Fredericton – More family doctors are preparing to join the health-care system in New Brunswick after completing a program designed to help internationally trained physicians become licensed to practise in the province.
The second cohort of candidates in the Practice Ready Assessment New Brunswick program is finishing its 12-week clinical assessment this month. After completing the program, the physicians will begin practising as family doctors in several regions across the province.
Health Minister John Dornan said the program is an important step toward improving access to primary care and strengthening physician recruitment.
“This program is an important tool in our efforts to strengthen family physician recruitment and improve access to health care,” Dornan said. “These physicians will play a key role in helping more New Brunswickers connect with a primary care provider.”
The program is delivered through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick with support from the provincial Department of Health. Participants undergo a supervised clinical field assessment with licensed physicians to evaluate their readiness and ability to provide safe patient care.
Doctors who successfully complete the program must sign a three-year return-of-service agreement to work in the province.
The first cohort of 10 physicians completed the program in March 2025 and is now practising in communities across New Brunswick.
As the second group finishes the program this month, new candidates are beginning orientation, with additional cohorts planned later this year.
Internationally trained physicians already play a significant role in the province’s health system, with nearly one-third of doctors in New Brunswick having obtained their medical degrees outside Canada.