Hello! Just a quick note we have sent our waitlist round 7 yesterday and round 8 today.  The deadline for round 8 is Monday June 24 at 12noon PDT.  Congratulations!

The class of MED2017 is full and the waitlist has been shortened today.  We understand this may be a huge disappointment especially for those who are waitlisted and have been waiting patiently.   Unfortunately, the waitlist movement has slowed down and we wanted everyone to know as soon as possible to give you more time to decide whether you would like to apply for the upcoming application.

To those who remain waitlisted (who didn’t hear anything today); you should be proud of yourself.  You have come a long way.  Although there may still be a chance that a spot might open up it’s also difficult because you don’t know if it will happen. To give you a better idea, in the past spots rarely open up in July and August so it’s a good idea to consider future plans even though you are on the waitlist.

We have been getting a lot of questions about transcripts, transfer documents, and MCAT statuses and when they will be updated.  We hope this blog can help clarify things.

Here are some of the questions we received:

1. I’ve mailed in my transcript and BC CareCard document last week but the online application system still shows ‘Not Received’.  Should I send in another copy?

We try to update transcript and CareCard documents within 48 hours as they are received by our office.  Please keep in mind there is a one day lag between when transcripts arrive at our mailing address and when they make it to our physical location.  If the status still shows ‘Not Received’ after 7-10 business days after mailing your documents then it could mean we have not received it.

2. I released my MCAT through the ThX system two weeks ago but it still shows ‘Not Received’?  Did I do something wrong?

We are still adapting to the MCAT changes for this year and are unable to upload the MCAT scores to the online application system until early August.  You may contact us in mid-August if your score is not uploaded by then.  At that time, you may be required to re-release your scores.

3. I have requested that my documents from last year be carried forward but the status still says ‘Not Received’.  Can you check my application?

As we already have all of last year’s transcripts in our office, we are not prioritizing the receipt statuses for these transcripts.  We will work on updating these statuses throughout the summer but we might not have them all updated until after the application deadline.  As long as you have checked the appropriate box on the application and do not need to submit a new transcript, don’t worry that the status still says ‘Not Received’.

As a reminder, it is your responsibility to submit new transcripts if necessary (i.e. if you have started or completed any coursework since the last time you submitted the transcript) as we are unable to check whether new transcripts are needed until we start file evaluation.  At that time, your file will become ineligible if your updated transcript is not received by the application deadline.

4. I’m a UBC student and have authorized the Admissions Office to access my UBC transcript electronically but the status still shows ‘Not Received’.

We will update these regularly but it will still take a bit longer than our normal turnaround time.  Again, as long as you checked the appropriate box on the application, don’t worry about your UBC transcript being received.

Last fall, four UBC medical students began a full year of clinical training at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) for their third year clerkship rotation. This was the first time medical students would spend an entire year training at the hospital and in the community. Eleven months in, the pilot has received excellent feedback from both students and physicians and accolades for the hard work invested by program staff and hospital administration.

An anticipated four to eight students will complete the Kamloops rotation each year. Each student rotates through 10 different specialties ranging from emergency medicine to surgery to dermatology. “It is great having them here for the entire year,” says Dr. Ian Mitchell, emergency physician. “You recognize them and can call them over to see interesting cases.”

As a small group of learners, the students gain remarkable exposure to clinical experiences and one-on-one teaching from their preceptors.  “As the only learner in your specialty at any given point, you don’t have to sit on the sideline and watch,” says Kristy Cho, third year student. “You are given a lot of flexibility to pursue your own interests while getting a lot of hands-on experience.”

More than 100 physicians are actively involved with teaching in the program at RIH.  “We’ve had a great number of physicians step up to teach with the program and the feedback has been incredibly positive,” says Dr. Anise Barton, general surgeon and co-site education lead.

SMP Student, Kulveer Parhar

A core group of physician leaders help manage the daily flow of students and assist with program planning and exams for the students. “The ratio of leaders to the students allows us to know them very well and be intimately involved in their growth and development,” adds Dr. Gerhard Schumacher, family physician and co-site education lead.

“Kamloops is a big enough centre to see lots of different pathologies, get exposed to lots of specialists, and serves a fairly broad population base,” says Kulveer Parhar, third year student.  “The smaller number of learners is a definite strength as the physicians know your name and are excited to shed their knowledge on you.”

For the physicians involved with the program, clinical teaching is either a new or renewed experience but one which they enjoy. “The students come up with the most interesting questions and it makes you learn new stuff about old things,” says Dr. Dick Lewis, dermatologist.  “I love the experience and watching their enthusiasm.”

Students from the Southern Medical Program’s inaugural class will begin clinical training at RIH in early September 2013.

We hope you are enjoying your summer.

As we are fast approaching the August 15th early application deadline we would like to remind you:

Transcripts, supporting document, and CareCard documents receipt statuses are updated within 48 hours as they are received by our office.  Please keep in mind there is a one day delay between when transcripts arrive at our mailing address and when they make it to our physical location. It is also important to enter the institution(s) on the transcript page so we can update the transcript as it arrives in our office.  Please do not contact our office for the status of your documentation(s). You can check the status by logging onto the online application system.

Remember to release your MCAT scores using the AAMC ThX system.  UBC is not part of the AMCAS system.  Applications with missing MCAT scores will be made ineligible.  MCAT scores will be uploaded 2-3 times a week. 

For those who plan to or have already submitted an application for the early submission deadline please make sure all your supporting documents which include application fees, all transcripts, proof of BC residency (if applicable), and proof of name change (if applicable) are received by the Admissions Office by August 15 12pm PDT.  As a reminder, applicants who meet the early deadline and who are invited for an interview will receive their interview invitation letter and will be able to book an interview one day earlier than applicants who have submitted after this deadline.

Note: WES/ICES evaluations and MCAT scores do not have to be received by August 15 to meet the early deadline but both must arrive by October 1.

We also recommend you read our help guide before starting on your application as it provides helpful guidance about how to include information in your application.

We wish you all the best!

A dozen Aboriginal students from across Canada descended on ‪‎Prince George‬ for a pre-med workshop.

We are quickly counting down the days until the application closes and the Admissions Office is abuzz with mail deliveries, updating documents, sending responses to emails and answering phone calls. For all of you furiously completing your applications from now until September 16, here are some common mistakes applicants make during this stage of the process (in no real order):

1) Miscalculating how much time it will take to complete the application. Without fail, every year we have one or two brave souls who open the application one day before the deadline. We strongly discourage this. The application is long and comprehensive and we recommend you give yourself several days to complete and submit it, plus additional time that you may not have realized was necessary to contact people and institutions to ensure your application is complete and accurate.

2) Not reading the HELP GUIDE while completing the application. The Help Guide is designed to answer many of your questions and to guide your application writing process. Read the Help Guide. Use the Help Guide. The most frustrating thing for the admissions team is when someone does not enter information into the application in the requested way. This is because it can take hours to reinterpret/adapt the information so that an evaluation can be performed- this is all done on the back end as no changes can actually be made to the application once it is submitted.

3) Not reading the prerequisite or BC residency requirements before opening the application. The prerequisites are listed here. Make sure you have them or can complete them during the 2013-2014 academic year, before you open the application. BC residency requirements are listed here.  Account fees are non-refundable.

4) Not requesting transcripts early enough. The unfortunate truth is, you are quickly running out of time if have not already requested that your university print and mail your transcripts to us. All documentation must be physically IN THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE by the application deadline- not in the mail, not printed and stamped. If you are worried, have your transcripts couriered. This way you will know when they have been signed for. We are updating transcript statuses as quickly as possible, but it is a challenging task with the amount of mail we are receiving each day.

5) Sending transcripts to the wrong address: Only have transcripts sent to: Mailing address

6) Not contacting verifiers to ask their permission: The non-academic sections of the application require that you indicate contact information of a person who can verify each of your activities. This is generally a different person for every activity. Often, these people are hard to contact, they no longer work for the company you worked for, they have a different email address than you thought, they think about your experience differently than you did, or they are out of town for some part of the application period (Sept-May). In order for an activity to be considered, you must have a verifier who is reachable (preferably by email), speaks English, and is appropriate for that activity. See page 10 of the Help Guide for more information about verifiers.

7) Forgetting to submit additional paperwork: Please review the document checklist. All documentation must be submitted to the admissions office by the deadlines indicated on the checklist. Remember, BC residency changed this year so everyone claiming BC residency, including returning applicants, must submit new BC residency paperwork.

8) Improperly sending BC Care Card information: For the BC Care Card to be properly received through the Online Application System, you must scan and send both sides of the card and upload the document following the email instructions on page 16 of the Help Guide.

9) Forgetting to proofread the application: Once an application is submitted there is nothing the admissions office can do to change it. This includes changing your verifier, adding an activity, changing the dates of an activity, reducing/increasing the hours of an activity, fixing spelling issues, changing your grades, adding institutions, etc. Please proofread. This being said, for anything that could be viewed as an egregious error (eg. saying you did an activity for 2,000 hours when you meant 20, mistyping a “F” on your transcript as an “A+,” forgetting that you attended an entire institution, etc.) we do appreciate you emailing (through the OAS) to let us know. Forgetting is never an excuse for not meeting the deadlines. Therefore, the transcripts of even ‘forgotten’ institutions must be in by the deadline.

10) Submitting at the last minute/forgetting to pay the application fee: In our online application system it is possible to submit your application without paying the full application fee. BOTH are due by 12:00 PDT on Sept. 16, 2013. If you are submitting 30-20-10-5 minutes before the application deadline there are often technical issues from over usage on the server, something in your application doesn’t save properly; the payment program isn’t reading your credit card correctly, etc. We strongly suggest you attempt to submit the application before September 16. It is almost impossible to troubleshoot issues at the last minute and if you do not have both the application and the full application fee paid by the deadline your application will not be considered. We are strict about this policy.

Remember, we are updating transcripts and other documentation as quickly as possible. We will not be responding to emails asking if we have received your transcripts, moved forward your documents, etc. To check the status of your application and documents, click on the “Application Status” tab. If your documents have not been received, the onus is on you to ensure that they are.
Best of luck finishing and submitting your application!

Hello! We apologize for how quiet the blog has been over the last few months. If you are wondering why, it is because we reached another record number of applications this year. Over 2100 were submitted! Unfortunately some of these applications are not complete due to missing transcripts, MCAT scores, payments, etc. However, the vast majority are complete and as such we have a lot more work to do. Do not worry though, we are still treating every application with care, cross checking files as necessary and ensuring that every application receives a fair and consistent evaluation. We know you put a lot of time and energy into this process and we respect this by thoroughly and thoughtfully considering what you have included.

We plan to send all updated status notifications sometime in the first two weeks of December. We do not have specific dates yet, but will be honoring the August 15 early deadline and will notify the applicants who met this deadline first (provided they are invited for interview) before sending interview invitations to everyone else.  If you are wondering what information you will receive in December, please review our blog entry from December 3, 2012. Most of the information will remain the same and we will post any changes closer to the notification dates.

Thank you and we’ll be in touch soon.

It is officially CaRMS time! The Canadian Residency Matching Service application cycle is in full swing, and medical students across Canada are looking for great learning experiences and residency training program’s tailored to their needs, career goals and lifestyle. The University of British Columbia offers 67 postgraduate medical education programs full of rich clinical and community experiences, enthusiastic faculty and staff, and a stellar group of fellow residents.

We will soon be notifying applicants of their interview status.  At this time you’ll be informed as to whether you’ve been selected to move forward onto the next stage of the selection process.

This year we made adjustments to the allocation of points to determine both the academic (AQ) and non-academic (NAQ) scores. For the non-academic section of the application the actual evaluation criteria remained the same and for the academic section, there were no changes to the grade conversion tables used. For both, the modification was in how the points (eg. AQ and NAQ scores) were distributed on the 50 point scale. (Remember AQ and NAQ scores are calculated out of 50 points each for a total file review score out of 100). This was done automatically and uniformly for all applicants. As NAQ scores can vary from year to year due to changes in submissions and the competitiveness of the applicant pool, the most unexpected changes will likely be in AQ scores. However, as long as your overall or adjusted percentage averages are correct, then your AQ score and resultant Total File Review (TFR) score are correct.

This change will affect the average score of the applicant pool and also the scores of each individual applicant. For those of you who receive the “Regrets, No Interview” letter, you will be able to view your scores by logging into your on-line application.

We will not be able to provide any further information about the revised point allocation, but feel it is a positive step as part of our on-going commitment to fairness and equality.

One note about the scores: It can be really disappointing not to get an interview. However, please try to see the AQ, NAQ & TFR scores as numbers, not personal judgments. If you get a low AQ or NAQ score we are not saying your GPA is bad or your non-academic experiences are worthless, or that you would be a bad doctor. The scores are an assessment of how your application compares against our evaluation criteria and the applicant pool, and that is all we intend them to be. Remember that this is a competitive application process and we have many more qualified and exceptional candidates applying than can be interviewed or admitted. Please refer to the Evaluation Criteria Section of the website and the FAQs below for help.

Below is an explanation of scoring, terminology and frequently asked questions:

OGPA = Overall GPA in UBC percentage
AGPA = Adjusted GPA in UBC percentage
AQ Score = OGPA (if not eligible for AGPA) or AGPA, converted to a number out of 50 (50 is the maximum score). That’s it – the AQ score is just your OGPA or AGPA, automatically converted to a number out of 50 by our computer system. Please note this year there was an adjustment to the allocation of points to determine the AQ score. The conversion mechanism is confidential. If you are a reapplicant, you may be concerned that your AQ score is significantly different from previous applications. However, to reiterate, if your averages are correct, your score is correct.

Your AQ score might be low, even if you have a good GPA, but as long as your OGPA or AGPA is correct, your AQ score is also right.

NAQ Score = the score given for the non-academic portions of the application converted to a number out of 50.  All file reviewers are carefully trained, there are various checks throughout the process to make sure reviews are being done consistently, and the NAQ score is standardized to make up for any scoring variations between reviewers. Every year there are changes in the applicant pool which affect the scoring of the non-academic section. These include the competiveness of the pool, the addition or deletion of activities from an application (this only affects reapplicants), and adjustments made to the average candidate profile that reviewers use to help evaluate.
TFR Score = AQ Score + NAQ Score. Your TFR score might be really close to the cutoff. We have double-checked these files for accuracy, so unfortunately you might just be one of the unlucky ones whose score is really close but not quite high enough to get an interview this year.

FAQs

I received a Regrets, No Interview letter with my academic and non-academic scores. Can I get more information on the definition of these scores?
We cannot provide any further details or specifics regarding the results of your file evaluation, but our Evaluation Criteria page explains the scoring in more detail. You may also find it helpful to review the Interim Statistics on our Statistics page to assist you in determining the competiveness of your file.

I am a re-applicant. I have taken further coursework and/or I feel I have more activities and volunteer experiences than last year, but my scores have gone down. Why?

This year we made adjustments to the allocation of points to determine both the AQ and the NAQ scores. For the non-academic section of the application the actual evaluation criteria remained the same, and for the academic section, there were no changes to the grade conversion tables used. For both, the modification was in how the points were distributed. Remember, you can cross check your AQ score by seeing that if your average is correct, your score is correct. This was done automatically and uniformly for all applicants.

I was not invited for an interview; can I talk/meet with someone to discuss my application? I would like some more feedback.
Due to limited resources, we regret that we are not able to offer any feedback advising to applicants who were not granted an interview, nor can we provide any further information about the evaluation of your file.

I think that there has been a mistake in the academic evaluation of my file.
The academic evaluation was based on the credits and grades entered by applicants. If you believe that there has been a specific error, please send an email via the on-line application detailing what you believe the mistake to be. Please note that some applicants entered wrong information – eg. did not include all courses, excluded failed courses or used letter grades instead of percentages. In these instances the Admissions Office had to correct these mistakes by verifying courses and grades on official transcripts. Therefore, there may be a discrepancy between averages calculated by an applicant & the grades as they appear on the Application Status page of his/her application.
The calculation of the AQ Score is automatically performed by the online application system, so as long as your OGPA or AGPA (if applicable) is correct, your AQ Score is also correct.

I thought I should have been eligible for the Adjusted Academic Average to determine my academic score, but it does not seem to have been used.
The AGPA was calculated based on the courses and grades entered by applicants. The online system automatically determined (a) the lowest academic year which could be eliminated and (b) if this year could be dropped (i.e. if there were still 90 remaining credits). The Admissions Office verified that grades had been entered accurately by comparison with the official transcripts.

My overall GPA (or adjusted GPA if applicable) is slightly below the 75%/80% cut-off but I still feel my non-academic experiences are very strong and should have been reviewed.
Although we look for excellent non-academic qualities, these must also be accompanied by very good academic qualities to demonstrate an applicant’s ability to successfully handle the rigorous MD Undergraduate curriculum. It was determined that a lower AQ score (below 75% for BC and below 80% for OOP) cannot be offset by a strong NAQ score; hence these files were not reviewed.

I attended a university that did not use percentages for its grading scheme. How did UBC calculate averages from universities with different grading schemes?
Information on grade conversions, including our grade conversion tables, can be found on the Evaluation Criteria page of our website.

I am not happy with the non-academic score I received. Can I request another review?  
We appreciate that you may be dissatisfied with the scoring of the non-academic portion of your file, but would like to assure you that the non-academic portion of your application was reviewed and evaluated fairly and consistently. We will not re-evaluate the non-academic section of your file. At the beginning of each cycle, with guidelines provided by the Admissions Policy Committee, we establish a profile of an average applicant as a benchmark and points are allotted accordingly. Reviewers are trained and files are cross-checked. Although there cannot help but be a degree of subjectivity involved, we feel the standardized process keeps this to a minimum.

I was not invited for an interview and would like to appeal the decision.
We realize the importance of your application and appreciate that the results may be disappointing. Please be aware that we do our best to ensure that our evaluation practices are fair and consistent. Files are often double and sometimes triple checked to ensure accuracy. While we are unable to discuss your application over the phone, you may email Admissions through your on-line application if you have any specific concerns regarding your file evaluation. Please note that we will not re-evaluate the non-academic section of your file. We will not make appointments with the Dean, Associate Dean, Director or an Advisor/Coordinator to discuss your application.

I’m not sure if I am seeing the right thing under the scores line on my Application Status page.
This is what you should see, depending on your application status:

Ineligible: no scores
Regrets, Partial File Review: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable)
Regrets, No Interview: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable), AQ, NAQ and TFR
Invited to Interview: no scores

Melissa Carr (Communications Coordinator, VFMP)

It’s a sunny October day when I meet Adrienne Cheung, a second year VFMP student, just inside the doors of St. Paul’s hospital in downtown Vancouver.  She has just returned home from Toronto, where she spent Thanksgiving weekend with her family.  Shortly after we introduce ourselves, Dr. Anita Palepu, a nationally renowned general internist, joins us.   Her smile is absolutely infectious as she cheerfully chats with Anita about her long weekend.

We make our way outside the hospital to take a photos of the two women who spent last summer working together on a research project where they explored the relationship between homelessness, substance dependance and health care.   We joke that the exposed brick siding of St. Paul’s will add to the ‘urban feel’ of the photo.  Dr. Palepu, who runs an accomplished program, is extremely interested in  urban health research,  particularly in vulnerable populations such as drug users, those infected with HIV, and the homeless.

Anita is eager to learn about the diverse patient population in the Vancouver Fraser region.  She speaks compassionately about the men and women she observed over the course of the project, describing how hearing their stories has opened her eyes to the many factors which contribute to health issues faced by the homeless.  She emphasizes how, although there is some teaching about social aspects in the medical curriculum, her research with Dr. Palepu will be instrumental in shaping the kind of doctor she becomes.  Without this experience, she might not have chance to “…look deeper into these (kinds of) issues and how addiction is tied to psychiatric care, public services and homelessness.”

I was surprised when Anita shared the pair’s findings regarding a correlation between substance dependence and ER visits:

“There is a general perception that (drug dependant) individuals tend to have a higher rate of health care use and continue to use services at a higher rate if substance use persists; however, we found no association between substance dependence and emergency department visits or hospitalizations in this study during the two-year follow-up period.”

Anita describes how it is primarily environmental and mental health issues that bring homeless individuals to the hospital and how understanding these factors can assist medical professionals in their approach to treatment.  “I can now better appreciate the importance of a multidisciplinary team including nurses, social workers, case managers and other specialists in longitudinal care for those with mental disorders.” 

As for Dr. Palepu, she expresses how having students participate enriches her research, stating that students often ask questions which force even the most seasoned researchers to “…step back and reflect on our assumptions, and often results, in more clarity.”

 ***

Below are subsequent and more detailed questions that I posed to Anita regarding her SSRP:

Please briefly describe the SSR Project you were involved in?

We were interested in whether homeless adults with substance dependence were less likely than those without substance dependence to experience a reduction in health care utilization at 2 years follow-up in a supported housing program. We looked at results from the Vancouver At Home study, a large, randomized controlled trial that assigned homeless adults with mental disorder to either a Housing First program or to treatment as usual (i.e. no intervention). Housing First is a low-barrier, supportive housing program that sets no preconditions such as abstinence from substance use or adherence to psychiatric medications in order to remain housed. This program has been associated with improved residential stability and reductions in hospital use in previous studies. Homeless adults with concurrent mental and substance use disorders face a number of challenges in managing their health. There is a general perception that these individuals tend to have a higher rate of health care use and continue to use services at a higher rate if substance use persists; however, we found no association between substance dependence and emergency department visits or hospitalizations in this study during the two-year follow-up period.

What, specifically, about the research topic interested you?

What attracted my interest were the complex social factors that are involved in managing the health of this population. I was also interested in learning how scientific methods and designs would be applied in this setting. The At Home trial has a strong methodological design but the conduct of the study was complicated by many issues that are less likely to arise in clinical or basic science studies. For example, an important consideration was the follow-up of participants as they often lacked reliable contact information and may move between public and private housing, hospitals or institutions between follow-up periods.

What did you learn both (a) academically and (b) clinically?

A valuable part of this project was learning how to analyze the data to answer our research question. With a wealth of data collected from the At Home trial, it was an exercise to determine which outcomes would best answer our research question and what variables could potentially affect those outcomes.

What may be useful clinically is a slightly better understanding of the circumstances of those who are homeless or precariously housed. Through shadowing participant interviews, I heard fairly detailed accounts of experiences with finding stable housing and some of the important events that have had a lasting impression on individuals’ lives. Even after finding a place to live, one may face issues such as unhealthy living conditions, poor nutrition, lack of continuity of care and support, and the negative effect of these combined factors on mental health.

What did you learn to appreciate while participating in this project?  Has this influenced your perspective on medicine and patient care?

Shadowing participant interviews and reviewing the literature allowed me to gain an appreciation of the number of challenges faced by homeless adults with mental disorders. Health care is quite limited in what we can do when we see patients from this group. Physicians can help improve the physical and mental health of their patients but these are very connected to the environment in which the patient is living, their financial situation and numerous other social stressors that might be present. I can now better appreciate the importance of a multidisciplinary team including nurses, social workers, case managers and other specialists in longitudinal care for those with mental disorders.

What do you feel participating in this project will have contributed to your medical education? (for Student only)

The medical curriculum at UBC includes a course called Doctor, Patient and Society which focuses on social aspects of medicine that are not covered in other courses. One block of this course focused on addiction medicine and invited guest speakers to share their experiences with us. Although I appreciated and learned from this component of the course, I felt that there was a great deal that could not be covered by the course alone. The research project I was involved in gave me a chance to look deeper into these issues and how addiction is tied to psychiatric care, public services and homelessness.

Finally, I was interested to know why Dr. Palepu involves and draws from students in her research…

How do you feel involving students in your research influences your work?

The involvement of students in my research program enriches the experience of all of team members. The student often asks questions that force us to step back and reflect on our assumptions and often results in more clarity. The team enjoyed explaining their roles and responsibilities and included Adrienne in interviewer training and shadowing participant interviews as well. Developing the understanding of people’s context is critical to working with vulnerable groups both clinically and in a research setting. Finally, mentoring in research is an important and critical ingredient to develop the next generation of clinician scientists.

Thank you to Anita and Dr. Palepu for taking the time to share their work and findings with the VFMP community!

The 2012-2013 school year was a great success for the UBC MD Undergraduate Program.  With 1156  undergraduate students studying medicine across British Columbia, we are continuing our mission to admit and educate students who will graduate with demonstrated competencies and behaviours that will equip them  to address the current and future health care needs of British Columbians.

I have been continually impressed with our MD students completing their training in the Vancouver Fraser region.  Our program is intently focused on ensuring these young men and women are trained to address the pressing medical needs B.C.’s diverse population.  Vancouver Fraser is an exceptional example of how the needs of patients are so varied.  This population’s extreme diversities are illustrated in ethnicity, age and socio-economic background. 

This year’s faculty awards brought home the amazing individuals who educate students in patient care, research and a diverse array of other areas, including arts and humanities; my sincerest congratulations to all award recipients.

As many of you are aware, our program is undergoing a curriculum renewal   process, which is moving along steadily.  2013-14 will see the proposed curriculum move through UBC’s Senate approval process.  We have also been recruiting for Clinical Advisors in both Vancouver and Fraser and are excited about the expertise and interest from those who have accepted positions.  I would especially like to thank Dr. Dan Beegan, who has served as Clinical Education Lead for Fraser for approximately three years.  He has been an excellent liaison and has worked hard on behalf of our students.  We will miss him as he moves on to other things.

I sincerely hope you will enjoy reading through the stories in this update, which highlight the great work and achievements of our students, faculty and staff in the Vancouver Fraser region.

Happy Holidays and here’s to a successful 2014 in the UBC VFMP!

Dawn E. DeWitt, BA, MSc, MD, FACP, FRACP
Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Fraser
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Mike Kerr (VFMP 2015)

The UBC Academic Learning Community, or ALC, is a prototypical-learning model in which medical students complete part of their pre-clinical training within in a local hospital. The first of its kind was implemented at Royal Columbian Hospital in January 2013, and was piloted by seven Vancouver-Fraser medical students during the second term of their first year of medicine. Studying in an ALC offers many benefits to medical students, and as I reflect back on my experience as an ALC student, I think about how fortunate I was to take the plunge into this prototypical model of medical education.

As a member of the hospital community, I have had the unique opportunity to interact and learn from medical students and residents at all levels of training, and to participate in extra-curricular activities such as resident teaching sessions and afternoon rounds.  Longitudinal courses such as family practice and clinical skills were structured differently to provide a unique learning experience.  Students in an ALC family practice follow a cohort of patients throughout the term to gain an appreciation for the importance of continuity of care and the doctor-patient relationship in general practice.  Clinical skills are taught by local clinicians in smaller group sizes, allowing more one-on-one time and earlier introduction to preceptors we will interact with during our clerkship years.  Many of the clinical skills sessions are interactive and provide perspective on the skills expected of third year medical students. 

One of my most memorable experiences as an ALC student is a clinical skills session that took place in the hospital wards.  We were assigned two patients with GI complaints, and asked to perform a full history and physical exam.  After completing the assignment, we were asked to meet in the ER consult room and present our cases to the group as if we were on rounds.  Our preceptor provided feedback on our presentations, and asked that we each offer a differential diagnosis and suggestion for management.  Seemingly, in addition to gaining clinical skills experience, I had also learned how to develop a clinical approach to patients with GI complaints and how to present cases to an attending physician in a concise and clear manner.

The biggest advantage to studying in an ALC, however, has been the opportunity to interact with our clinician advisors. The clinician advisors wear many hats.  They are mentors, teachers, and friends.  They assist with career planning, connect students with shadowing opportunities, and help those interested get involved in research.  They are actively involved in our curriculum.  They teach PBL, sit in on lectures, and organize many clinical activities related to the topics discussed during the week.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my experience as an ALC student.  I have had the good fortune of being able to study in the same site where I will continue on to study as a third year student. Now in my second year of medicine, I have decided to return to RCH to complete my last year of pre-clinical medicine as an ALC student.

Name: Ali Majdzadeh

Hometown: Coquitlam, BC

Undergrad University and major: UBC, Honours Physics/Biophysics

Why do you want to become a doctor?

To equip myself with the skill set that will enable me to reach out to and serve the underserved by addressing their unmet health needs, in addition to playing a role in the advancement of healthcare through medical research

Are there any individuals who you look up to or aspire to be like in the medical field?

I’m tremendously inspired by the clinician-scientists and other interdisciplinary researchers with whom I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating at the BC Cancer Research Centre over the past two years. Their incredible teamwork and cooperation with individuals from a wide array of disciplines (particularly non-medical areas such as physics) was admirable and led to great efficiency. I hope to one day be able to replicate such a skill.

What kind of medicine do you hope to practice?

It’s too early to say, but since technology is my passion, I would like to be active in a domain that allows for and which will greatly benefit from the integration of technological innovation and research. Perhaps it will be a continuation of my current research in biophotonics in dermatology. Or maybe even radiology.

What excites you the most about the next four years?

All the great opportunities that I will be able to get involved with: MUS clubs, research projects here and abroad, global health projects, geographically distributed clerkship rotations, and more! And that long sought-after MD of course.

Name: Samrad Ghavimi

Hometown: Born in Iran, but moved to Coquitlam at the age of 8.

Undergrad University and major:

I actually completed my undergraduate right here at the University of British Columbia. I completed my major in general sciences and actually enjoyed it very much. The flexibility the degree offered me allowed me to take many diverse courses (both in the sciences and the non-sciences).

Why do you want to become a doctor?

This is the easiest and yet the most challenging question to answer. When I was in high school, I became very fascinated with the human body. I loved everything we learned with respect to the anatomy and physiology of the body (albeit it was at a very basic level). As I commenced my undergraduate studies, I decided to volunteer in hospital settings, while taking the courses that previously fascinated me. Sure enough, I could not think of a better career. The human interaction aspect of medicine along with my passion for the material made medicine the easy choice for me. 

Are there any individuals who you look up to or aspire to be like in the medical field?

My family physician. I had the privilege of shadowing her a few years ago and in that time, I learned so much from her just from observing her. She taught me so many important lessons with respect to treating patients with care and compassion. I will especially never forget one thing she told me, which was “there will be some days where you will be very tired or frustrated, and miss the days where you had 8 hours of sleep. But always remember, however crappy your morning has been, pales in comparison to the patient you’re about to go and see. That individual is coming to see you scared, anxious and perhaps looking for a glimmer of hope from the visit. So put your problems aside, and give all your attention and care to that patient, and make sure to enter that room with the biggest smile you can, because it can go a long way.”

What kind of medicine do you hope to practice?

I think it’s far too early to tell. Everyone seems to have a sense of what they enjoy, but I know that in the next 4 years, we will all change our minds about 100 times regarding ‘what we want to be when we grow up.’ I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to go into every situation with an open mind. There is no sense in saying “I definitely don’t want to be a so and so,” because frankly, I have no clue what so and so really does. I just want to make sure I enjoy the ride and see as much as I can before making the ultimate decision.

What excites you the most about the next four years?

To be quite honest, for the first time in my life I can say that there hasn’t been a single day that has passed where I wasn’t excited to go to school. In my short time, I have met so many incredible people from such diverse backgrounds, which has made the journey that much better. I’m very excited about the level of knowledge that will be crammed into my brain over the next 4 years, while developing strong relationships with the people around me. Most of all, I’m excited for where the journey takes me. I’d love to look into a crystal ball and know what kind of doctor I will be. But until then, I’ll make sure to enjoy the ride!

Sean Addison, Orientation Leader (MD 2016)

Orientation week started off bright and early on a sunny August morning with 350 eager medical and dental students waiting in the atrium for school to start.  This is the time when it finally sinks in for new students: you’re in medical school!

Walking through the crowd and overhearing diverse conversations about travel, athletics, research and hobbies, it was obvious that we had another great group of people joining our faculty. We knew then that our job as orientation leaders was going to be easy. There is nothing simpler than facilitating the interactions of social, enthusiastic and fascinating people. So away we went…

After getting to know their fellow 2017s, the first years got to meet our 2016 class at the buddy luncheon on Tuesday. This event was a huge success with lots of laughs, tips and coloured pens shared.   In fact a few first years said it was the highlight of their week, helping to “calm their fears about medical school” and “make them feel at home in the program”.

Immediately following this lunch was the always colourful, superhero themed “amazing race”. Similar to the popular TV show, this event involves running the new students all over campus to different skill and creativity testing stations at popular UBC locations. Participation was outstanding this year with almost the entire class completing the race.  As first year Sara Lysnkey put it, “the amazing race introduced me to my amazing classmates in a fun setting while teaching me how to be less lost on campus!”  

On Wednesday social events continued with a class wide wine and cheese mixer with faculty and staff. Students ditched their superhero tights for blazers and although the O-week organizers were not able to attend, we were assured a smashing time was had by all. On Thursday, we left the new class to their own activities before showing up again Friday to whisk them away to Gambier Island for an unforgettable class camping trip.

All in all, the week ran perfectly and was amazing to be a part of. It was great to spend some time with our new colleagues in an informal setting before all the craziness begins. I think feedback like this says it all:

“When you tell people you got into med school, you hear a lot of sarcastic “have fun being in school for the next ten years” the only thing is, it is actually fun!”  (Radha Jain, 2017)

 “O-week was amazing but not without the people who made it become what it was.” (Johnny Wong, 2017)

On behalf of all the second year leaders, thanks to all you the class of 2017 for making our job as orientation leaders so easy. We’re looking forward to having you with us for the next three years!

As the holidays are approaching, we wanted to let you know that the Admissions Office will be closed from December 24 at noon until January 1 (we will reopen January 2).  During the closure, we will not be here to answer emails or phone calls.  Please contact us before the holidays if you have questions or need help.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!

Sincerely,
Your Admissions Team
MD Undergraduate Admissions
UBC Faculty of Medicine

It is only two days before site preference forms are due and we understand that some applicants are still somewhat uncertain about site selection and if the sites they rank will affect their chances of admission.  This has come up before in previous years and to confirm, site selection does not affect your admissibility to the program. Although we have always said that, it appears that there are doubters. However, to reiterate, admission and site placement are two quite separate processes.

The site preference form you submit is not made available to the Admissions Selection Committee, who are also blinded to applicants’ names and gender. The decision to admit someone is based on committee consensus after discussion of all the various components of the file (in no particular order: academic ability, performance on the MMI, reference letters and so forth).

Following final selection meetings, the Admissions Office goes through the list of accepted applicants and places them to sites within the program.  This second step is where your site preference comes in to play. Our commitment is to try to offer admissible applicants a position in our program at a site where they will be happy studying and living. How site placement works is like this: When we (the Admissions Office) moves through the list of applicants and comes to your name, we look at your first site of preference, if it is full, we put you at your second site of preference, if that is full, third, etc. If you are placed at any site other than your first preference, you will be wait-listed for your preferred site(s). If we cannot place you, and you have been deemed admissible, you will be wait-listed.

Even when the committee is deliberating about who is admissible to the Northern Medical Program, they are blinded to site preference. What could be an issue is if you highly rank the Northern Medical Program (NMP) but you did not complete the Rural Training section of the application. As stated in the application help guide, “The NMP is seeking applicants with a genuine interest in learning medicine in the context of rural, remote, and northern communities.” If you didn’t fill out the Rural Training section of the application, you will not be considered for the NMP, even if you rank it as your first choice.

We would also like to mention here that students admitted to all the distributed sites are comparable in terms of their academic and nonacademic abilities. There is absolutely no basis for the perception that perhaps it is “easier” to get in to one of the sites if you have a lower academic average.

If you are still trying to decide how to rank your preferences and wondering if there is some “strategy” you should use, please, do not do so. It is a mistake to try and second guess the process or rank the sites in any order other than the one you truly prefer. If you absolutely do not want to, or cannot go to one of the distributed sites, it is very important for you to indicate “no interest.” Understand that after the deadline applicants will not be permitted to re-rank sites, irrespective of any change in life circumstances.

New Family Medicine residents (left to right): Jessica Palmer, Rachel Dalzell, Rachel Delacretas-Jaunich, Kristina Williams.

Fourth year MD students gathered today at the UBC Medical Student Alumni Centre to celebrate the results of the first round of the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), which matches graduating MD students with postgraduate programs across Canada. MD students took photos, congratulated each other, and wrote their specialty and location in bright magic marker on t-shirts donated by the Canadian Medical Association

Ninety-seven per cent of 256 fourth year MD undergraduate students matched to postgraduate training programs in the first round—a strong showing in the highly competitive Canadian residency match. However, the students aren’t the only ones celebrating.

For the second year in a row, UBC’s postgraduate medical education programs accepted the largest number of entry-level postgraduate trainees in the history of UBC.  Ninety-seven per cent of the 328 positions were filled in the first round of the CaRMS match, a testament to the strength of postgraduate medical education at UBC.

Once again, Family Medicine accounts for the largest percentage – nearly half of those positions, admitting 156 new residents who will complete training across British Columbia, including new offerings like Family Medicine’s Coastal site (based in North Vancouver, and provides an enhanced rural experience in communities such as Sechelt, Powell River, and Squamish).

 “I am delighted to see the growth of our Family Medicine program, and their great success in attracting the best new doctors for these positions,” says Dr. Roger Wong, Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education. “Our postgraduate programs are responding to the needs of British Columbians by training more family doctors and generalist specialties that support primary care.”

A new Emergency Medicine training site based in the Interior will receive its first residents this July , broadening emergency medicine training beyond sites in Vancouver, Fraser, and Vancouver Island.

Students pinned flags to the various cities in Canada where they will be completing residencies.

UBC’s expansion and distribution of medical education programs have significantly increased the number of physicians trained in British Columbia, creating clusters of academic and clinical learning on the Island, in the North, the Interior and the Lower Mainland. New postgraduate training sites allow physicians to complete their training in communities across the province.

 “Our MD undergraduate and postgraduate programs continue to see great results in the match,” says Dr. David Snadden, Executive Associate Dean, Education.  “I believe this is a testament to the caliber of our students, faculty and staff, and the work and dedication of all our partners who have helped transform medical education in B.C.”

A second round of the CaRMS match for the 10 remaining unfilled positions will be held in April.