About the
College
Medical
Regulation
in Ontario
Dr. Janet Van Vlymen
The College of Physicians and Surgeons
of Ontario (CPSO) regulates the province’s
medical profession to protect and serve the
public interest.
We issue certificates of registration to allow
doctors to practise medicine; monitor and
maintain standards of practice through
assessment; investigate complaints against
doctors on behalf of the public; and discipline
doctors who have committed an act of
professional misconduct or who are incompetent.
Medical regulation is based on the premise
that the College must act first and foremost
in the interest of the public. The role of the
College, as well as our authority and powers,
are set out in the Regulated Health Professions
Act (RHPA), the Health Professions Procedural
Code under the RHPA and the Medicine Act.
The Council is the governing body of the
College. The RHPA stipulates that it consist of
at least 32 and no more than 34 members:
1
6 physicians elected by their peers on a
geographical basis every three years;
t hree physicians appointed from among the six
faculties of medicine (at Western University,
McMaster University, University of Toronto,
Queen’s University, University of Ottawa, and
the Northern Ontario School of Medicine);
5 public members appointed by the
1
provincial government.
CPSO ANNUAL REPORT 2017 // page 2