Program Contacts

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General Instructions

Program application language: English

We ask that candidates to the UBC Program apply to each of the distributed Site Programs separately.  For clarity, these are: Vancouver, Fraser, Vancouver Island, and Interior sites. 

All documents/submissions including a separate personal letter for each site should be submitted as requested. 

A separate candidate rank order list is completed by each site, and candidates are able to rank each site individually. 

It is important to note that while CaRMS considers the four sites to be separate programs for ranking purposes, the UBC program acts together when selecting candidates for interview; i.e. there is only one interview that covers all four sites. CANDIDATES THAT DO NOT APPLY TO ALL FOUR SITES ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE INVITED FOR AN INTERVIEW as preference is given to applicants who apply to all sites.

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Supporting Documentation / Information

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Review Process

Applications submitted after file review has opened on November 29, 2024

Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened  on  November 29, 2024

Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on November 29, 2024

The UBC Emergency Medicine Program CaRMS selection committee has a limited time to review applications. As a result, late applications and references will not be considered in order to allow invitations for interviews to be issued in a timely manner.

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Interviews

Dates:

• February 5, 2025
• February 6, 2025

Selection Criteria

Selection of applicants is based on the complete application and organized in 4 domains,

 

1. Interest and understanding of EM as a specialty discipline and UBC EM residency program - the candidate has demonstrated interest and an aptitude for the specialty and been able to show commitment. The candidate has a good understanding of the strengths and challenges of specialty EM practice and how they are prepared to manage those over the course of residency training and beyond. The candidate demonstrates interest and understanding of the UBC EM residency program. 
      *Where we see this documented: CV, Personal Letter, Elective rotations, Letters of Reference
   
   
2. Clinical and Academic performance - the candidate has demonstrated excellent clinical skills and knowledge throughout medical training and across their various rotations in clerkship. 
      *Where we see this documented: Rotation evaluations, MSPR, Dean’s letter, Letters of Reference
   
   
3. Non-clinical activities - the candidate has engaged in additional work or activities that are related to EM, other areas of medicine, and/or outside interests. This may take the form of traditional research but we also are interested in those candidates that have engaged in advocacy work, QI/QA projects, education, other forms of outreach and other activities that may or may not be directly related to medicine.  We value the effort that candidates put into the things they care about and are looking for people who will bring that level of engagement and commitment to our residency program. 
      *Where we see this documented: CV, Personal Letter
   
   
4. Personal Qualities - the candidate has demonstrated personal attributes that will support their growth and learning in residency and contribute to a positive experience for others.  These attributes will optimally be demonstrated both inside medicine and within the candidate’s outside life. Personal Qualities sought in the application of a successful candidate include: 
   1. EM skill set - e.g. calm under pressure, ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks
   2. Growth mindset
   3. Resiliency
   4. Leadership qualities
   5. Communication and collaboration skills
   6. Professionalism
   7. Adaptability to change
   8. Patient/person focused
   9. Integrity and ethical standards
      *Where we see these documented: Personal Letter, Rotation evaluations, Letters of Reference 

 

Program goals

The UBC Royal College Emergency Medicine residency program aims to graduate exceptional emergency physicians skilled in all aspects of acute care. We are fortunate to be able to access resources, educational experiences and talented preceptors from across the province. We pride ourselves on teaching the highest level of knowledge and skill related to the specialty of emergency medicine. UBC offers a comprehensive training program with a breadth of options in training sites and areas of concentrated expertise. We are looking for future leaders in emergency medicine clinical care, administration, education, research and the related subspecialties. 

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to furthering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in our CaRMS selection process and our UBC Emergency Medicine program. We believe diversity is essential to developing excellence in our program and in our practice as emergency physicians. We encourage applicants with lived experience of discrimination and from underrepresented groups in medicine to apply to our program. Each of our selection committee members have received EDI training to conduct a fair and thorough selection process. We look forward to connecting with you during the CaRMS cycle.

Selection process goals

The successful candidate's application demonstrates a well rounded background with an interest and success in emergency medicine and acute care specialty electives. Interests related to emergency medicine are highly valued. Successful applicants often have a history of varied extra-curricular activities which demonstrate the importance of work-life balance in medical education and training. Scholarly work (e.g. formal research, QI/QA, educational or other activities) may also be used to demonstrate interest in emergency medicine.

File review process

Evaluation criteria :

Elective criteria

Interview process

Interview evaluation criteria :

Information gathered outside of CaRMS application

Specifically, we may consider:
Social interaction during program related events
Communication with program administration
Social media
Unsolicited reference letters
Unsolicited email references
Unsolicited verbal information on a candidate's prior performance
Unsolicited feedback from colleagues and co-workers

Ranking process

The behavior(s) exhibited below during the interview process may prevent an applicant from being ranked by our program :
Unprofessional or inappropriate behavior   
Did not attend interview   
Interview performance was not competitive   

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Program Highlights

We are proud to provide care within the ancestral, traditional and unceded territory of the q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen) and Qayqayt (key-kite) First Nations 

Fraser residents are based at Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) in New Westminster BC, 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. RCH is a busy tertiary care hospital and level one trauma center. Our site sees amazing pathology and has a proud history of excellence in clinical education.

Here are some things we think you should know about the Fraser program:

• High Acuity: Within the Fraser Health Authority, RCH is the referral centre for critical care services including cardiac cath lab, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, stroke and trauma. We are a high volume, high acuity site with amazing pathology!
  
  
• Trauma: RCH is the designated Level One center for Fraser Health. We have a Trauma Service run jointly by Emergency Physicians, Surgeons, and Anesthesiologists. RCH offers a trauma fellowship which has been completed by three of our former residents. When a trauma rolls through our doors, the resuscitation is often done jointly with the trauma and the emerg teams, so you will be first in line!
  
  
• Pediatrics: RCH is a full service hospital. We see approximately 15 – 20% pediatrics in our department. You will see kids on every shift!!! Fraser residents also complete pediatric EM rotations at Surrey Memorial Hospital, a very large community hospital with an extremely busy dedicated pediatric emergency department. As a senior resident, you will work at BCCH for both peds EM and pediatric ICU.
  
  
• Amazing Staff: RCH emerg physicians have a huge array of interests. We have emerg physicians who “sub- specialize” in education, U/S, simulation, administration, trauma, disaster medicine, sports medicine, wilderness and mountain medicine, mass gathering and event medicine… You name it!
  
  
• Dedicated Teaching: Your shifts are mostly one on one with an attending emerg physician. An exception will be a few shifts per block when we pair senior residents with junior residents or students for “teaching shifts”.
  
  
• Coaching and Mentorship: As a new resident at RCH, you will be assigned a coach to help support your pathway through residency. As you progress, we will work together to pair you with a mentor. This is often a staff with whom you share a common interest, academic, clinical or just lifestyle... They will be your support through the challenges of residency.
  
  
• Opportunities to Learn: While RCH is a tertiary care teaching hospital, it also functions like a community center. For you, this means less competition for learning and more procedures in the ED.
  
  
• Diversity of Experience: All residents will work at VGH for EM and ICU to benefit from the quaternary care and excellent teaching. You will also work at Surrey Memorial, BC Children’s and are encouraged to gain experience in any and all the UBC distributed sites, as well as smaller community sites local, provincially or globally.
  
  
• Your Resident Cohort: As a Fraser resident, you will be part of a tight knit group. However, because RCH and VGH are geographically quite close, our residents are closely integrated. You will attend academic day and evening journal clubs with your VGH colleagues.
  
  
• Lifestyle: Most residents live in Vancouver and can easily take the skytrain, bike or drive to Royal Columbian Hospital. Alternatively, living closer to RCH, in Burnaby or New Westminster is convenient and more affordable. No matter where you live, Vancouver and all its amenities are within easy reach. And on the West Coast…the outdoors is never far away!!!

 Please visit the UBC RCPSC-EM Residency Program website at emresidency.med.ubc.ca for full details.

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Program Curriculum

This residency program is for 5 years.

Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

• Academic Full Day
• Academic Full Day occurs every Wednesday – this time is call protected for academic teaching conducted by staff physicians and fellow residents.
• Many of the sessions are held via videoconference across all 4 sites while some are taught locally at each site.
• Academic Sessions include:
• Foundations (PGY-1) and Core (PGY-2-4) seminars – these are based on Rosen’s Emergency Medicine textbook
• Grand rounds – these include resident and staff presentations in a formal podium style across all sites
• Patient Safety and Quality Rounds – these include resident led presentations on local cases that were identified as Quality Improvement and system change opportunities.
• ECG and Radiology teaching sessions – these are typically given by fellow residents in a quiz and case based format.
• Simulation Training (SIM)
• UBC has a history of an outstanding simulation program. This was highlighted in our recent accreditation as being a major program strength.
• Our program has adapted to Competency Based Medical Education with simulation cases targeted to specific Entrustable Professional Activities.
• Each UBC site runs its own resident simulation program and lab. This allows each group of residents to get individualized and personal attention. There is significant communication and sharing of resources across the sites.  
• Simulation is an area of educational innovation at UBC with all sites using In-Situ simulation as a basis for ED continuous quality improvement and health care team collaboration. Residents are routinely involved in these rich educational experiences. 
• Journal Club
• Journal Club is held monthly at a staff physician’s home -- typically with lots of food to feed the hungry residents after their work days! 
• There is one session for the Lower Mainland residents, and one each for Kelowna and Victoria
• Articles are presented and critiqued by residents on a rotating basis with the assistance of a biostatistical expert staff physician.
• NERD (Novel Education in Research Design)
• Vancouver serves as the host site for UBC residents from all 4 sites (typically during PGY-2) to gather for this block-length course.
• NERD aims to increase resident knowledge about the conduct of various types of research projects as well as the optimal consumption of research findings as a practicing physician. The block also serves to create and improve resident/faculty research collaborations and guide resident scholarly output. 
• Residents are provided with guidance to develop their own scholarly projects, explore the diversity of UBC EM research, connect with staff physicians with research expertise, and develop future collaborations.
• Scholarly Project
• As mandated by the Royal College, residents "must complete a scholarly research, quality/patient safety or educational project relevant to Emergency Medicine that is documented in a manner that is suitable for submission to a peer reviewed publication or oral presentation at an academic meeting."
• Residents are given opportunities and support to pursue their own projects or to join with ongoing work by our faculty.
• Ultrasound Training
• All PGY-1 UBC residents come to the Vancouver program site in July for an introductory ultrasound course.
• During PGY-1, there is also a dedicated ultrasound block held at each program site to achieve proficiency in simple and advanced ultrasound scanning skills.
• Practice examinations
• Residents write the Canadian In Training Exam (CITE) every fall and winter.
• Results are aggregated across Canada so residents can benchmark their progress with their cohort.
• Practice oral examinations are held frequently during the year and led by local staff physicians.  Residents participate with increasing frequency as they become more senior.
• Ethics/Professionalism & Communication Seminar Series
• Led by an Emergency Physician with training and expertise in medical ethics, these seminars are tailored to resident level of training and take place in a small group discussion format. Topics and cases are reviewed with a focus on ethical issues in clinical medicine as well as professionalism and communication skills.
• Continuous Quality Improvement Training
• Residents learn about CQI from emergency physicians with expertise in this area. Seminars and online modules are completed throughout PGY-1 and 2 with specific workshops and projects planned for PGY-5. In addition, residents are involved across the UBC sites in local Patient Safety and Quality case reviews and discussions.
• Emergency Medicine Specialized Skills
• Each site delivers hands-on sessions in airway management, casting, slit lamp use, procedures and other relevant skills. These occur throughout the curriculum using expertise across the UBC sites to deliver smaller group practical sessions. The program runs a cadaver procedure lab every two years providing an opportunity to practice high acuity/low occurrence (HALO) procedures such as thoracotomy and surgical airways. 

Academic Funding 

To supplement the residents' educational experience during their training at UBC, each year residents are provided with,

• Up to $1400 (pro-rated to UBC's fiscal year) from UBC for residents to attend program-wide courses, conferences, purchase educational materials, academic and wellbeing events (such as resident retreats)
• $500 from their site Emergency Physicians Group for academic related expenses such as textbooks, courses and electronics. 

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Training Sites

Royal Columbian Hospital: RCH is a large (490 bed) tertiary care hospital located in New Westminster, a 30 minute commute southeast of Vancouver. The emergency department sees in excess of 75,000 per year with a full spectrum of adult and pediatric emergencies.

Our hospital is a busy, high acuity Level One Trauma Centre. RCH is also the Fraser Health referral centre for cath lab, neurosurgery and cardiac surgery, and is one of the four comprehensive stroke referral centres in the province offering interventional stroke care.

There are only two Royal College Residency Programs based at our site — Fraser Psychiatry and Fraser Emergency Medicine. That said, residents from many other programs do rotations at RCH. There is a Clinical Teaching Unit service for Internal Medicine, and there are often senior residents on general surgery, orthopedics and OBGYN. Other services, such as neurology and cardiology, are run by attending physicians so our residents usually get one-on-one teaching with a greater focus on learning.

Royal Columbian Hospital is undergoing a major redevelopment. In 2025 we will have a new, state-of-the-art, Acute Care Tower with a brand new ED, operating rooms and an added 50% more beds for critical care, medicine and surgical patients!

Surrey Memorial Hospital: SMH is an extremely busy community hospital with an annual ED census of 150,000 patients. Fraser residents rotate through for pediatric EM as SMH has a high-volume pediatric emergency department with designated pediatric shifts. Fraser residents also often do rotations in the SMH ICU.

Eagle Ridge Hospital: ERH is a busy community hospital, with a new emergency department, located 20 min from RCH. ERH is staffed by the same physicians that work at RCH so the teaching is consistent. Residents will do some EM shifts at ERH during their RCH EM rotations to gain more community experience. Fraser EM residents typically do their anesthesia rotation at ERH to take advantage of the lower acuity cases with more turnover (AKA, more opportunities for intubations).

Vancouver General Hospital: Fraser residents do their two month senior ICU rotation at the VGH ICU. Our residents are also encouraged to do EM rotations at VGH throughout training. VGH is the quaternary care hospital for BC. The teaching is excellent and the pathology amazing.

BC Children’s Hospital: Fraser residents are encouraged to do pediatric EM rotations at BCCH in addition to their pediatric learning experience at Surrey. They also spend a month doing pediatric ICU in their senior years.

 

Other UBC Training sites

All Residents have opportunities to complete rotations at other UBC Emergency Medicine training sites, in addition to other sites across Canada and internationally. Housing is provided for core rotations at any of our UBC sites. Common UBC training sites are:

• Kelowna General Hospital (KGH)
• Paul's Hospital (SPH)
• Victoria General Hospital (VicGH)
• Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH)

We also encourage residents to gain experience in community EDs in places like Nanaimo, Comox, Revelstoke, Nelson and Yellowknife.

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Additional Information

Please visit the UBC RCPSC-EM Residency Program website at emresidency.med.ubc.ca for more useful information about our program, our residents, and our staff members.

For more information about Emergency medicine training at the UBC Fraser site, please feel free to contact our Associate Program Director, Dr. Tom Green (tom.green@ubc.ca) or the Fraser site CaRMS lead, Dr. Parker Nann (EMLEADS-FRASER@lists.ubc.ca)

Good luck with CaRMS!