International Medical Graduates

Doctor examining a patient

International Medical Graduates

International medical graduates must meet a number of requirements before they are able to practise medicine in Nova Scotia.


Nova Scotia relies on international medical graduates (IMGs) to provide care across the province. These are people who studied medicine outside of Canada, including Canadians who studied medicine abroad (called CSAs) at a school that is not accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)

To practise medicine in Nova Scotia, you must be licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia and credentialed by Nova Scotia Health, among other steps. Depending on your previous training, you may have to complete multiple exams or a residency. See all of the requirements you will need in order to work here.

Several organizations offer programs to help IMGs become doctors in Nova Scotia: 

Doctors Nova Scotia provides programs and support for physicians in every stage of their career, including a comprehensive health and dental plan, leadership training and a team of physician advisors who deliver on-the-ground practice support. Family medicine billing seminar recordings and materials are available to watch online, on-demand. Read our Member Benefits Guide to see all of the ways that DNS serves its members.

The McCarthy/Stewart International Medical Grant provides a one-time grant of $10,000 to 10 successful IMGs each year.

MD Financial Management and Scotiabank Healthcare+ understand the unique financial needs of international medical graduates. Click here for resources covering wealth management, financial planning, and banking products tailored to physicians.