Correspondence to all Students of the Health Professions
The Health Professions Authority (HPA) registers approved applicants and provides a licence to practise at the instructions of a health professions Council in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Some Turks & Caicos Islanders have been returning home from studies overseas in the health professions without being cognizant of the new requirements for registration in the health professions under the Health Professions Ordinance 2016.
All graduates who wish to practice within their health profession must first be registered with the respective health professions Council (the Medicine & Dentistry Professions Council; the Nursing and Midwifery Professions Council; and the Allied Health Professions & Pharmacy Professions Council), and once registered, must apply for a licence to practise – in order to be permitted to work legally in their profession within the country.
Of note, for those health professions in which a period of internship is required, satisfactory proof of the completion of such internship will also be required for registration.
The following provide the details of the documents required for registration and a licence to practise:
REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION WITH A HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL IN THE TCI:
Application for registration:
- An application shall be made to the relevant council and submitted to the secretary of that council.
- An application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee as set out in Schedule 2.
- An application shall be accompanied by the following documents or information—
(a) notarized evidence of identity (Passport or National Identification Card);
(b) for applicants from non-English speaking countries, except if the applicant has earned their qualification from an institution based in an English speaking country, proof of earning a minimum of—
- (550 (paper-based test);
- 213 (computer-based test); or
- eighty (internet-based test), including over twenty points each on reading, listening, speaking or writing, in the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL); or (iv) a test a score of six in the International Language Testing System (IELTS)
(c) original or notarized copy of relevant qualification in the health discipline in English, or an English translation from an authorized translator if copy of qualification is not in English; which qualification is—
- obtained from an internationally recognised university;
- recognised by an international professional body; or
- recognized by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP);
(d) original or notarized copy of evidence of completion of any internship, for graduates within twentyfour months of graduating;
(e) proof of clinical practice over the past twenty-four months (not applicable to recent graduates) ;
(f) satisfactory evidence of good character in the form of a police record certificate dated within the past three months to the date of application;
(g) original letter of good standing or online verification certificate of good standing, of not more than three months old, from applicant’s last registration body (country of employment), where applicable;
(h) original or notarized copy of the registration and current licence to practise in another jurisdiction (where applicable);
(i) proof of malpractice insurance bearing the applicant’s name, which can either be personally acquired or under a potential employer;
(j) detailed curriculum vitae;
(k) two passport size photographs, notarized on the back;
(l) three letters of reference sent directly to the Health Professions Authority from the applicant’s three referees as follows—
- one from applicant’s current or last employer;
- one from a fellow professional; and
- one from a person of good repute who knows the applicant well
(m) where applicable, a notarized copy of any change of name, conviction notices and disciplinary findings; and
(n) for an applicant who is not an Islander or a British Overseas territory citizen with connection to the Islands, a letter of intent from an employer within the Islands, indicating intention to employ the applicant.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A LICENCE TO PRACTISE:
(1) An application for a licence to practise in accordance with section 31 of the Ordinance shall be made in Form 3 set out in Schedule 1;
(2) An application shall be accompanied by an application fee as set out in Schedule 2; and
(3) The application should be accompanied by proof of malpractice insurance, liability insurance, or other indemnity cover, which can either be personally acquired or under a potential employer, to cover the period of licencing being applied for. It would be helpful for imminent graduates to secure these documents at the time of their graduation, and submit them prior to or immediately upon return to the country. All application forms may be accessed at the website of the Health Professions Authority: https://www.gov.tc/hpa/ .
If you have any further queries, please contact:
The Health Professions Authority
Town Center Mall – 2nd Floor
23 Parade Avenue, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
Email:
Tel: (649) 338-5140
