Why I Wrote the New Royal College General Internal Medicine Exam: Redefining Our Identity and Revalidation

Abstract

In 2010, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) recognized General Internal Medicine (GIM) as a distinct subspecialty. Soon after this recognition came a new written certificationexam, the successful completion of which awards the applicant the title of General Internist. For those of us who trained prior to the new status and examination, GIM was the default designation after four years of internal medicine training if a subspecialty was not pursued.What does this new subspecialty status mean for our professional identity, qualifications, and public credibility? Twelve years aftermy successful completion of the Internal Medicine (IM) certification exams, I voluntarily applied for consideration to write the first RCPSC exam in GIM, without a clear reason why. My reflection on the days leading up to the exam and writing the exam itself led me to understand why I did it. The process addressed my skepticism around designating GIM as a unique subspecialty, and through this I have come to appreciate the need for our profession to embrace revalidation.