Frequently Asked Questions

The NSPRAP requires experienced family physicians to be physician assessors of foreign trained family physicians. As a family physician assessor, you will work alongside and supervise a candidate in family practice settings to help determine whether they are ready to practice independently with defined licences in Nova Scotia. You will be compensated for providing supervision and assessing these candidates.

1.    Who can be an Assessor?

Primary Assessor: this family physician must have a full licence from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (the College) and have been engaged in active clinical practice for at least five years.

Secondary Assessor(s): this family physician must, at a minimum, have a defined licence from the College and have been engaged in active clinical practice for at least three years.

2. How long is the commitment?

Candidates undergo two 6-week assessments, 12 weeks in total. As a primary assessor, you will work alongside and supervise a candidates in family practice settings for a 6-week clinical field assessment (CFA) period to help determine whether they are ready to practice independently with defined licenses in Nova Scotia. Ideally, you would take a second candidate for another 6 weeks.

3.    What do I have to do?

Primary Assessors are responsible to perform the following activities:

  • Providing an orientation of the foreign trained family physician candidate to the clinical field assessment (CFA) site including all available local and regional healthcare services.

  • Providing exposure to clinical situations as appropriate for the purpose of candidate assessment in multiple clinical settings (i.e. office care, hospital in-patient care, and long-term care).

  • Assessing candidate’s practice readiness at the level of A CANADIAN TRAINED NEW FAMILY PHYSICIAN ENTERING PRACTICE.  Assessors must become familiar with the CFPC Evaluation Objectives and Sentinel Habits and use as needed, the training materials made available to them.

  • Assessing candidate’s basic communication skills.

  • Providing feedback to the candidate and completing the required daily assessment forms documenting their performance during the CFA.

  • Completing and submitting all evaluation reports (i.e., field notes) electronically via One45 daily, at the end of the 3 weeks (mid-point report); 6 weeks (final report) at the conclusion of the CFA.

4. Is there training involved?

Primary assessors receive mandatory training with respect to the evaluation tools and methods used in assessing candidates.  Secondary Assessors are welcome to participate in the training, but it is not mandatory. As an assessor, you will be compensated at the current MSI sessional rate to attend 3-4 hours of asynchronous training (reviewing on-line modules) and several hours of virtual synchronous training. This training is also useful for assessing undergraduate and postgraduate students. Training also allows you to claim up to 6 hours of certified Mainpro credits.

5.    How much do I get paid?

There is remuneration associated with this role for the six weeks the candidate is placed in a CFA site. Each assessor will be paid at the current MSI sessional rate. More details will be provided upon request.

Also, the Nova Scotia Department of Health & Wellness will pay a family physician who is approved by the NSPRAP, and who agrees to be available as reasonably required to act an an assessor and has committed to oversee a practice ready assessment, an annual payment of $5,000.

6.    What’s in it for me

Many physicians view the NSPRAP as a unique recruitment tool to attract family physicians who are committed to practicing in communities with acute physician shortages. Others see the role as a chance to give back to their profession by participating in a program which will provide medical care to underserved areas. Finally, many see this as an opportunity to gain valuable skills that they can apply to other assessment roles.

7.     How can I get more information about the NSPRAP?

 For more information about being a primary assessor please see the NSPRAP website at https://www.nsprap.com/become-an-assessor

8.    How do I sign up?

 If you are interested in becoming a primary assessor please contact:  Dr. Fiona Bergin at Fiona.Bergin@Dal.ca or Gwen MacPherson at info@nsprap.ca