Assessing Criteria for International Medical Graduate (IMG) Selection and Practice Readiness in Rural Saskatchewan: A Survey-Based Investigation of Faculty Assessors and Rural Physician Leaders

Background: International Medical Graduate (IMG) Family Physicians are essential to rural Saskatchewan’s healthcare. To ensure preparedness, IMGs undergo a 12-week Clinical Field Assessment through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program. However, there is limited research regarding criteria used to select IMG Family Physicians for Practice Ready Assessment (PRA) programs.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey targeted SIPPA assessors and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) rural physician leaders to understand priorities regarding recent clinical practice in selecting IMG physicians for SIPPA.

Results: Of 104 physicians, 63 completed the survey (61% response rate). A longer duration of recent clinical practice was considered a key factor by most respondents. For IMGs out of practice for < 3 years, 45% viewed 3-6 months of recent practice as sufficient, while 48% considered 6-12 months necessary for those out of practice for 3-5 years. For IMGs out of practice > 5 years, 85% of SHA leaders supported 12-24 months of recent practice compared to 51.6% of SIPPA assessors (p < 0.05). The study also highlighted the value of other clinical experiences in maintaining practice currency, emphasizing these roles in the selection process.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of recent and diverse clinical experiences in selecting IMG Family Physicians for SIPPA.