Certification & Fellowship

How do I become a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry?

There are several routes to become a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry.  Upon graduation from an CACB accredited training program in Canada, the candidate may apply to sit the certification examinations and if successful, may apply for fellowship.

Please see the Requirements for Fellowship section for more information on alternative routes to become a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry.

Requirements for Certification in Clinical Biochemistry

Educational and Other Requirements

Candidates shall have educational qualifications in chemistry or the biological sciences equivalent to the requirements for the PhD or DSc degree, or shall have earned a PhD, MD or equivalent degree from a university belonging to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, from a Canadian school of medicine, or from any other institution which in the opinion of the CACB has an acceptable educational standard.

Candidates shall also be a graduate from a CACB accredited Postdoctoral Program in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry with a minimum two years training and at least six months of job experience in a clinical laboratory maintaining a standard in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry acceptable to CACB.  The Ordre des Chimistes du Québec (OCQ) specialty certificate holders can be certified through the Harmonization Agreement with the CACB.

Certification Examinations

Candidates judged eligible to sit the certification examinations will be required to pass a comprehensive written and oral examination.

Written Examinations

Candidates from a CACB accredited Postdoctoral Program in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry may be deemed eligible to sit the written portion of the examination after completion of their training programs. Written Examinations consists of Analytical Examination (3 hours) and Clinical Examination (3 hours). On passing the written examinations, candidates are invited to an oral examination. Candidates who are unsuccessful in the written part of the examination may write again within two years without formal reapplication.

Deadline to apply:  June 15

Oral Examinations

The oral exam aims to assess the candidate’s ability to apply core knowledge and principles in clinical biochemistry to solving problems which are commonly encountered in professional practice.  These may include interpretative or technical review of laboratory data, quality assurance, management, or other pertinent laboratory-related questions. Candidates from a CACB accredited Postdoctoral Training Program in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry are required to gain a minimum of six months of experience in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry following the completion of the training program before taking the oral examination.

The oral examinations are held during the CSCC annual conference on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening. The oral examination must be taken within two years of passing the written examination. Candidates who are unsuccessful in the oral examination may repeat the examination within two years without formal reapplication.

Deadline to apply:  November 30

Certification Application

CERTIFICATION APPLICATION FORM 

(Revised January 2015)

Certification Application Fee

CDN $678.00

Includes $100 + HST Application Fee (non-refundable) and $500.00 + HST Examination Fee (refundable if CACB determines the applicant is not eligible to sit the examination).

Deadline to Apply:    June 15

Reapplication / Remedial Training

Reapplication/Remedial Training Application Form

Candidates who are unsuccessful at obtaining certification within five years of graduation of a Clinical Chemistry postdoctoral training program or after two attempts at either the written or oral portion of the CACB exam must complete remedial training and reapply under the rules and guidelines for Certification or Fellowship application under Requirement #4 in effect at the time of reapplication.

An individual who has completed the certification process is eligible to become a Fellow of the CACB, and to append FCACB after other academic qualifications. Following certification, a separate application to the CACB is required to become a fellow.

All applicants for Fellowship must be Full members of the Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists and must meet one of the following requirements:

1. Possess Certification in Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry as issued by the Canadian Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (CACB)/Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists (CSCC).
2. Possess a Specialist Certificate in Clinical Biochemistry issued by the Ordre des chimistes du Québec (OCQ) since 2000.
3. Possess Fellowship in Medical Biochemistry, be a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in good standing, and work in the field of Medical Biochemistry.
4. Must have successfully completed a two (or more) year accredited Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry training program and be a doctoral certified member or Fellow of an approved Foreign Academy of Clinical Chemistry/Biochemistry^# and be successful in the CACB Oral examination*.

^#Currently acceptable designation is Diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry (DABCC) or Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).

*Applicants who wish to apply under Requirement #4 shall be required to take the CACB Oral examination. Upon passing the oral examination, they are not deemed to be certified, but are deemed to have met the requirement for Fellowship.

Fellowship Application

Fellowship Application Form

(Revised March 2015)

Fellowship Application Fee

Requirement 1-3:        CDN $226 ($200 + HST)        (non refundable)

Requirement 4:           CDN $508.50 ($200 + HST fellowship fee is non refundable; $250+HST exam fee is refundable)

Deadline to Apply 

Applicants who wish to apply for Fellowship who are applying under categories 3 or 4 must apply by November 30 of the year preceding the oral exam.  (e.g., applications submitted after November 30, 2023, if eligible, would take the oral exam in June 2025)

What is reinstatement?

A return to status as a Fellow in Good Standing requires reinstatement into the Professional Development (PD) Program and compliance with the program. The process applies to Fellows who are:

1) restoring compliance following removal from the “List of Fellows”

2) returning from Emeritus status to active practice;

3) returning from a leave of absence.

Definition of a Fellow in Good Standing

By-Law 7.3.4

A person shall be eligible to apply for Fellowship who is a Full Member of the Society and who has met, in the opinion of the Board of the Academy, the requirements for Fellowship approved by the membership of the Academy. To remain a Fellow of the Academy, a person must pay annual membership dues and comply with the professional development program for the maintenance of competence.

A Fellow in Good Standing has paid their society and Academy membership dues and is in compliance with the PD Program requirements (thus is on List of Fellows*).
A Fellow not in Good Standing is one who has not paid their membership dues and/or is not in compliance with the PD Program requirements.

*List of Fellows: List of FELLOWS OF THE ACADEMY who have complied with Maintenance of Competence (MOC) requirements for the most recent calendar year.

If a Fellow is not in Good Standing for 3 consecutive years, the Maintenance of Competence (MOC) Committee will bring this to the attention of the CACB Board and recommend to the CACB Board that the Fellow be instructed not to use FCACB after their name.

Restoring compliance with the PD Program after removal from the “List of Fellows”

Applicants for reinstatement as a fellow in Good Standing must complete the Application Form for Reinstatement as a Fellow in Good Standing.

1) Complete the Application Form for Reinstatement and submit to CACB Head Office.

2) Once the application for reinstatement has been approved by the MOC committee and remaining past dues have been paid, it will be reported to the CACB Board at its next meeting.

3) Re-entry into the Professional Development Program will require the following steps:

• In the year of reinstatement, the member must meet the Maintenance of Competence (MOC) requirements. There will be a mandatory audit of compliance for the immediate year.  Upon notification of maintenance of full compliance, the PD Program certificate will be issued, and the Fellow will be listed on the List of Fellows.

• The member will also be audited in the second year and the third year.  Upon notification of maintenance of full compliance, the PD Program certificate will be issued, and the Fellow will be listed on the List of Fellows.

Dues: Dues are required to be paid for all the years in which the member was non-compliant.

Return to Active Fellowship from Emeritus status

Once the application for reinstatement has been approved by the MOC committee, re-entry into the Professional Development Program will require the following steps:

1) In the first year of reinstatement, the member must meet the Maintenance of Competence (MOC) requirements.

2) The member will be audited in this year. Upon notification of maintenance of full compliance, the PD Program certificate will be issued.

3) Credits for previous years may be considered by the Head Office and Chair of the MOC Committee if specific consideration is required (e.g., PD certificate requested by employer). Submission of previous years’ credits shall be subject to payment of past dues and audit of credits.

Dues: For Fellows returning from Emeritus status, Academy dues apply in the year following the request.

Return to Active Fellowship After a Leave of Absence from Work

1) Head Office must be notified in advance of the leave of absence (sabbatical or any reasonable leave from practice), and the dates for the leave.

2) CACB Staff handle a leave of absence for parental leave. The Fellow does not have to submit PD credits for one year of the parental leave; as parental leave may span 2 years; the Fellow selects which year. This means that, while they do not receive a Certificate, they are not considered to be in poor standing for that year.

3) Other reasons must be approved by the Maintenance of Competence (MOC) Committee.

Dues: Dues must be paid during the year (s) with a leave of absence.