ENTRY-TO-PRACTICE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Any person wishing to undertake the assessment must first submit the following:

• Application for Registration form and applicable fee;
• Credential evaluation report or transcript of academic record from a Canadian Respiratory Therapy program; and
• Proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent residency status, or a valid work permit.

In addition, the applicant may be required to provide one or more of the following:

• Proof of language proficiency;
• Employment verification;
• Registration verification;
• Any information that a panel of the Registration Committee may believe to be relevant.

Following receipt of the required documentation and any required assessment fees, the CRTO will start the assessment process.

The Entry-to-Practice Assessment is made up of three components. These components are required to be completed by the applicant in the order that they are listed above before moving on to the next component.

Educational Review

The Educational Review will be used to determine if the applicant’s educational qualifications are sufficiently like the Canadian standard reflected in the National Competency Framework (NCF). The review will be based on documentary evidence submitted to the CRTO by the Applicant or by their education program.

Structured Interview and Feedback

The purpose of the structured interview is to identify details of the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and experience related to the practice of respiratory therapy compared to the competencies listed in the NCF. The interview will be administered by at least two qualified assessors (a Panel) selected by the CRTO. At the end of this stage, the applicant will receive an interim assessment report. The report will be based on the educational review and the structured interview. The purpose of the interim assessment report is to provide feedback identifying any gaps in the applicant’s knowledge, skills or experience when compared to the competencies listed in the NCF. All applicants will be required to meet with CRTO staff to review both the interim report and the next steps in the assessment process.

Clinical Skills Assessment

The clinical skills assessment will determine whether the applicant can safely and effectively apply their practical skills and clinical reasoning in simulations that reflect the practice of Respiratory Therapy in Ontario at entry-level. The clinical skills assessment will be conducted by at least two trained assessors at a CRTO approved facility. Applicants undergoing the Entry-to-Practice Competency Assessment who believe that the assessment results are inaccurate for any portion of their assessment process may request an appeal within 30 (thirty) days from the date of issue of the Interim Feedback report or the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) Gap Report. For more information regarding the appeal process or how to submit an appeal, please see the Entry-to-Practice Competency Assessment Appeal Policy.

The assessment fees are listed on the Schedule of Fees. The CRTO does not profit from the fees collected, and the fees are based on a cost-recovery basis.

Educational Program Review and Interview Fee

To start the assessment process, applicants are required to submit the Program Review and Interview Fee. The fee is payable to the CRTO.

Applicants wishing to withdraw from the assessment process before their interview will be eligible for a refund of the fee if their written cancellation request is submitted to the CRTO at least fifteen (15) days before the confirmed interview date. The fee is non-refundable if the applicants’ cancellation request is submitted less than 15 days before the scheduled interview date.

Rescheduling requests must be submitted at least fifteen (15) days before the confirmed interview date. Rescheduling requests submitted less than fifteen (15) days before the scheduled interview date are treated the same as cancellations.

Clinical Skills Assessment Fee

To proceed with the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA), applicants must submit the CSA Fee. The fee is payable to the CRTO.

Applicants wishing to cancel their CSA session will be eligible for a refund of the fee if their written cancellation request is submitted at least thirty (30) days before the CSA date. The fee is non-refundable if the applicants’ cancellation request is submitted less than 30 days before the scheduled CSA date.

Rescheduling requests must be submitted at least thirty (30) days before the confirmed CSA date. Rescheduling requests submitted less than thirty (30) days before the scheduled interview date are treated the same as cancellations.

Upon completion of the assessment process, the Registrar will refer the application to a panel of the Registration Committee for consideration.

To determine whether an applicant for registration meets the non-exemptible requirement under the Registration Regulation, a panel of the Registration Committee will review a comprehensive assessment report prepared by the CRTO Registration staff. The comprehensive assessment report will incorporate the results of the educational review, structured interview, and clinical skills assessment.

Following the review, the panel may:

1. Direct that a certificate of registration be issued;
2. Direct that a certificate of registration be issued with terms, conditions, and limitations (TCLs);
3. Direct that a certificate of registration be issued upon successful completion of additional training approved by the Panel; or
4. Refuse to issue a certificate of registration.

• Ontario Regulation 596/94
• Approved Respiratory Therapy Programs
• Entry-to-Practice Competency Assessment Appeal Policy
• Document Requirement Policy
• Approved Canadian Program Policy
• National Competency Framework
• Schedule of Fees
• Applicant for Registration Guide for Applicants Educated Outside Canada

Contact Information

College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario
180 Dundas Street West,
Suite 2103
Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8

Telephone: 416-591-7800
Toll-free (in Ontario): 1-800-261-0528
General Email: questions@crto.on.ca