (to the left) show how many votes an application has passed.

Read a full description of the application process.


Spine surgery

Entry Routes
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Neurosurgery

Summary

Spine surgery is the branch of surgery that treats spinal injuries, diseases, and deformity by the physical removal, repair, and/or readjustment of bony, neural, and connective tissues, involving a surgical incision/procedure into the body.

COS Part I

Anticipated spring 2021

National Consultation

TBD

COS Part II and CSE

TBD

Memorandum:

TBD

Neuromusculoskeletal Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Status: Deferred pending discussion with Diagnostic Radiology ⚫⚫◯

Entry Routes
  • Rheumatology

Summary

Neuromusculoskeletal ultrasound (NMSKUS) is characterized by the application of ultrasound technology at the patient’s bedside for diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic purposes covering the broad scope of practice of neuromuscular, musculoskeletal and rheumatologic medicine. Application is available upon request and permission of the applicant.

COS Part I

Deferred in Fall 2014, Deferred in Spring 2017, Approved in Fall 2017

National Consultation

Closed

COS Part II and CSE

Deferred by the COS in Spring 2018

Recognized AFCs in Standards Development

When a discipline is recognized by the Royal College, a working group is struck to oversee the initial stages of implementation. For AFCs, the working group will be responsible for the appointment of the AFC committee to oversee the discipline, as well as finalizing the standards documents, including the summative portfolio.

The following AFCs are currently in this initial stage:

Document suites will be posted on the Information by Discipline section of the Royal College website after they are finalized.

Please contact specialtycommittees@royalcollege.ca for more information.

Applications for Changes to Existing Disciplines

The Committee on Specialties also receives applications for changes to existing disciplines, including changes to:

  • A discipline name
  • Training length
  • Eligibility requirements
  • Status
    • Primary specialty to subspecialty
    • Subspecialty to primary specialty
    • subspecialty to AFC
    • AFC to subspecialty