A Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC) is:
- a unique identifier assigned to all individuals entering the Canadian medical education or practice system;
- a serial number with no encoded information other than country and profession;
- nationally recognized; and
- supported by the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC).
A MINC is comprised of 12 characters:
- a two-letter country code (e.g., CA for Canada);
- a two-letter profession code (e.g,. MD for physicians);
- a seven-digit serial number with no encoded information; and
- a final digit generated by mathematical formula as a check for transposition errors.
A sample MINC looks like this:
CAMD-1234-5679
A MINC is an identification number only. It does NOT replace any other number issued to an individual for registration, membership, certificate or other identification purposes; or convey any status, rights, credentials or privileges to the holder.
MINCs are assigned by Prime Users, which are the medical regulatory authorities in Canada and the MCC. Prime Users are the only organizations authorized to request issuance of MINCs from the MINC#NIMC Corporation.
Once assigned, an individual’s MINC will not change throughout their entire medical career. It will stay the same if they leave Canada and return, or move between Canadian jurisdictions, or change their registration status. Even after they pass away, an individual’s MINC will not be re-assigned.