FAQ

If you have included your clerkship evaluations in your application, we will still review it and will not negatively impact you in any way.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED OF AN INVITATION TO INTERVIEW?

All applicants, whether successful or not, will receive notification on February 18, 2022.

WILL I KNOW WHO MY INTERVIEWERS ARE PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW?

You will not have information with respect to your interviewers prior to the morning of your interview.

IS THERE A CHIEF RESIDENT OR ANOTHER RESIDENT I CAN CONTACT WITH RESPECT TO PROGRAM-RELATED QUESTIONS?

The program offers several live sessions where you will have the chance to ask questions. You can view the event details on the AFMC calendar and under Live Sessions on this website. If you are unable to attend the sessions, we will have the recording uploaded to the website. If you are unable to find answers on this website, in the program description, or on our website, please forward your question to natalie.cheng@ubc.ca. Your questions will be forwarded to one of the Chief residents.

IF I AM NOT SHORTLISTED HOW CAN I APPEAL TO HAVE MY FILE REVIEWED AGAIN?

Files are not re-reviewed . The Department of Medicine receives a large number of excellent candidates and it is extremely difficult to develop a shortlist. We do feel, however, that we have developed excellent criteria for development of a shortlist. We receive many requests from applicants asking us to review their files again and out of fairness to all applicants will decline to do this except for very extenuating circumstances.

MY REFEREE HAS NOT SENT MY REFERENCE LETTER TO CARMS BY THE DEADLINE DATE. CAN I SEND YOU A HARD OR ELECTRONIC COPY?

We do not take hard copies of any file materials. The selection process is completely electronic. No paper copies are printed and our faculty work directly from the electronic CaRMS site. No materials will be accepted - electronically or otherwise - after the deadline date.

I WILL BE IN VANCOUVER FOR AN ELECTIVE PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW DATES. IS IT POSSIBLE TO SET UP AN INTERVIEW AT THAT TIME?

No interviews will be set up prior to the shortlisting process or the formal interview dates. Our process is intended to be equitable to all applicants.

IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR THE PERSONAL LETTER?

We don’t want to limit the personal letter to just medical content so along with telling us why UBC/Internal Medicine interests you please provide additional information about yourself that may be of interest

IF MY PERSONAL LETTER IS LONGER THAN THE REQUESTED ONE PAGE WILL IT NEGATIVELY IMPACT MY APPLICATION?

No – UBC, however, receives over 400 applications each year and we are attempting to keep the paperwork down to a minimum for the file reviewers.

WILL THE INTERVIEWERS HAVE ACCESS TO MY FILE ON THE INTERVIEW DAY?

No – the files will already have been reviewed and scored. The interview scoring is based solely on the interview.

I HAVE HEARD A RUMOUR THAT UBC RANKS THEIR OWN TRAINEES FIRST. IS THIS CORRECT?

No – UBC has never had a policy of ranking their students first. We believe in ranking the best applicants we can regardless of where they trained.

IS IT EASY TO FIND RESEARCH MENTORS AND OPPORTUNITIES?

Our research office assists residents in connecting with faculty with related research interests.

IF I HAVE FAMILY COMMITMENTS WILL I STILL BE REQUIRED TO DO ROTATIONS AWAY FROM THE LOWER MAINLAND AREA?

Yes – all residents are expected to do 3 – 6 blocks away their 3 core years at one of our distributed sites. This is exclusive of any rotations at Royal Columbian Hospital or any Community Rotation.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT ACCREDITATION STATUS OF YOUR PROGRAM.

The UBC Postgraduate Program is fully accredited.

HOW MUCH OUT OF PROVINCE ELECTIVE TIME IS ALLOWED?

Three months during the core three years of training. This is negotiable for special requests.

HOW MUCH RESEARCH TIME IS ALLOWED?

Three months during the core three years of training.

HOW MANY RESIDENTS CURRENTLY IN THE PROGRAM?

We currently have 165 Core Medical Residents in the Program making us the second largest program in the country.

ARE FELLOWSHIP POSITIONS GUARANTEED?

Residents are guaranteed four years of funding. Fellowship positions are competitive and residents are not guaranteed of a position at UBC.

IMG positions come with a maximum 4 years of funding, and as such will not be eligible for sub-specialty training in their fourth year. Successful applicants must complete a PGY4 year in Internal Medicine.