Simon Fraser University - Family Medicine - Fraser South
2027 R-1 Main Residency Match - first iteration
IMG Stream for IMG
Last approved on October 15, 2026
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Pending accreditation
Provincial Criteria
Central City Tower
13450-102 Avenue
Surrey, British Columbia, V3T 0A3
Program Contacts
Important Information
Prospective residents should refer to the SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine Postgraduate Programs Website for ongoing updates, deadlines, and detailed information. The website will also contain details about our information sessions, including recordings after they have occurred for those unable to join.
FMProC: Important timelines
For the 2027 CaRMS residency selection cycle, all family medicine residency programs in Canada require applicants to sit the FMProC for both rounds of CaRMS. FMProC assessments are valid for one admission cycle only. For those who have taken the FMProC examination in a previous CaRMS cycle, you will need to repeat the examination for this cycle.
For all applicants, registration for this cycle’s FMProC opens September 10, 2026 (10am ET) and closes October 22, 2026 (10am ET). Test window is from October 15, 2026 (10 am ET) to October 29, 2026 (10am ET). To register and find out more about the examination, please visit www.fmproc.com. All examination related updates will be posted on the FMProC website. Requests to register or to sit the examination outside of the posted deadlines will not be considered.
Return of Service
The IMG stream is subject to a Return of Service (ROS), which is outside the purview of the SFU Family Medicine Postgraduate Program. Successfully matched applicants are required to sign a contract with the British Columbia Ministry of Health as a condition of accepting a medical residency position. Templates of the ROS contract and allocation details can be reviewed on the MOH ROS website here: International Medical Graduates - BC. The ROS is expected to be completed within the same Health Authority where your matched residency site is located.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
Application Deadline: November 26, 2026
Program Start Date: July 1, 2027
Prospective residents should refer to the SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine Postgraduate Programs Website for ongoing updates, deadlines, and detailed information. Our information sessions page will include session details and recordings after they have occurred for those unable to join.
Applicants seeking disability-related accommodation for the Family Medicine Residency Program interview (MMI) must contact SFU’s Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) as soon as possible after receiving an interview invitation and no later than the deadline outlined in the interview invitation. To be considered for MMI accommodations, applicants must complete CAL’s MMI accommodation registration/intake process, as described on the CAL website, and provide supporting documentation.
Program Overview
The SFU Stephen’s Family School of Medicine, located at the SFU Surrey Campus, is the first new medical school in Western Canada since 1967. The inaugural Family Medicine Residency cohort will work and learn at a single administrative site, Fraser South, which encompasses three clinical learning locations in White Rock/South Surrey (WRSS), Surrey/North Delta (SND), and Langley. These communities are within the traditional territories of the Hal-ko-may-lem-speaking peoples, including the Kwantlen, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Qayqayt, Tsawwassen Nations, as well as the Semiahmoo Nation.
In the spring of 2026, the SFU Family Medicine Residency Program received the following accreditation decision from the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC): “Accreditation in Progress”. A follow-up report to address CFPC’s identified areas for improvement has been submitted and the program is expected to receive full accreditation in October 2026.
Vision Statement
The vision of the SFU’s Stephens Family School of Medicine is to advance equitable and community-based primary health care for all people in British Columbia. With deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and diverse cultural perspectives, we educate physicians in, with, and for the community, preparing them to become integral parts of their community of practice, and to deliver exceptionally skilled, holistic and culturally safe team-based care. We are committed to fostering research and innovation in primary care, transforming community health and well-being for a better future.
Supporting Documentation / Information
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Card
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 and expired documents.
• IELTS
• Occupational English Test (OET) - Medicine
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - General
The College of Physicians of Surgeons of BC (CPSBC) requires that all applicants are proficient in the English language. The CPSBC Registration Committee may determine that an applicant has demonstrated English language proficiency, if the primary language of medical education was in English.
Applicants whose primary language of medical education was not English must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements of The College of Physicians of Surgeons of BC. This is required by the start of the CaRMS ranking period. Applicants may contact the CPSBC (education@cpsbc.ca) to determine exemption status from English language testing.
Applications received by the CPSBC who do not meet the above requirements will require one of the following examinations:
- IELTS Academic - Minimum score of 7 in each component. IELTS scores are valid for a period of 2 years from the date taken.
- OET Medicine Examination - Minimum grade of B in each component. OET results are valid for a period of 2 years from the date taken.
- CELPIP General Examination - Minimum score of 9 in each component. CELPIP results are valid for a period of 2 years from the date taken.
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: LIC-P-English-Language-Proficiency-Requirements.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.
MCCQE exam information: https://mcc.ca/examinations/mccqe-part-i/
Three letters of reference are required.
Family Medicine programs have adopted the Canadian Family Medicine Structured Reference Form (SRF). All FM programs requesting a reference will require the form. Traditional narrative letters will NOT be accepted. Should your referee submit a traditional letter, it will not be reviewed and your application may be deemed incomplete. New references are mandatory with each admissions cycle.
Applicants should familiarize themselves with how to request a Family Medicine Structured Reference Letter on the CaRMS website here. Applicants can direct their referees to the sample reference letter for IMGs and CMGs on the CaRMS website.
Criteria:
Structured Reference Letters (SRLs) should be completed by 3 different clinical physician preceptors who have supervised you. They cannot be completed by residents. We strongly recommend that at least one letter is from a physician clinical supervisor affiliated with a Canadian medical school in the past 2 years. We also strongly recommend that at least one letter of reference be completed by a family physician. All references should be able to comment on your suitability for family medicine residency training.
We recognize that some clinical experiences are co-supervised by multiple physicians, and one of them alone may not have the ability to fully comment on an applicant’s skills. In these situations, it is acceptable for the supervisors to confer and collectively endorse one SRL. These letters would count as 1 SRL submission out of the 3 required.
Many of the questions on the SRL assess clinically relevant skills. Therefore, SRLs that are based on pre-clinical experiences or observerships will not be considered strong. Similarly, SRLs that are only able to comment on non-clinical skills (such as research supervisor who has not clinically supervised the applicant) will not be considered strong.
Where possible, we recommend that the letters be from recent clinical supervision. If you have been in independent practice and therefore have not been directly supervised recently, clinical directors or clinical colleagues can complete the SRL if they can comment on your suitability.
Minimum Word Count: N/A
Maximum Word Count:
- Section 1: 700 words
- Section 2: 300 words
- Transcript addendum, if required: No word limit
Section 1: Please address the following questions (maximum of 700 words):
- How have your personal, professional and training experiences prepared for you for a career as a Family Physician?
- The SFU Family Medicine Residency Program is longitudinal and community based. What makes this the right residency program for you?
- Describe how you envision your career 5 years after the completion of residency?
Section 2: Please address the following question (maximum of 300 words):
- Highlight up to 3 things that you want to ensure we are aware of while reviewing your application. We recognize that applicants may have skills, talents, accomplishments, experiences, interests, or other personal factors that are especially meaningful in their application but may be difficult to convey in the CaRMS application format.
Some applicants will need to include a third section based on the circumstances below. There is no word limit to this section. Please title this section “Transcript Addendum.”
- Discuss any of the following if they are relevant to your MSPR or transcript. Failure to do so may lead to us misinterpreting the information in your application:
- Training difficulties and/or requirements for remediation during previous medical training. This includes previous residency training, if applicable.
- Requiring additional time to finish your medical degree compared to the cohort you started medical school with.
- Gaps in your medical training and time that is not accounted for.
- If you were unmatched in the previous CaRMS application cycle, please outline what clinical and/or educational activities you have been involved in.
- Any other areas of your application that you feel requires explanation.
Other information:
- It is not required to address the personal letter but if you wish to do so we recommend wording such as “Dear Dr. Jarvie and Residency Selection Committee.” This type of greeting does not count towards your word limit.
- Our maximum word counts were chosen as the upper limit for a feasible file review. Please do not feel obliged to reach the limit.
- The personal letter is personal - if you choose to use support in preparing the document, we expect your submission to be an authentic sample of your original writing.
Your medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:
- Obtain your medical transcript from your school and upload it directly to your CaRMS Online account. Follow your school’s policy regarding accessing or requesting your transcript;
- Ask your medical school to upload your medical transcript through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account; or
- International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates can transfer their transcript from their physiciansapply.ca account.
For International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates, you can submit your MSPR through either of the methods below:
- Upload your MSPR directly into your CaRMS Online account; or
- Ask your medical school to upload your MSPR through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account.
CaRMS offers a translation service from English to French and from French to English for certain types of documents in our matches. Eligible documents include reference materials and the Medical School Performance Record (MSPR). If your MSPR is in a language other than the program language of English or French, you are required to have the document translated.
PhotoPhotograph is used as memory aid only to verify identity of applicants in the MMI process.
IMG-BC Clinical Assessment ProgramThe Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) Letter is provided to CaRMS by IMGBC Office.
We will assess the information in a CV as an indicator of suitability for Family Medicine and our residency program. We recognize that this can be demonstrated through many means, including but not limited to: educational, employment, volunteering, academic leadership, and extracurricular leadership experiences; publications, presentations, and conference attendance; hobbies and other interests; language skills.
We do not require a custom CV as it would contain much of the same information as the rest of the CaRMS online application. You are welcome to submit a custom CV if you prefer. Otherwise, we will evaluate the corresponding sections of the online application.
Self-identification questionnaireNote: We encourage applicants to submit the CaRMS Self-Identification Questionnaire (CSIQ). This is voluntary and will not be considered in your application. SFU will only view CSIQ aggregate results after the CaRMS process has finished to evaluate and improve our selection process for future application cycles.
Interviews
Dates:
- January 28, 2027
- January 29, 2027
- February 2, 2027
- February 3, 2027
During the MMI, applicants rotate through a series of short interview stations that each present a different scenario or question. These stations provide an opportunity for the prospective applicant to demonstrate the skills and attributes we are selecting for (detailed below).
Selection Criteria
Selection is based on a comprehensive and structured review process that includes the following components:
- file review
- standardized MMI interview
- FMProC score
- IMG-CAP
- NAC score
- MCCQE score
The ranking process follows these steps:
- A review of the applicant file is used to determine whether an interview is offered.
- Scores from file review, interview, and FMProC are used to calculate each applicant’s overall score.
- A rank order list is created from the overall scores.
- The Family Medicine Resident Selection Subcommittee reviews and approves the rank order list.
- The PGME Office uploads the approved list to CaRMS ahead of match day.
Program goals
The SFU Family Medicine Residency Program aims to:
- To deliver an effective educational program that utilizes a competency-based approach to training with incorporation of the CanMEDS-FM roles mapped to learning experiences.
- To graduate residents as skilled, community-based family physicians and system leaders who deliver comprehensive, continuous and patient-centered care.
- To graduate residents that are responsive to health inequities and provide culturally safe, community-responsive care to diverse and underserved populations.
- To graduate residents who actively contribute to the health and well-being of the communities they serve through meaningful community engagement, effectively collaborate with interprofessional healthcare teams, and advocate to support sustainable improvements in population health.
- To graduate residents who are life-long learners, engage in continuous reflection and participate in quality improvement in practice.
Selection process goals
The SFU Family Medicine Residency Program aims to recruit individuals who:
- Are passionate about Family Medicine.
- Have a genuine interest in providing primary care in British Columbia after completing residency.
- Have life experiences that have supported their growth and development, allowing them to manage uncertainty in practice and respond to the demands of residency training.
- Are motivated, ethically responsible, and committed to providing culturally responsive care to diverse communities in British Columbia.
- Are dependable, empathic, and effective team members who are strong communicators.
- Are committed to evidence-based medicine, self-reflective learning, and continuing professional development.
- Demonstrate the potential to contribute to the advancement of family medicine and scholarship (e.g., self-directed learning, teaching, research, advocacy, professional service and leadership, etc.).
- Are excited about contributing to the success and ongoing quality improvement of a new, vibrant residency program.
File review process
Review team composition : Our teams of file reviewers and interviewers consist of the following representatives:
- Clinical faculty
- Faculty leadership (including the Program Director)
- Senior administration
All assessors are required to:
- Complete SFU’s ‘Inclusive Excellence in Admissions’ training annually
- Declare any conflicts of interest
- Sign Confidentiality Agreements per applicable SFU policy
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50
Historical application data is not available as the program will be participating in the 2027 R-1 match for the first time.
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 0 - 25 %
Historical application data is not available as the program will be participating in the 2027 R-1 match for the first time.
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | We will assess the information in a CV as indicators of suitability for family medicine and the SFU Family Medicine Residency Program. We recognize that this can be demonstrated through many means, including but not limited to: educational, employment, volunteering, academic leadership, and extracurricular leadership experiences; publications, presentations, and conference attendance; hobbies and other interests; language skills. We do not require a custom CV as it would contain much of the same information submitted in the CaRMS online application. However, applicants are welcome to submit a custom CV if preferred. Otherwise, we will evaluate the corresponding sections of the online application. |
| Electives | We are looking for and rewarding applicants who have a broad range of clinical experiences that have developed their capability and passion for family medicine. To assist our review, in the custom CV or CaRMS online application, please list all clinical rotations (and other equivalent training if not scheduled as rotations) in reverse chronological order. Include the specialty, location, and duration (equivalent to the number of weeks of training). Please also indicate if you completed a longitudinal integrated clerkship or similar training. Clearly indicate the level of responsibility for each learning experience, such as a clerkship student or pre-clerkship observer. For applicants with previous residency and postgraduate training, please also list those rotations. |
| Examinations | FMProC score, NAC score, and MCCQE-1 score. |
| Extra-curricular | Evidence for experience in practicing in team-based settings and being able to relate to others. |
| Leadership skills | Evidence of potential to contribute to the profession and to the discipline of family medicine as a leader, engage in advocacy, collaborate with others, and communicate effectively. |
| MSPRs | Candidates should demonstrate strong academic performance. Potential issues that are identified on the MSPR should be addressed in the personal letter (see below). |
| Personal letters | Candidates must provide a personal letter. Please see the criteria in the ‘Personal Letter’ section below. |
| Reference documents | Candidates must provide three (3) references. Please see the ‘Reference Documents’ section below. |
| Research/Publications | Candidates should demonstrate potential to make scholarly contributions to the discipline of family medicine. We recognize and value diverse forms of scholarship including research, application/engagement with communities, and teaching/ learning. For past involvement with scholarly activities, briefly outline the role you played in the projects. |
| Transcripts | Candidates should demonstrate strong academic performance. Potential issues that are identified on the transcript should be addressed in the personal letter (see below). |
| Other file component(s) |
- IMGBC Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) Quartile Rank - MCCQE Part 1 All documents submitted through CaRMS will be considered for overall written communication skills. |
Elective criteria
Interview process
Interview format :
We may accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure, or unforeseen circumstances.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Yes, we evaluate this criteria. |
| 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, we evaluate this criteria. |
| Leadership skills | Yes, we evaluate this criteria. |
| Professionalism | Yes, we evaluate this criteria. |
| Scholarly activities | We do not directly evaluate this interview component, although these activities could be used as examples for the other components that are evaluated. |
| Other interview component(s) |
In addition to the above criteria, the SFU Family Medicine Residency Program is also seeking applicants who demonstrate: - Cultural humility - Empathy - Adaptability - Comfort with uncertainty - Ability to respond to challenges & navigate complexity - Strong self-reflection & sense of personal accountability - Ability to self-direct learning |
Information gathered outside of CaRMS application
Specifically, we may consider:Ranking process
The behavior(s) exhibited below during the interview process may prevent an applicant from being ranked by our program :Program Highlights
SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine is grounded in its commitment to primary care, health equity, community-responsive education and distributed team-based care. The inaugural Fraser South site serves a large and diverse catchment of more than 900,000 residents and reflects the demographic and health system realities of one of BC’s fastest-growing and most culturally diverse regions. The Fraser South site has been intentionally designed to reflect contemporary best practices in family medicine education while responding directly to the health needs of the communities it serves. Residents will learn in diverse clinical environments, including longitudinal family medicine clinics, inpatient medicine, emergency care, Indigenous health centres, and community outreach programs.
Residents will also have the opportunity to be represented at all levels of governance and take part in sharing insights and perspectives of their learning experiences. This provides a unique opportunity to help shape the ongoing continuous improvement and refinement of a new program while working closely with faculty and leadership.
Program Curriculum
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 SFU Family Medicine Residency Program curriculum is designed to provide residents with more time in the core areas of family medicine to support deeper learning and integration within the local family medicine community. The structure has been designed to provide clinical experiences in a longitudinal manner rather than a block-based rotation model. The integrated longitudinal curriculum mirrors the scope and pace of real-world family medicine with an emphasis of learning from family physicians. Throughout the week, residents will spend a minimum of 1-2 days per week in their core family medicine clinic and the remaining days will be spent across multiple settings of focused family medicine, such as hospital-based care, obstetrical care and long-term care. Residents will also participate in clinical experiences with relevant physician specialists and allied health team members.
The program focuses on continuity of care, sustained preceptorship-resident relationships and progressive responsibility, aligning with CFPC expectations for comprehensive, continuity-based family medicine education. The goal is to prepare residents to practice full-scope family medicine when they complete the residency program.
Curriculum Structure:
Most experiences in the SFU program will be longitudinal.
During R1, residents can expect clinical learning experiences approximately equivalent to the following:
- Family Medicine - 6 weeks plus 42 weeks longitudinal (1 day a week)
- Rural Family Medicine – 4 weeks
- Family Medicine, underserved populations including Indigenous Health – 2 weeks
- Mental Health – 8 weeks
- Maternity and Newborn Care – 6 weeks
- Pediatric Medicine – 6 weeks
- Procedural and Surgical Care – 2 weeks
- Urgent and Emergency Care – 6 weeks
- Inpatient Care – 4 weeks
- Care of the Older Adult – 4 weeks
During R2, residents can expect clinical learning experiences approximately equivalent to the following:
- Family Medicine – 11 weeks plus 37 weeks longitudinal (1 day a week)
- Family Medicine, underserved populations – 2 weeks
- Palliative Care – 5 weeks
- Procedural and Surgical Care Selective – 4 weeks
- Urgent and Emergency Care - 4 weeks
- Inpatient Care - 4 weeks
- Care of the Older Adult – 4 weeks
- Addiction Medicine - 2 weeks
- Sports Medicine - 1.5 weeks
- Specialty Clinics – 2.5 weeks
- Electives – 8 weeks
Academic & Learning Activities
Academic and Research Days
Residents will attend mandatory Learning Integration & Simulation Days weekly at the SFU Surrey campus to acquire new learning and build foundational skills through various interactive modalities such as case studies and simulation procedures.
Residents will have protected time to complete scholarly activities, including quality improvement, medical education and research during the 2-year program. Scholarly work will be presented to co-residents during protected time, as well as during the annual scholar day. Projects may be linked to site-based or regional priorities, allowing residents to address real-world health system challenges.
Other Learning Activities
- Case-Based Learning
- Indigenous Community-Based Learning & Land-Based Learning
- Scholarship through Quality Improvement, Research & Teaching
- Virtual Care Training
- Simulation and Procedural Skills Training (including POCUS)
- Leadership Development
Training Sites
Training will be delivered through one administrative site – Fraser South, which includes three distributed learning streams. The three learning streams are: Surrey/North Delta, White Rock/South Surrey and Langley. Each stream is aligned with regionally based Fraser Health facilities and complemented by a network of community-based practices across the region. These practices are supported through collaboration with local Divisions of Family Practice. The academic campus and administrative office will be based out of the SFU Surrey Campus.
Additional Information
Travel across the Lower Mainland is expected and a vehicle is strongly recommended, as some sites may not be easily accessible by public transit.
Summary of changes
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