Reconciling public protection and the admission of internationally educated health professionals: Issues related to international mobility under the Quebec-France Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)

The career path of foreign-trained professionals wishing to enter a regulated profession is fraught with obstacles. Our analysis focuses on the case of French physicians who arrived in Quebec under the Quebec-France Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). In this article, we describe the role of the various institutions involved in the prior learning assessment of French physicians. These institutions seek to facilitate professional mobility while fulfilling their public protection mandate. In this environment, obtaining a permit to practice is complicated, despite the existence of the MRA and particularly due to the multiplicity of institutions and actors.