NAC EXAM

NAC FAQS

APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY

CENTRE SELECTION

WITHDRAW

EXAM DAY

PREPARATION RESOURCES

SCORING

RESULTS

RECONSIDERATION AND APPEAL

INFORMATION FOR RESIDENCY

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

BECOMING A PHYSICIAN EXAMINER

TEST ACCOMMODATIONS

Search Examinations
Submit

A successful NAC
Examination delivery
Since October 2021, over 3,400 candidates completed
the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC)
Examination at nine centres with physical distancing
and other personal protective measures, as per the
guidelines set by local public health authorities. We
would like to thank everyone for their patience and
cooperation in ensuring the safe administration of this
exam. The health and safety of our candidates and all
involved in our exams remains our priority during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

NAC Examination
You must take the National Assessment Collaboration
(NAC) Examination if you want to apply as an
international medical graduate to a Canadian residency
program with Canadian Residency matching service
(CaRMS). For information on the NAC Examination
eligibility requirements, visit the Application and
eligibility page.

Stay
up
to
date
Receive
notification
for
application
to a
future
session.

Subscribe

What is the NAC

Examination?
The NAC Examination is a one-day exam that assesses
your readiness to enter a Canadian residency program.
It is a national, standardized examination that tests the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for entrance
into postgraduate training in Canada.

OSCE station description

The NAC Examination is an Objective Structured Clinical
Examination (OSCE). For a given administration, all
candidates rotate through the same series of stations.
Each station is 11 minutes long with two minutes
between stations.

At each station, a brief written statement introduces a

clinical problem and outlines your tasks (e.g., take a
history, describe a physical examination, etc.). In each
station, there is at least one Standardized Participant
(SP) and a Physician Examiner (PE).

An OSCE includes a series of stations where you are

presented with typical clinical scenarios. It includes
problems in:

Medicine
Surgery
Pediatrics
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Psychiatry
Preventive Medicine and Public Health

You are assessed by physician examiners on up to

seven different competencies per station. These
competencies include:

History taking
Diagnosis
Management
Communication skills
Physical examination
Investigations
Data interpretation

Click here for the full definition of each of these

competencies.

You can take the NAC Examination in English or French

at designated centres.

To find out how to prepare for the NAC Examination and

to learn more about the exam objectives, visit our NAC
Examination preparation resources page.

Read less

How do I take the NAC

Examination?
You can apply to the NAC Examination during
designated application periods through your
physiciansapply.ca account. Your results will be
accepted by residency programs directors regardless of
where you take the exam. You do not have to take the
examination in the province where you will be applying
for residency.

Examination at a glance

Proposed dates for the NAC

Examination – May 2023 session

Examination Examination
dates* centres*

Alta. – Edmonton
(English)
Man.– Winnipeg
(English)
Ont. – London (English)
Saturday,
Ont. – Ottawa (English
May 6, 2023
and French)
Ont. – Sudbury (English)
Ont. – Toronto (English)
Sask.– Saskatoon
(English)

*Centres and dates are subject to change.

Important dates* – May 2023 session

Application opening January 10,

date 2023

Application closing date February 2,

2023 at 11:59
p.m., Eastern
Time (ET)

Test Accommodation February 20,

documentation deadline 2023

Withdrawal with partial February 16,

refund deadline 2023 at 11:59
(withdrawal fee will p.m., ET
apply)

Centre choice change February 23,

deadline 2023 at 11:59
p.m., ET

Scheduling conflict March 3, 2023

declaration deadline

Centre assignment End of March

release 2023

Result release July 2023

* These dates are subject to change.

Proposed future NAC Examination

dates and centres

Examination Examination
dates* centres*

Alta. – Edmonton
(English)
Alta. – Calgary (English)
Man.– Winnipeg
(English)
Saturday,
Ont. – London (English)
September
Ont. – Ottawa (English
9,
and French)
2023
Ont. – Sudbury
(English)
Ont. – Toronto (English)
Sask.– Saskatoon
(English)

Alta. – Edmonton
(English)
Alta. – Calgary (English)
Man.– Winnipeg
(English)
Sunday,
Ont. – London (English)
September
Ont. – Ottawa (English
10,
and French)
2023
Ont. – Toronto (English)
Ont. – Sudbury (English)
Sask. – Saskatoon
(English)
N.S. – Halifax (English)

*Centres and dates are subject to change.

For information regarding centre assignment, please

visit the Centre selection page.

Results are available approximately eight weeks after

the exam date. See Results for more information.

Continue to: Application and eligibility

Medical Council
of Canada
1021 Thomas Spratt Place
Ottawa, ON Canada, K1G 5L5

Quick Links
Chat Get involved

Glossary physiciansapply.ca

By-laws Service fees

Forms and documents System maintenance

Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Accessibility

© 2022 Medical Council of Canada. All Rights Reserved