Eligibility Criteria for a Certificate of Added Competence (CAC)

Care of the Elderly (COE)

In-Practice Certification Route (IPCR)  

Family physicians who are members of the College in good standing, and who hold the CCFP designation and a valid and unrestricted license to practise in Canada may access the application platform and start building their application portfolio. Once an applicant determines that they meet the domain specific eligibility requirements, they will be able to complete the application and submit it for the review. 

An access fee of $350 will be charged for access to the application portfolio, and the IPCR assessment fee of $3,820 will be charged at the time of submission. 

The application is open year-round. Physicians have continuous access to the platform as they are building their application portfolio. Reviews are conducted once a year and recommendations are then submitted to the Board of Examinations and Certification for approval. In 2024 there will be two application deadlines. Applications that are finalized and submitted by January 31, 2024, will be reviewed by the Peer Review Committee in March and April, 2024, and those submitted by September 30, 2024, will be reviewed in February and March, 2025. 

IPCR Eligibility requirements – Care of the Elderly

Please refer to the IPCR Application instructions package – Care of the Elderly for instructions and detailed information. 

Canadian Residency Certification Route (CRCR)  

How do I acquire my CAC now that I have completed a Canadian residency program?  
Graduates of accredited Category 1 programs who hold Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) are eligible for CACs and consequently will be granted the right to use their designations as long as they maintain their status as a CFPC member and ongoing Mainpro+® requirements.  

Eligibility Criteria  

1. Membership  
The applicant must be a member in good standing with the College of Family Physicians of Canada at the time of the application, holding the Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) designation.  

2. Postgraduate training in the domain of care  
Successful completion of an accredited enhanced skills residency program at a Canadian university, as confirmed by the program.  

3. Formal invitation from the College of Family Physicians of Canada to apply for a CAC in the domain of care.  
Upon receipt of a Confirmation of Completion of Training from the program, all eligible candidates will be directly contacted and offered an opportunity to apply for a CAC. CFPC is in direct communication with universities and candidates are not required to personally request the Confirmation of Completion of Training from the program.  

A non-refundable fee of $150 will be charged at the time of application. We wish to note that CACs are a revenue-neutral program for the CFPC and this nominal fee is calculated annually to cover the cost of the application and review processes.  

For more information about CACs please email cac@cfpc.ca or visit the CAC web page.