mccqe1 pass score Archives

The Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) is a two-part exam designed to test whether applicants’ clinical skills and medical knowledge are at the level expected of an Australian final-year medical student. The exam is the national standard for medical schools across Canada, which is why it is administered at the end of schooling.

Obtaining a pass result on the MCCQE Part 1 is one of the eligibility criteria you must meet to apply for the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). Canadian medical regulatory authorities may require you to have the LMCC to apply for a medical licence within their province or territory.

Exam Format (2025 Update)

As of April 2025, the exam is a one-day, computer-based test consisting of 230 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) split into two sections of 115 questions each. Candidates have about 160 minutes per section, with one optional 45-minute break between sections.

The new 2025 format eliminates the Clinical Decision-Making cases, focusing solely on MCQs. It is delivered globally through Prometric test centres (in Canada and 70+ countries) or via secure remote proctoring.

The questions align with the MCC Examination Objectives based on the CanMEDS framework. The exam evaluates two broad categories – Dimensions of Care and Physician Activities – each with four domains (e.g., health promotion, acute and chronic care, communication, etc.). This ensures a balanced test of medical knowledge, decision-making, communication, and professional behaviour expected of a Canadian-trained physician.

Each correct MCQ scores 1 point, and there is no penalty for wrong answers. The total score is calculated using the questions’ individual scores and their difficulty level. Results are reported on a 100–400 scale. Passing is criterion-based: you pass if your score meets or exceeds the pass threshold, regardless of others’ performance. The current pass score is around 226, but a new pass score for the MCCQE Part 1 will be established through a standard-setting exercise that will take place in July 2025.

2025 MCCQE Part 1 Exam Schedule

For the 2025 exam sessions, the MCCQE Part 1 will be offered three times:

April 9–May 21
August 19–September 11
October 1–22

August 2025 Session

The August 19–September 11, 2025 session is a key window. Scheduling for each session opens 5 months before the start of the season. For example, scheduling for the August session opened in March 2025.

Candidates must apply and have their application approved before they can schedule a date in this window. Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis via Prometric, so applicants should try to book early to secure their preferred centre and date. Once scheduling opens, you must visit the Prometric website to schedule an appointment.

If no seats are available at your preferred centre or time, you may need to choose another date or centre or use remote proctoring.

If you decide not to take a scheduled exam, ensure you cancel at least 120 hours (5 days) before the appointment to avoid forfeiture of your fee. Cancellations made more than 120 hours in advance allow you to withdraw via physiciansapply.ca and receive a partial refund (minus a $750 withdrawal fee). Cancellations within 30 days incur Prometric fees (CAD 85 + tax), and within 120 hours, you will forfeit the full exam fee.

You can extend your 12-month eligibility window by 12 more months for a $120 fee if you cannot write the exam within the original period.

The exam is available at Prometric centres across Canada and worldwide (70+ countries). There are centres in major cities for Canadian residents, while an international list is on Prometric’s MCCQE1 page. Remote proctoring is also offered (with stricter tech requirements). French-language proctors are available by appointment on limited days.

Results are released some weeks after each session. For April 2025 (a transition session), results take about 12 weeks due to standard-setting for the new pass score. For August and October 2025, results will be available approximately 4 weeks after the session’s last day. When scores are ready, the MCC will email you and post a notification in your physiciansapply.ca account.

MCCQE Part 1 Registration Process

To apply, you must be a current student or graduate of a qualifying medical school – either a CACMS-accredited Canadian MD program, a US MD/DO program, or a WDOMS-listed school with a Canada Sponsor Note. (Note: US MD graduates typically also need ECFMG certification, separate from the MCCQE registration.) The eligibility rules apply equally to CMGs and IMGs.

Application Steps

Create an account at physiciansapply.ca (if you don’t have one) and log in.
In the portal, go to Examinations → Apply for an exam → MCCQE Part 1.
Upload certified ID documents (e.g., passport, driver’s licence) and any required medical credentials.
IMG students must submit a Student Attestation form signed by their medical school.
IMGs must submit a Source Verification Request (SVR) for their medical degree, which is done in the same portal before or along with the exam application. (Processing the SVR and verifying your degree is mandatory before MCC approves your exam application.)

Fees

MCCQE Part 1 application fee: CAD 1,500 (non-refundable)
SVR fee for IMGs: CAD 232
One-time account setup fee for all applicants: CAD 335

Fees are paid in CAD through the portal via credit card. All documents must be in English or French.

After submission, allow up to 4 weeks for MCC to review your application and documents. Once accepted, you will receive a notification in your physiciansapply account confirming eligibility. At that point, you can schedule your exam with Prometric.

Once your application is accepted, a 12-month eligibility window opens during which you can schedule and write the exam. If you cannot write within one year, you may extend this window by another 12 months (for $120). If you exceed your window without taking the exam (or withdrawing), the application will be cancelled and a partial refund issued.

Tips for the Exam

Prep Courses and Books

Several review courses and question banks cater to MCCQE1. CanadaQBank offers QBank subscriptions and timed mock exams. Toronto Notes and Preptest are commonly recommended books. Local medical schools sometimes run weekend review courses open to CMGs and IMGs. MCC itself sells preparatory exams (full-length MCC PEs) on its site.

Retakes

If you do not pass, you may register to retake the exam (following the same application steps and paying fees again). You have a 4-attempt limit. You cannot retake once you have passed. After a third attempt, a 1-year waiting period is required before your fourth and final attempt. Use any waiting period to strengthen your study plan.

Canadian Clinical Knowledge

The MCCQE1 tests medical facts and how well you understand Canadian healthcare practice. Clinical expectations like multidisciplinary teamwork, patient communication, and public health may differ from your training background. So, it is advisable to review sample Canadian patient cases and practice answering MCQs with a Canadian lens.

Do you dream of practicing medicine in Canada? If yes, then you know you have to sit for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE1) part 1. Just like every medical exam, the standards for this exam are set high, but we strongly encourage every aspiring candidate to aim for scores higher than the pass mark. Why?

Short answer – surpassing the bar is worth your dedication, especially in this career path that you have chosen for yourself. Long answer? This article dissects every possible reason why you should aim not just to pass but also to excel at the MCCQE part 1 exams. What’s more, you’ll receive a very detailed guide on how to achieve a high passing score.

Understanding the Scope of the MCCQE Part 1

Medical exams can be tough, and the MCCQE part 1 is no different. The exam is designed to challenge and test your knowledge of a wide range of topics, from preclinical medicine to clinical clerkship and the application of medical knowledge in a clinical setting. It really is an all-round exam, which is why it requires your utmost dedication, especially if you plan to excel at the exam and even in your medical career.

The MCCQE Part 1 is sectioned into two main parts:

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): This section assesses whether your medical knowledge meets the standards required by the Medical Council of Canada. The maximum time allowed for the MCQs is 4 hours, in which you’ll be expected to attempt 210 questions. These questions cover several topics, and some include medical data like charts, lab results, scans, electrocardiograms, and so on. This part of the exam is usually taken in the morning and is followed by the next part.

Clinical Decision Making (CDM): This component of the MCCQE Part 1 consists of 38 case descriptions, each followed by one or more questions. This part of the exam aims to test your ability to optimize your medical knowledge for problem-solving and decision-making in a clinical setting. You may be asked to order diagnostic tests, make a diagnosis, prescribe therapy, and so on. It usually happens in the afternoons and lasts for three and a half hours.

Beyond your medical knowledge, this exam is also designed to test your tenacity, endurance, resolve, and passion. The good news is there is no negative score, so you can rest assured that the results you earn will be a reflection of your blood, sweat, and tears.

How is the Exam Scored?

Your total MCCQE score is calculated by combining your scores in the MCQs and CDM, and this score will fall somewhere on a scale from 100 to 400. The pass score is 226, and whether an applicant passes or fails is dependent on where their final score falls in relation to the pass score. A score equal to or greater than 226 is recorded as a pass, and a score below 226 is considered a fail.

The Exam Oversight Committee (EOC) works tirelessly to ensure that every candidate is graded fairly, and because of this, grades are awarded based on the complexity of a question. Some questions carry one mark, the MCQs, for example, but this is not the case for CDM. The later part of the exam tests multiple knowledge at once, and so the examiner awards points based on the number of satisfactory elements reflected in the answer for some CDM questions.

That means for a question with three correct elements, a candidate can get up to three points.

Why Should I Aim for a High MCCQE1 Passing Score?

If you’re reading this article, chances are you are an aspiring medical doctor. Then you also know that one of the tricks to having the most rewarding experiences in this career path is to be an overachiever.

It also means that all your life, you’ve most likely aimed to surpass a set pass score, so why stop now?

The MCCQE Part 1 pass score is not insignificant, but it is also not a box, and the truth is the higher your score, the higher your chances of getting matched to your preferred specialty and in your preferred residency program.

Besides, have you ever heard of the saying, “Aim for the moon; if you miss, you’ll land among the stars?” That holds in this case as well. If you aim for 230, you’re most likely to score 220 or even less. But if you aim for 290 and you end up getting 260, that’s a pretty high MCCQE score. So, apart from the satisfaction that comes with excelling, aiming higher provides a safety net for you.

That said, we strongly encourage every aspiring MCCQE Part 1 candidate to aim for high scores, 260 at the very least.

Tips for Achieving High MCCQE1 Passing Score

Use Effective Revision Techniques: It is common knowledge that the more you revise, the more solid your bank of knowledge. When preparing for an exam as crucial as this one, do not downplay the importance of revision. Find a technique that works for you; it could be writing notes and sticking them all over your house, discussing a topic you’ve read with a colleague, or even better, a doctor.

What’s important is that you’re very familiar with the information. This is what makes your revision effective. The more familiar you are with what you’ve read, the easier it’ll be for you to recall.

Time is a Resource: Working with a time limit can be nerve-racking, but you must learn to use time to your advantage. How do you do that? By taking regular timed exercises. By doing this, you’re doing yourself a lot of good, but two advantages sit at the top of the list.

Firstly, you get familiar with the pressure, and this is good because you don’t want your first time feeling pressured to be in the hall and believe me, you will feel pressure when you’re sitting for the exam. So, get familiar with the time limit.

Second, the more you practice speed, the sharper your accuracy. This means you’ll get better at correctly understanding and answering questions as you continue to practice with a stopwatch. You’d also learn proper time management and how to be even quicker on your feet; that is, coming up with the most effective strategies per time.

Take Care of Yourself: This is perhaps the most underrated tip, and that is because taking care of yourself goes beyond eating well and sleeping. It also involves being kind to yourself, saying encouraging things to yourself, taking breaks when you’ve earned them, giving yourself grace, and acknowledging that you’re doing your best at the time.

As much as you can, do not be dependent on caffeine, energy drinks, or other stimulants. Prioritize your health always, and do your best to be physically and mentally refreshed, especially during the last few days before the exam.

Conclusion

The road to achieving your dream may be hard and long, but trust that it is worthwhile because it is. And your dreams are 100% achievable. Remember that sites like CanadaQBank have resources to help you make your dreams come true. Good luck!

Tag: mccqe1 pass score

MCCQE1 Dates 2025 August | MCCQE1 Prep & Registration