Canadian · Professional Licensing
CPSA Physician Search Alberta.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta runs the public Physician Search. This guide explains what it offers, how to read a result and what to do if something does not add up.
Use the official CPSA search for the answer. This page does not look anyone up and cannot confirm that a doctor is licensed.
What the CPSA Physician Search lets you do
CPSA's search page lets you look up a physician by first and/or last name, by city or town, or by the first three characters of a postal code. CPSA notes that Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary work best with postal codes.
You can narrow results by practice type (All, Family Physician or Specialist), by practice discipline, by CPSA approval (Certified Examiner or Injury Management Consultant), by a language other than English and by gender preference. A “Display Active Only” option is set to Yes by default.
CPSA does not publish a registration-number format on the search page, so this guide does not describe one.
Open the official register
The default “Display Active Only” setting means the first screen is a list of active physicians. If you are checking whether a person who says they used to practise in Alberta was ever on the register, that default is the first thing to understand: change it deliberately and read what the register then shows.
CPSA describes “CPSA approval” as permission to perform certain office-based procedures or use certain technologies, based on training and experience. It is separate from being a licensed physician, so a physician with no approval listed is not by that fact unlicensed.
CPSA also states it cannot book or manage appointments. If a message claims to be from CPSA and asks you to book or pay for anything, treat it as suspect and contact CPSA on the numbers published on its own site.
Why you would check an Alberta physician
People check a physician before booking a private assessment, before paying for a medical document, or when a new clinic or online service advertises a doctor. A name on a website or a letter is not proof of licensure; the regulator’s register is.
CPSA also lists a Discipline Decisions section for physicians who have been disciplined in Alberta, and a complaint form for concerns about a physician. Those live on CPSA’s own site, not here.
Impersonator and scam check
- Open the register by typing the address yourself or using the button above, never through a link in a text, email or social message that asks you to “confirm” a doctor.
- Search using the name, city and discipline the person gave you and compare all of them. A result with the same name but a different city or discipline is a different person until proven otherwise.
- If you cannot find the person, the cause may be spelling, a different legal name, or the active-only filter. It may also mean they are not on the register. Ask the person for the name they are registered under before drawing a conclusion.
- General advice, not CPSA wording: be cautious about anyone who pressures you to pay or share health-card details before you can check the register.
Sources
Regulator pages, retrieved October 2026:
Regulators rename, merge and move their registers. If a link or description here no longer matches the regulator’s site, trust the regulator.
Frequently asked questions
What does a CPSA registration number look like?
CPSA does not publish a registration-number format on its Physician Search page, so a number alone proves nothing. Search by name and location, then compare what the register shows.
What can I search for in the CPSA Physician Search?
First and last name, city or town, and the first three characters of a postal code, with filters for practice type, discipline, CPSA approval, language and gender preference.
Why does a physician not appear in my search?
The “Display Active Only” option is on by default, and spelling or a very narrow filter can hide a result. CPSA suggests checking criteria, checking spelling and removing filters.
Can this page confirm a doctor is licensed?
No. It queries nothing and cannot confirm status. Use the CPSA Physician Search, or contact CPSA at 780-423-4764 or 1-800-561-3899.
Guide only — not a verification tool
This page is an independent guide that links to the official register. TNAADO is not affiliated with the regulator. It does not check anyone’s registration, implies no official verification, and nothing you might type here is transmitted anywhere. Use the official register to confirm current status; this page cannot confirm it.