What is a Physician Organization?

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the responsibility of the submitting organization to provide sufficient proof that they QUALIFY for 'Physician Organization' status and are therefore eligible to submit an MOC Application. Inadeqaute information will result in a delay to the processing of your MOC application.

Before completing the Stage I document of the MOC Application Process for CNS/ CNSS, please ensure that your organization fits the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons(RCPSC) defintion of a 'Physician Organization'.

Determining if an applicant organization meets the definition of a physician organization is an important accreditation standard in holding the profession accountable for the content and integrity of the planning process.

Organizations that are accountable to ‘for-profit’ organizations (shareholders), government agencies, or patient advocacy groups are not considered physician organizations.

How can you identify a physician organization?
To assist you in determining if an organization meets the definition of a physician organization, ask yourself the following questions. Is the organization:

  • ‘Not-for profit’?
  • Governed by health professionals and accountable to specialist physicians?
  • Governed through a formal structure that establishes the decision-making and reporting structure?
  • Focused as part of their mission or vision to:
    • Continuing professional development?
    • Provision of health care? and/or
    • Research?

If the answer to each question is yes, you can be confident the organization meets the definition of a physician organization.

If any answer is no – then the program should not be reviewed or approved under Section 1. The answers to the above questions may require you to complete a search of the organization’s website.

Physician organizations include (but are not limited to):

  • Faculties of medicine
  • Hospital departments or divisions
  • Medical (specialty) societies
  • Medical associations
  • Medical academies
  • Physician research organizations

Types of Organizations That ‘Are Not’ Considered Physician Organizations

  • Disease-oriented patient advocacy organizations (e.g. Canadian Diabetes Association).
  • Government departments or agencies (e.g. Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada).
  • Industry (e.g. pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, etc.).
  • Medical education or communications (MEC) companies (e.g. CME Inc.).
  • ‘For-profit’ on-line educators, publishing companies or simulation companies (e.g. Medscape, CAE).
  • Small number of physicians working together to develop educational programming
Information from Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons 2010 Spring/ Summer Bulletin