This pathway is for applicants who have been Professional Members of the BCAK in the past and want to become members again.
Your pathway to current Professional Membership depends on how long it has been since you were a Member in Good Standing with the BCAK; greater than or less than 36 months (3 years). The 3 year period is based on the date of receipt of a written request to once again become an active Practicing Member and excludes all other inquiries.
If it has been 36 months (3 years) or more since you have been a member in good standing, you will be required to apply as a new member. Return to this page and select which pathway applies to you, based on where you were educated, and how long it has been since you were a member.
If it has been less than 36 months (3years) since you have been a member in good standing, you will be required to reinstate your membership.
You have a choice of 2 pathways to reinstate your membership:
- Provide Proof of Continuing Professional Development
You will be required to provide proof that you have earned a minimum of 20 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits for each year that your membership has not been in good standing. If you did not complete the required 20 CPD credits in your last year of membership, those CPD credits will also need to be completed. Further details regarding this pathway option are here. This pathway does not require that you write the Professional Competency Exam.
2. Write BCAK Professional Competency Exam (PCE)
You will be required to successfully pass the PCE. If you choose this option, and the BCAK approves your eligibility, you will receive an email with instructions on the process, as outlined in the link below. This pathway does not require that you provide proof of Continuing Professional Development.
Write the Professional Competency Exam
Pay Examination Fee
The invitation email you receive will provide a link to pay the Examination Fee. The BCAK accepts secure online payment by credit card only.
An exam sitting may be deferred once. Requests for deferral must be emailed to the BCAK at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled exam date. The exam fee will be credited in full toward the next exam sitting. The deferred exam must be rescheduled within thirty (30) days. If you do not complete the exam booking by this date, the exam fee credit will be forfeited.
Book the Examination
Upon BCAK’s receipt of your Exam Fee, you will receive an email from the BCAK with instruction on how to book your exam.
Exams are written at BC Invigilation Centres that have been approved by the BCAK. You will receive a link to these approved Invigilation Centres.
Invigilation Centres will charge you a fee at the time of booking. This fee is your responsibility, and you are subject to their payment and refund policies. This fee is not part of the BCAK Exam Fee.
Once you have selected your preferred Invigilation Centre and booked your exam, you must email the BCAK with your scheduled exam date, time and Invigilation Centre contact information. This information must be received by the BCAK a minimum of twenty-one (21) business days prior to your scheduled exam date. Upon receipt of the booking information, BCAK will send the exam link to the Invigilation Centre.
Prepare for the Exam
BCAK Professional Guiding Documents and study resources, including a Jurisprudence Guide and a Clinical Record Keeping and Charting Guide can be found here. The information in the resource documents may be tested in the exam.
Write the Examination
The online (electronically delivered) exam consists of 175 (TBC) multiple-choice questions comprised of single answer and case study questions. The BCAK requires a minimum score of 60% to receive a pass.
You have 365 calendar days (1 year) to successfully complete the exam and are permitted a maximum of three (3) attempts / sittings. The initiation of the 365 day period is the date that the BCAK sends you the email inviting you to write the exam.
If you do not successfully pass the exam with your first two attempts, BCAK will provide guidance for pathways to upgrade your professional practice competencies. Upon successful completion of upgrading, and approval by the BCAK, you will be invited to write the exam for your third and final attempt. Each exam sitting is subject to the full exam fee. You are also responsible for paying invigilation centre fees associated with each exam writing.
You will receive the results (pass or fail) of your exam within five (5) business days of writing your exam. These results will come to you by email from the BCAK website. Exam results are final and cannot be appealed.
Testing Accommodations
Requests for testing accommodations must be submitted to the BCAK a minimum of forty-five (45) days prior to the exam date. This written request must include Testing Accommodations Forms found here – one to be completed by the applicant, the other to be completed by a qualified healthcare practitioner who is currently treating you. This may include a family physician, nurse practitioner, clinical counsellor, or psychologist. Applicants requiring testing accommodations will be required to find the invigilation centre that can accommodate their needs – after the BCAK approval for accommodation.
Missing a Scheduled Examination
No-shows to scheduled exams are considered a failed attempt.
There are some unforeseen circumstances that may justify a “day of” deferral of the exam date. You must provide written information to the BCAK office within 24 hours of your scheduled exam time outlining the unforeseen circumstances that caused you to miss your exam. Communication must include corroborating evidence (e.g. if a major transportation route is closed due to weather or accident, provide proof of that closure from media sources and/or BC Ministry of Highways, etc.)
Both pathway options 1 and 2 above require that you obtain a Criminal Records Clearance Letter through the Criminal Record Review Program (CRRP)
You must have a Criminal Record Clearance Letter allowing you to work with children and vulnerable adults under the Criminal Records Review Act (CRRA). The Criminal Record Clearance Letter must be completed upon initial application and every five years thereafter. Under the Province of BC's Criminal Records Review Act, any health practitioner who is required to have a review, who does not have a valid Criminal Record Clearance Letter and works with a vulnerable member of the public, is subject to severe consequences.
Fees for obtaining your Criminal Record Clearance Letter through the CRRP are your responsibility and are in addition to the BCAK membership application fee.
Typical processing times for the CRRP to process a Criminal Record Clearance Letter request average 2-6 weeks. Applicants have the choice to start the CRRP process at any point in their BCAK membership application process, however, applicants will not be approved for membership without their Criminal Record Clearance Letter.
Please note: The BCAK is not permitted to accept Criminal Record Clearance Letters that come directly from the applicant, or that were obtained through a local police detachment, or any document that is NOT sent from CRRP directly to the BCAK.