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How CanadaQBank Can Help You Pass the MCCQE Exam

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) is an essential step that evaluates Doctors trained outside of Canada that would like to become licensed medical practitioners in the country. This exam is divided into MCCQE part 1 and MCCQE part 2.

These exams are used to check your clinical skills, scientific knowledge, and medical development by the Medical Council of Canada.

CanadaQbank has the reputation of having the most successful QBanks for the Canadian medical licensing exams and employs an intensive research process to create and update its list of high-yield MCQs and Cases. With thousands of practice questions explicitly created for MCCQE: This will help you to effortlessly practise the quizzes that will help you prepare and pass the exam.

What Does the MCCQE Exam Entail?

You need to understand the MCCQE before you write the exam, as this will determine if you will pass the exam with flying colors.

MCCQE has two parts – Part 1 and Part 2. You must pass the two examinations to become a licensed practitioner in Canada.

Part 1

This is the first part of the exam, and you will base your knowledge on two criteria: the MCQ and the CDM. It is a computer-based test, and it takes place in a single day. The MCQ contains 210 multiple-choice questions and takes about 4 hours. You are allowed to take a break before the next section, which is the CDM.

Clinical Decision Making (CDM) is a three-and-a-half-hour-long session that comprises 38 questions with 1-4 questions each. This challenges your clinical decision-making skills and requires you to provide short answers for those 38 cases.

The best way to ace this exam is to make sure you prepare for the exam very well. The test is complex; therefore, you must understand it and know the correct evidence-based clinical practices. The passing score for part 1 of MCCQE is 226.

Part 2

Unlike the first part, which only takes place in a single day, this second part spans up to 2 days and isn’t computer-based. This is the last step into becoming a licensed practitioner, and you can only take it after passing part 1.

In this part, you will have to apply your medical knowledge in practice, create clinical plans, and show the professional behavior expected of a licensed practitioner: The examiner would assess all of these.

When you get to the exam hall, you will be provided with two things: a candidate notebook to jot down important information and a candidate’s identification number to be used for identification.

You have two categories of the station in this part:

14 minutes station

In this section, you have eight 14 minute sections in which one of them won’t count. Therefore, only seven stations will count toward your final score. In these stations, you will meet people who are highly trained to portray the role of a patient, family members and loved ones: These people could either be nurses, or a healthcare professional.

Your score for this session will be based on your interaction with the patient and family members.

6-minute paired station

You have four stations under this section in which one of them won’t count. They will pair you with other candidates on each of your four stations. You will experience the same encounter as the first day, only that it will consist of reading tasks and match questions.

Acing your MCCQE with CanadaQBank!

MCCQE is a comprehensive exam that requires months to prepare for. It is also quite challenging. Self-study is not an option in the case of MCCQE if you seek to ace the exam with flying colors. So why not make it easier on yourself by letting CanadaQBank help you?

CanadaQbank has the reputation of having the most successful QBanks for the Canadian medical licensing exams and employs an intensive research process to create and update its list of high-yield MCQs and CDM Cases.

With over 3000 practice questions that are explicitly created for MCCQE. This will help you to effortlessly practise the quizzes that will help you prepare and pass the exam.

You also get updated questions and explanations continuously to keep you updated with the latest information. Not only that, but you also get revised feedback from the most recent exams.

What is best about this is that you can access it 24/7. You also get to mark your question and write your own notes during the test and you get to choose how many questions you want to take in each block.

Subject Covered

 Medicine, Pediatrics, OBGYN, Surgery, Psychiatry, Preventive Medicine & Community Health (PMCH)

FAQS

Here are some frequently asked questions about MCCQE.

 

What is MCCQE?

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) is an essential step that evaluates Doctors trained outside of Canada who would like to become licensed medical practitioners in the country.

How difficult is MCCQE?

MCCQE is a comprehensive exam that takes months to prepare for. It’s pretty challenging. Luckily, CanadaQBank can help you ace your result with flying colors.

Who is eligible for MCCQE?

You can take this exam as a medical student or graduate. You can apply 15 months before your graduation date as a medical student.

Also, your medical school must be:

  • Identified by the Committee of Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) or the Liason Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in the U.S.
  • Accredited as a U.S. School of Osteopathic Medicine.

What is the MCCQE process?

The MCCQE consists of 2 parts.

Part 1: Computer-based questions with 210 multiple-choice questions to take.

Part 2: Apply your medical knowledge in practice and show professionalism.

What is the passing score for MCCQE?

The passing scores for MCCQE 1 and 2 are different. For the first part, your score is from 100 to 400, and you must have a passing score of 226 or above.

Your total score won’t be reported to you for the second part. Instead, you will only be notified by the CEC (Central Examination Committee) whether you passed or failed the exam.

Conclusion

Preparing for your examination is the most crucial part of passing. You have to make sure you have covered as much as you can. It is best to prepare for some months before the exam. There are numerous resources at CanadaQBank that you can use.

Let us help you start your journey to obtaining a medical license in Canada. To take advantage of our services, click here.

 

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MCCQE Part 2

MCCQE Examination

The MCCQE (Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination) evaluates doctors trained outside of Canada that would like to practice in the country. The MCC (Medical Council of Canada) uses this exam to check their level of clinical competence, knowledge, and judgment in actual clinical scenarios. It also checks how they apply this knowledge in patient-centered care.

MCCQE is divided into two parts – MCCQE part 1 and MCCQE part 2. However, in this article, we’ll focus on MCCQE part 2, which, unlike MCCQE part 1, isn’t computer-based. It usually is taken after you pass the MCCQE 1. The last step to becoming a licensed practitioner is the MCCQE 2.

In MCCQE 2, you will be assessed by the examiner based on your actions in simulated clinical situations. They will check your knowledge, composure, and clinical judgment in the various relevant fields.

Scheduling and Application Process

MCCQE Part 2 exam occurs twice a year, in May and October. To write this exam, you must fulfill the following requirements:

 

  • You must have passed the MCCQE Part I
  • For foreigners, your medical degree must have been verified by the Canadian authorities.
  • For Canadian graduates, your confirmation of graduation will be received directly from the Canadian faculties of medicine.
  • You must have finished 12 months of postgraduate clinical medical training (PGT) or osteopathic postgraduate training. This should have been completed –
    • On or before June 30 for the May exam of the same calendar year
    • On or before December 31 for the October exam of the same calendar year

The requirements above imply that you must have finished your residential training before taking the exam, unlike MCCQE 1, which is done before the training.

Applying for MCCQE Part 2

If you meet all the requirements above, the next thing to do is start applying. Add your name to a pre-application list through your physiciansapply.ca account.

After this, you are invited to write the exam. The email sent to you tells you to choose three test centers. This is done in order of preference. The MCC will try as much as possible to assign you to your preferred test center. Hence, choose the most convenient centers for you.

Before the examination day, you will get an Entrance card,  Candidate Confidentiality Agreement, and Code of Conduct form through an Exam Package in your physicansapply.ca account. Print the entrance card, complete the forms, and take them. Submit the forms in the exam hall.

You will be provided with two things when you get to the exam hall.

  • Candidate Notebook
  • Candidate Identifications Number

The notebook is used to jot all the important information about the station, like the patient, the problem presented, and perhaps your evaluation or thoughts on the situation. The Candidate ID will be used for identification and must be worn at all times during the exam.

What is the Exam Format?

The exam has an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) format in each station. The examiner evaluates the following:

  • how you take the history.
  • How much do you know about the physical examination?
  • How do you use previous knowledge to manage a patient?
  • How do you counsel a patient or family?
  • How do you answer oral questions?
  • Your interaction with physicians, and
  • your knowledge of charts and test results.

Your composure and confidence will also be evaluated. When you are done with the station, you are expected to wait till you are instructed to leave.

The ID badge given to you at the beginning will indicate your first station. If your first station is #6, continue tostations#7, #8, #9, etc.

OSCE Stations

You will be presented with up to 10 clinical scenarios in the stations. You will have to complete 12 stations. However, 2 of these are wait stations that do not contribute to your final score.

There are two categories of stations in the MCCQE Part 2

  • 14-minute stations
  • 6-minute paired stations.

 

14- minute station

There are eight 14-minute stations. Seven of which will count towards your final score. The 8th station is a wait station. These stations will consist of encounters with “standardized participants” such as physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. You will be evaluated and scored in almost all stations based on your interaction with the standardized participants.

Before you enter 7 of the stations, you will be allowed to read the instructions for 2 minutes. After two minutes, a signal will be given, and you enter the room. You will have 14 minutes inside the room—a warning signal at the 13-minute mark. After the final signal, you must leave the room and go to the next station based on your ID number.

 

6-minute paired stations

There are four stations under this, one of which is a wait station that will not count towards your final score. The first component of this part is the encounter component. In this, you will meet standardized participants and be scored based on your interaction with them. The examiner will be a physician or a highly trained non-physician.

The other component of these stations is the non-encounter component.  It consists of a reading task or responding to one or more extended match questions. You may be asked to answer comprehensive match questions. Read the questions carefully before you answer. Do not fill in more than required in the question and wait until the official start signal before writing on the sheet. If you fail to do all these, the examiners will assume that you do not follow regulations. This will affect your score.

You will be given two minutes to read the instructions posted by the door before the encounter and non-encounter components. After two minutes, the signal will sound for you to enter the room. You will have six minutes in the room. A warning signal will ring at the five-minute mark, and a final signal will sound at the end of the station. After the last signal, you must leave the room and go to the next station. You will have two minutes to get to the next station and read its instructions. Pay attention to the verbs in the task – these will indicate what kind of actions you will need to perform in that station.

How Is MCCQE 2 Scored?

The MCC forms a committee that sets the baseline for passing the MCCQE 2. When the committee decides, they send their recommendations to the Central Examination Committee, which reviews it, after which the pass mark is agreed upon.

MCC will not show you your score. You will get an email indicating that you passed or failed.

Preparing for Your MCCQE Part 2

CanadaQBank has excellent preparatory material with some of the very best, classic, simulated MCCQE Part 2 cases. It also has 6-minute paired station prep cases and 14-minute encounter station prep cases. All answers contain a detailed explanation of all questions. There is 24/7 availability, and this package had a bonus USMLE Step 2 CS cases included.

Our plan also covers Medicine, Paediatrics, OBGYN, Surgery, Psychiatry, and Preventive Medicine.

Let CanadaQBank help you on your journey to becoming a certified doctor in Canada! To take advantage of our services, click here.

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The History Behind the MCCQE Examination

MCCQE Examination

The MCCQE examination, or the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination, is required for becoming a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada, or LMCC. It has a long and interesting history, and it has been updated numerous times over its many years. Today, many believe that the MCCQE Part II examination is no longer relevant and could be replaced with other material. Here’s what you should know about this exam.

The Medical Council of Canada

The Medical Council of Canada formed in 1912 and provided with a legislated mandate by the country’s government to ensure patients that their physicians were held to consistent and demanding standards. Essentially, the group’s goal was to create a set of standards that would ensure quality care. Soon after, the Council created the LMCC designation to ensure that future physicians received a higher quality education to promote a safer medical industry.

The Changing LMCC Designation

The LMCC designation has changed throughout the history of the MCCQE. Before 1954, students who were awarded the designation after passing the MCCQE exam received a license to practice medicine as a doctor in their respective provinces. However, in 1954, things changed; the LMCC was only awarded after students completed the MCCQE as well as another year of training. Over time, this change led to the rotating internship year, and once a student completed it, he or she received a General Practitioner (GP) license.

More Changes in the 80s and 90s

Several decades later, the licensing bodies specific to individual provinces began to see the need for more stringent training. As a result, they started moving toward a new set of requirements. These included the same requirements as before but added on a minimum of two years postgraduate training as well as certification through one of the country’s colleges. It was after these changes that the Council introduced the MCCQE Part 2, a simulated exam that students could only take after a one-year postgraduate residency.

Is the MCCQE Part 2 Still Relevant?

Though there is little argument that the MCCQE Part 2 was necessary at the time of its introduction, there are many who believe that later changes in the licensing procedures rendered it relatively useless. Because all new doctors (of any kind) in Canada must get further certification through a national college, it is virtually impossible to practice as even a General Practitioner with only a successful MCCQE Part 2 examination. As such, many believe should no longer be part of the requirements, especially since aspiring doctors must participate in two years of postgraduate residency, which is far superior to the simulated cases presented by the examination.

The MCCQE examination and the requirements for becoming a physician in Canada have evolved over the course of many years, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it will continue to evolve in the future, as well. The MCCQE is a topic of great debate, and while aspiring doctors realize that their education and training must be thorough, many believe the addition of the MCCQE Part 2 is redundant and unnecessary.

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What’s Included in CanadaQBank’s MCCQE Part 2 Question Bank?

With so many study tools available to students who are planning to take the MCCQE Part 2 exam, it can be difficult to choose the right software. CanadaQBank provides a complete online question bank that makes it easy for you to study in a true-to-life environment, wherever you may be. Here’s what you’ll get when you subscribe.

Numerous Cases

The MCCQE Part 2 is based on unique cases in which you’ll provide diagnoses, treatments, and medical advice for simulated illnesses and injuries. CanadaQBank provides 153 of the best MCCQE Part 2 cases, 74 Couplet Station cases, and 79 10-minute cases, all of which make up the second part of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. This diverse selection of cases provides a very broad range of simulations, which allows you to put your knowledge to the test. Studying the cases frequently can improve your performance and knowledge retention when your test day arrives.

True-to-Life Preparation

Aside from simply providing cases which simulate those frequently found in the MCCQE Part 2, you’ll also receive lists and helpful tips. For example, the five-minute clinical encounters and 10-minute station cases come with lists of questions that you’ll need to ask while you’re taking a medical history, and they also list the things you should check during your examination. You’ll also have access to the questions your examiner is likely to ask during each case, which can help you prepare for these questions and others. All of this is presented to you in a true-to-life simulation, which can help you feel more at ease when your testing date arrives.

Constant Updates

Unlike many other software providers that may update their cases and questions only once per year, CanadaQBank is quite vigilant in ensuring that their cases and questions are kept up-to-date. For this reason, CanadaQBank’s software updates frequently; you’ll never be without a piece of information that may be crucial to passing your examination. Everything is revised frequently, too, which means you’ll be able to view expert feedback from the most recent MCCQE Part 2 examinations.

Pricing to Fit Your Budget

CanadaQBank allows students to choose subscription lengths that best fit their unique budgets. There are options for one, two, three, six, nine, and 12-month subscriptions, and a year-long subscription to CanadaQBank costs less than a single new medical textbook, making it a great value. Students who purchase an MMCQE Part 2 subscription will also receive 41 bonus USMLE Step 2 CS cases, and CanadaQBank is so confident that you’ll pass your examination the first time you take it, they’ll give you a free three-month subscription if you don’t.

Thousands of doctors in Canada have used CanadaQBank to study and prepare for the most challenging and rigorous examinations of their lives. The company is constantly reviewing and expanding its software to provide students with the most true-to-life and helpful scenarios, cases, and encounters possible. These things will allow you to arrive for your examination feeling confident in your knowledge, which is one of the biggest factors in passing.