Prospective residents should refer to the UBC Family Practice Postgraduate Program website for ongoing updates, deadlines and detailed information.
FMProC: Important timelines
For the 2026 residency selection cycle, all family practice residency programs in Canada require applicants to sit the FMProC for both rounds of CaRMS. FMProC assessments are valid only one admission cycle. For those who have previously taken the FMProC, they need to retake it if they are applying to family practice residency this cycle.
For all applicants, registration for this cycle’s FMProC opens September 10, 2025 (12 noon ET) and closes October 30, 2025 (12 noon ET). Test window is from October 23 (12 noon ET) to November 06, 2025 (12 noon ET).
To register and find out more about the test please go to www.fmproc.com. All test related updates will be posted on the website.
Requests to register or to sit the test outside of the posted deadlines will not be considered.
Program application language: English
Resident selection for the UBC Family Practice Postgraduate Program is a collaborative process between all of our sites. Logistics and administration of resident selection is managed by our central program office in Vancouver, located at the UBC Point Grey Campus.
As the UBC Family Practice Postgraduate Program is distributed into 23 unique sites and locations, candidates should apply to each site they are interested in. Applicants must submit the same application package to all sites to which they apply.
Regardless of the number of sites applicants apply to and rank, only one interview will be conducted.
A variety of virtual information sessions will be held to provide prospective residents with the opportunity to learn more about the programs and discuss the training experience with faculty and current residents. Please visit Program Events for upcoming events.
Required documents for applicants submitting Citizenship documentation via CaRMS (and not participating in third party verification)
Canadian Citizenship
The province of British Columbia will accept one of the documents listed above which must be notarized/certified as proof of the citizenship/permanent residency, and this is a requirement for all applicants. Photocopies are accepted, however documentation other than what is listed above will not be accepted. Proof of citizenship/permanent residency must be submitted to CaRMS by the File Review deadline. No allowances for late submission. Please see the R1 match CaRMS resource here for more information.
CMG applicants
Applicants who graduated from an English-speaking medical school in Canada (including McGill), are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
Candidates who attended medical school in Quebec or the University of Ottawa (Francophone stream) where the language of instruction was not English, must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements of the College of Physicians of Surgeons of BC as identified below. This requirement is the same for IMGs and is required by the start of the CaRMS Ranking Period.
Applications received by the CPSBC who do not meet the above requirements will require one of the following examinations:
Applicants must submit the proof of English language proficiency to CaRMS by the start of Ranking Period. Photocopies are acceptable.
Please note that results from these three examinations cannot be mixed. Candidates must meet all of the criteria in either the IELTS, OET or CELPIP examination.
Applicants are advised to review the CPSBC English Language Proficiency Requirements here: https://www.cpsbc.ca/files/pdf/REG-ELP.pdf
Your FMProC assessment result is sent directly to CaRMS. The FMProC assessment is only valid for one admissions cycle. If you have taken the assessment in previous years, you are expected to re-take it.
To register for the FMProC assessment visit www.fmproc.com.
Three letters of reference are required.
Note: Traditional narrative letters will NOT be accepted.
Please note that if your reference submits a traditional letter, it will not be reviewed and your application may be deemed incomplete.
Consistent with the AFMC measures established in response to the Québec physicians’ strike, we will implement the following accommodations for applicants from Québec faculties of medicine and for applicants from other Canadian faculties who had planned visiting electives in Québec during this time.
Your medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:
For current year Canadian medical graduates (CMGs), there is no action required from you. Your medical school will automatically submit your MSPR to CaRMS on your behalf for you to assign.
If your MSPR is in a language other than the program language of English or French, you are required to have the document translated.
For applicants from Québec faculties of medicine, as well as those from other Canadian faculties who had scheduled visiting electives in Québec during this period, we will accept incomplete MSPRs for file review and ranking purposes.
An incomplete MSPR is one that may be missing final assessments from placements expected to be completed by the date of submission but delayed due to the strike. A complete MSPR will not be required as a criterion for file review or ranking for these applicants.
Personal LetterFor this component, please reflect on your training and life experiences to help our program better understand your journey and insight, and how these have specifically prepared and affirmed your commitment to have a career in Family Medicine.
Provide a biographical letter (max. 750 words) that includes answers to the following questions:
1. What skills or lived experience do you have that demonstrate your suitability for family medicine residency training?
2. Why would a career in Family Medicine be a good fit for you?
3. Why UBC? Why British Columbia? Please elaborate with specific examples of any connections you might have with the province of B.C., like community connections, education, work experience, etc.
Note: The personal letter is expected to be your own original work – an honest sample of your own writing skills and an authentic account of your own journey. The same letter must be submitted with each site application.
Applications submitted after file review has opened on November 27, 2025
Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened on November 27, 2025
Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on November 27, 2025
Dates:
Applicants must submit an application to each site they are interested in and should assign the same set of documents to each site.
Selection is based on a comprehensive and structured review process that includes the following components (and weights):
The ranking process follows this general flow:
Our teams of file reviewers and interviewers consist of the following representatives from our program’s many diverse sites:
All assessors are required to
Review team composition : The review team is composed of faculty leadership from across our distributed program, the program director and senior administration.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 601 +
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 76 - 100 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Not scored* |
| Electives | Not scored* |
| Examinations | Not scored* |
| Extra-curricular | Not scored* |
| Leadership skills | Not scored* |
| MSPRs | Not scored* |
| Personal letters | We score this file component. |
| Reference documents | We score this file component. |
| Research/Publications | Not scored* |
| Transcripts | Not scored* |
| Other file component(s) | * All file components are used when needed to assist in clarifying any professionalism and performance issues, and in corroborating content in the personal letter and references. |
Interview format :
We do not re-schedule interviews for applicants after we have completed the scheduling process.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Yes: with patients and colleagues |
| Collegiality | Yes we evaluate this criteria |
| Communication skills | Yes we evaluate this criteria |
| Health advocacy | Yes we evaluate this criteria |
| Interest in the discipline | Yes we evaluate this criteria |
| Interest in the program | Yes: UBC in general, and in specific programs (rural, under-served populations, inner-city context etc.) |
| Leadership skills | Yes: assessment of leadership of self and others |
| Professionalism | Yes we evaluate this criteria |
| Scholarly activities | We do not evaluate this interview component |
| Other interview component(s) |
Ability to handle Ambiguity/Uncertainty Advocacy/Compassion Resilience Patient centeredness |
Family Medicine training in BC presents you with many unique opportunities. We are a fully accredited distributed program with 23 training sites and multiple training communities. In an effort to meet the evolving needs of our society, each site provides a solid foundation in the knowledge and clinical skills of Family Medicine so that our graduates are prepared to practice in a variety of settings. While our program offers diversity of training, it is based on common goals, learning objectives, and assessment standards.
All residents are required to do a mandatory 2-month rural rotation in Family Medicine in their second year. Residents in the Coastal, or rural programs in the Okanagan or the North complete longer rural placements. Residents can also apply to participate in Enhanced Rural training for a total of 4-6 months in rural communities.
There is extensive academic and administrative support for the entire residency program. Our central program administrative team is based in Vancouver on UBC campus. At the site level, leadership teams are made up of a Site Director, Site Faculty, Lead Residents and administrators. Lead Program Faculty provide provincial education support in the areas of curriculum, assessment, faculty development, scholarship and behavioral medicine.
The Family Practice Postgraduate Education Committee has representation from all sites to ensure a connected, distributed program that fully meets accreditation standards. Residents are represented at all levels of governance.
A wide range of amazing recreational and cultural opportunities are at your doorstep, as well as a collegial community of residents and physicians with whom you can learn, grow, and play. We want your experience to be in BC to be a positive and enjoyable one.
Visit the UBC Family Practice Postgraduate Program website for a detailed overview of each of the 23 sites and their surrounding communities. Each site provides opportunities to experience Family Medicine in their unique context, offering special opportunities to gain experience and skills unique to the area where you are training.
The following is a list of our sites and their base community/hospital. Each site serves the surrounding community (see training sites for full details):
Greater Vancouver / Lower Mainland
Interior Region
Vancouver Island
Northern
IMG positions are offered at the following sites:
Resident resilience and wellness is our top priority. Important resources have been developed by our program to support our residents throughout the course of the training.
All UBC programs are allocated a fixed amount of funding per resident for Resident Activities. This funding is used to provide educational support to residents during their 2 years of training. This includes funding for residents to attend program-wide courses and events. Additionally, residents may identify conferences and educational materials that would supplement their training experience. A discretionary, per resident funding will also be allocated to the sites for a similar purpose at the site level.
This residency program is for 2 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
Introduction
The Vancouver-Fraser Site offers residents the unique combination of experiences both from tertiary hospitals in the urban core, as well as the smaller hospital and community practices within the Lower Mainland to provide for a comprehensive family physician experience. Residents learn from family physicians who practice in diverse settings in community family practices and in focused practices in community and hospital settings. Residents also learn from consultants who work in tertiary hospitals to further develop and refine their experiences to allow for full-service family practice training and an ability to adapt and respond to complex patient needs. The ability to tailor your second year to your specific learning needs is an asset of our site.
PGY-1
One full-day per week on alternate weeks is spent on the core academic program (VFAC).
One full-day call-backs (CB) to the Family Practice preceptor’s office to see patients (alternate weeks) are compulsory during all rotations located in Lower Mainland.
Up to 3 half-days of horizontal elective time while on Family Practice rotation.
A Continuous Quality Improvement Project with your FP preceptor on a topic of your choice.
4-6 weeks of elective time is allowed based on your schedule
|
Rotation |
Duration |
Location / Notes |
|
Family Practice |
16 weeks |
In 1st year you will be at the UBC Primary Care Teaching Clinic or a Lower Mainland community clinic, with long-term care experiences integrated within |
|
Pediatrics |
6-8 weeks |
B.C. Children's Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital, community pediatricians' offices: 4 weeks ER/urgent Pediatric care; 2 weeks office |
|
Emergency |
4 weeks |
2 weeks Royal Columbian Hospital and 2 weeks at Eagle Ridge Hospital, 4 weeks at Burnaby Hospital or Richmond Hospital |
|
Surgery |
4 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital |
|
Obstetrics |
8 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital, Peace Arch Hospital, BC Women's Hospital, and/or Burnaby maternity clinics |
|
Internal Medicine |
8 weeks |
4 weeks CTU at Royal Columbian Hospital; 4 weeks preceptor-based IM at Burnaby or Mt. St. Joseph's Hospital |
PGY-2
10-12 weeks of elective time.
One full day per week on alternate weeks is spent on the core academic program (VFAC).
One full day call-backs (CB) to the Family Practice preceptor’s office to see patients (alternate weeks) are compulsory during all rotations located in the Lower Mainland.
Scholarly project on a topic of your choice is mandatory.
Elective opportunities allow increased experience in Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Obstetrics and other fields according to the needs of the resident. Each resident plans his or her second year during the latter half of his or her first year. Family Practice block times may include longitudinal electives from an extensive listing of electives.
|
Rotation |
Duration |
Location / Notes |
|
Family Practice |
minimum 12 weeks |
A community Family Practice office |
|
Rural |
8 weeks |
Approved rural sites in B.C. (may request enhanced rural up to an additional 8 weeks) |
|
Hospitalist |
4 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital, Burnaby Hospital, Eagle Ridge Hospital or Richmond Hospital |
|
Psychiatry |
4 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital, Burnaby Hospital or Peach Arch Hospital |
|
Sports Medicine |
4 weeks |
Various Sports Medicine clinics in the Lower Mainland |
|
Palliative Care |
4 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital, Richmond Hospital, Burnaby Palliative Care Unit, Ridge Meadows Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital and Eagle Ridge Hospital |
|
Geriatrics |
4 weeks |
STAT Unit - Vancouver General Hospital/UBC Hospital, Mount St. Joseph’s Hospital |
|
Addictions |
2 weeks |
Royal Columbian Hospital |
|
Pediatrics |
2 weeks |
Intermediate Care Nursery (ICN)/NICU |
Academic Days and Research
Residents attend mandatory academic activities including academic teaching which is a mix of clinical case discussions and core topics. Sim Labs, Procedural Skills and Ultrasound Care days are integrated into the academic day schedule. Residents are also expected to do presentations to their peers. Throughout the Program, we stress "Evidence-Based Medicine" in both academic and clinical areas.
In June of each year, residents will come together for a mandatory Site-specific Scholarship Day.
In the first year, residents are expected to complete a quality improvement project. Throughout the two years, residents must complete a scholar project and present their work at Scholarship Day.
International Electives
Residents can do one month of interprovincial or international electives during their training.
Further Training
Third year training positions are available in the area of Emergency Medicine, Care of The Elderly, Anesthesia, Palliative Medicine, Sports and Exercise Medicine, Clinician Scholars program and a wide range of other category 2 Enhanced Skills programs.
Royal Columbian Hospital (New Westminster)
Burnaby Hospital (Burnaby)
B.C. Children's Hospital (Vancouver)
Mount St. Joseph's Hospital (Vancouver)
Peace Arch Hospital (White Rock)
Richmond Hospital (Richmond)
St. Paul's Hospital (Vancouver)
Vancouver General Hospital (Vancouver)
B.C. Women's Hospital (Vancouver)
Eagle Ridge Hospital (Port Moody)
Numerous long-term care facilities and community practices throughout the Lower Mainland (most practices are in the Cities of Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody).
Access to Rural Residency Program sites
Travel across the Lower Mainland should be anticipated and a vehicle is strongly recommended, as some sites may not be easily accessible by public transit.
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