Advancing medical regulation on behalf of
the public through collaboration, common
standards and best practices.
The first official meeting of the Federation of Provincial Medical Licensing Authorities of Canada (now known as the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada), or “the Federation,” took place on 7-8 February 1968. The meeting was convened by Dr. Gustave Gingras, President, Le Collège des médecins et chirurgiens de la province de Québec. The ten provincial medical regulatory authorities were the founding members and were all represented at this meeting. Representatives from the Medical Council of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada were also present. Dr. Gingras was elected as the first President of the Federation and Dr. William Gerald McClure from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia served as the first Secretary / Treasurer. Prior to this, provincial Registrars had been meeting relatively regularly on an informal basis. “This is a historical moment for the Provincial Licensing Authorities. This is the first time delegates from each provincial corporation are meeting on an official basis.” – Dr. Gustave Gingras
Read moreIn 1979, a part-time secretariat was established in Ottawa. In 1985, the Federation established a full-time secretariat, located within the offices of the Medical Council of Canada in Ottawa, and hired one full-time staff member. At the 1987 Annual Meeting of the Federation, members voted unanimously to include the medical regulatory authorities of Yukon and Northwest Territories as full voting members. In May 1988, members voted officially to change the name of the organization to the Federation of Medical Licensing Authorities of Canada to reflect the revised membership. During this time, the Federation played a key role in the accreditation of the rotating internship programs.
Read moreIn 1992, the Federation began a multi-year restructuring process that resulted in significant changes in the way the organization was governed. The organization hired its first part-time Chief Executive Officer in 1996 and was officially incorporated in 1999. Under its newly revised Constitution and By-laws, the Board of Directors was comprised of three representatives from each of the 12 provincial and territorial licensing authorities. The Board of Directors met once a year. The affairs of the organization were governed by a six-person Executive Committee that met four to six times a year. Registrars and Deputy / Associate / Assistant Registrars could be elected to the Executive Committee. The President was elected by the Members for a one-year term , usually after serving as a member-at-large on the Executive Committee for three years and as President-elect for one year. The annual meeting of the Board of Directors also included observers from the medical organizations that were officially recognized as associate members, i.e.: Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, Canadian Association of Internes and Residents, Canadian Federation of Medical Students, Canadian Medical Association, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Fédération des médecins résidents du Québec, Federation of State Medical Boards (U.S.), the Medical Council of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Some of the issues that were considered by the Federation during that decade are: the autonomy of licensing authorities Agreement on Internal Trade Monitoring and Enhancement of Physician Performance or MEPP (Aylmer Conferences I-IV) the transition to the requirement for two years of postgraduate medical education for family physicians being a founding member of the Canadian Medical Forum, the International Association of Medical Licensing Authorities and the Canadian Network of National Associations of Regulators met for the first time internationally meeting. alternative therapies Medical Identification Number for Canada telemedicine evaluation of international medical graduates the new Immigration Act reproductive and genetic technologies
Read moreA major strategic planning exercise was undertaken in the Fall of 2002, leading to the recruitment of a full-time Executive Director and CEO the following year. The Federation changed its name to “Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada” to recognize their roles beyond licensure. The organization became known as FMRAC. Nunavut joined FMRAC, meaning that all the provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities are members. In 2008, FMRAC celebrated its 40th anniversary. At a special ceremony in Winnipeg, MB, the Chief Herald of Canada presented FMRAC with its armorial bearings. Click here to view the Canadian Heraldic Authority Symbolism of the Armorial Bearings of FMRAC. The organization dealt with these other issues during that decade: Marihuana Medical Access Regulations internet prescribing telemedicine licensure across jurisdictions in an emergency or disaster the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act legislation liability coverage through the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada and engagement through HIROC’s Risk Management Self-assessment Modules (FMRAC is the subscriber of HIROC, with nine of the provincial medical regulatory authorities as additional insured) Position Statement on Revalidation Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) Early in the decade, the medical regulatory authorities signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement, as per the provisions in the AIT. Subsequently, the significant revisions to Chapter 7 on Labour Mobility (effective 1 April 2009) mobilized FMRAC and its Members to develop common standards for medical registration in Canada. Each jurisdiction continues to adapt these for its own use, legislation and other factors permitting.
Read moreIn 2012-13, FMRAC undertook a governance review. The inaugural meeting of the new working Board took place in February 2014, with the Directors of the organization being the 13 registrars of the provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities. These changes may be found in the By-Law section on our website. The organization dealt with these other issues during this period: Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations – new regulations (formerly Marihuana Medical Access Regulations) continuance under the new Canada Not-for-profit Corporations act Policy on Disclosure of Professional ongoing revisions to the FMRAC Standards for Medical Registration in Canada, leading to the creation of model standards to reflect the implementation challenges across the country FMRAC Today At its meeting on 28 October 2015, the Board decided to keep its current priorities for the coming year Physician-assisted Dying – The Board approved the FMRAC Physician-assisted Dying Guidance Document in June 2015. In 2016, the work will continue to address the need for consistency across jurisdictions in the lead-up (and follow-up) to the new legislation. Physician Practice Improvement System – It is expected that the framework (revised after an extensive medical stakeholder consultation) will receive Board approval in February 2016. Physician Health – The two issues are a framework for policy development on physicians with blood-borne infections; and the identification of performance risks (and protective factors) associated with aging. Prescribing of drugs of abuse and diversion – This will be the theme for the 2016 FMRAC Annual Meeting and Conference on 11-12 June at the Rimrock Hotel in Banff, AB. The focus will be on the role of regulation, looking at the assessment of prescribing and tighter regulation of physicians where prescribing is not aligned with best practices. FMRAC Integrated Risk Management System (FIRMS) — The standards will be approved in February or June 2016, with the pilot to start before the end of 2016. The standards address governance, the core mandate of MRAs (registration; complaints; QA of medical practice; and facilities review / accreditation). The implementation / peer collaboration model will be developed before the launch.
Read more