About
Ontario IMG School
The Ontario IMG School was established by Dr. Cyrus Salimi in May 2001. As an International Medical Graduate (IMG) himself, Dr. Salimi experienced all the difficulties that an IMG encounter through the rigorous process of application for medical status within the Canadian healthcare system. After passing the required exams and becoming admitted into the system, Dr. Salimi felt compelled to pave the way and share his knowledge with others who have chosen to come to Canada to practice medicine.
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The Ontario IMG School offers a variety of courses, seminars and mock exams to prepare candidates on their journey to successful certification. Our services range from preparing for NAC OSCE and QEII examinations, written exams preparation for Canada and the US, such as preparation courses of QE1 and USMLE Step 2 CK.
The School also prepares candidates for the soft skills required to be successful in attaining licensure, for example, residency interview skills, statement letter writing, and CV/resume preparation. Because our candidates are primarily internationally trained, we take great pride in focusing our content within the Canadian cultural context, styles of communication and medical ethical foundations from a Canadian perspective.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Dr. Cyrus Salimi is a graduate of The University of Tehran who moved to Canada to pursue his medical career in the mid-1990s. At that time, only 24 positions were available for the IMGs in Ontario which made it very challenging for IMGs to enter the system. After experiencing a lot of disappointment, most IMGs gave up. Dr. Salimi pursued his goals knowing that it might be a difficult challenge. As he puts it: “Sometimes I thought I should give up, but something inside me told me to keep going.” After passing the required exams for IMGs, Dr. Salimi was admitted to McMaster University and finished his specialty training in Internal Medicine. He then further advanced his career by obtaining a sub-specialty training position in Rheumatology at McMaster University. Dr. Salimi practiced as a rheumatologist and internist both in Ontario and Nova Scotia and he is also American Board Certified in internal medicine. Currently, he spends most of his time assisting IMGs through planning and teachings. To date, he has helped hundreds of IMGs pass their Canadian exams and enter the system successfully.
By assisting IMGs through the doctor-patient encounter aspect of the exam, which arguably has been the most competitive part of the Canadian process for international doctors, Dr. Salimi has indeed made a difference for all international doctors seeking admission into the medical field in their new home.