Welcome to Family Practice Postgraduate Program
The UBC Department of Family Practice trains residents at 23 sites across the province, ranging from large urban centres to rural regions. Each site has its own site director and faculty leads who are responsible for overseeing the teaching program and meeting program-wide goals and outcomes.
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Welcome to the home of the UBC Family Practice Residency Program!
We invite you to familiarize yourself with our program, and the residents, physicians and teams that make it all happen.
Our program — currently representing the largest family medicine residency program in Canada — is a two-year program accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Our distributed training is delivered at 23 sites across the province, ranging from large urban centres to rural regions of BC, in all corners of this beautiful province. The program includes two Indigenous sites, that in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, furthering UBC’s commitment to prioritizing cultural safety, humility and reconciliation as an integral part of our training program.
Over the course of the two-year program, residents prepare for evidence-based practice by gaining direct experience working in hospital and community-based settings and engage in a wide variety of scholarly activities. There are opportunities to develop foundational skills rooted in the four principles of family medicine:
The family physician is a skilled clinician.
Family medicine is a community-based discipline.
The family physician is a resource to a defined practice population.
The patient-physician relationship is central to the role of the family physician.
At the UBC Department of Family Practice, we provide for familiarity to enhanced skills, especially in our rural sites during the two years of training, as well as opportunities for further skill development beyond.
While each of our training sites follows standard curriculum objectives and assessment processes, all our 23 sites are unique, offering residents an opportunity to help serve diverse populations in varied environs and giving residents the ability to gain a broad range of skills tailored to their interests.
Additionally, we have a diverse range of residents who come from across the world. With the highest proportion of IMGs of any residency program in Canada, we aspire to welcome all into BC, with the hope that they will live, learn, and practice. We pride ourselves on the diversity of our geography, our faculty, our residents and ultimately, our program.
Dr. Josh Greggain BSc MD MMngnt CCFP FCFP FRRMS (He / Him / His)
Program Director, Family Practice Residency Program Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia
Frequently Asked Questions (Click to expand)
Who is my employer?
Residents are employees of the Health Authorities of British Columbia. Payroll and benefits are administered by BC Clinical and Support Services (BCCSS).
A Collective Agreement has been signed between HEABC (representing the hospital employers) and Resident Doctors of BC (representing the residents). The agreement is available online on the Resident Doctors of BC website. Residents should be fully aware of the contents of the Agreement. Residents, other than those funded by a bona fide agency, receive benefits under the terms of this Agreement.
I am filling out my tax form. I have paid a registration fee to UBC. Can I get a tax credit as a student?
In BC, a medical resident is not considered a student. The T2202 only reports the amount that you pay for your registration fee, which is not the same as tuition. Note: Student status for residents may be different in other provinces.
How do I obtain a letter of verification for my bank for student loan?
A letter of confirmation can be issued by your Site Office or the Program Office.
I am pregnant. What should I do?
You need to notify the Site and Program Offices once you’ve decided when to start your maternity leave. Your Site will rearrange your rotations, and submit the mat leave request to the Program/Dean’s Office. Once the leave request is processed (often 2-3 days), you can contact payroll at HSSBC to obtain your ROE for EI application.
I just got married and want to change my name. How should I go about doing that?
You must submit a copy of your marriage certificate to the college to change the name on your license. Make sure to also contact UBC’s Postgraduate Dean’s Office with the same supporting documentation to update your UBC record. Notify your site office and the residency program office, as well as other professional institutions once your license is updated.
I want to send a survey to the other residents for my scholarship project. What should I do?
Your survey request, together with the consent form, should be sent to residency@familymed.ubc.ca. Our office will forward this to the residents list serve for you.
What do I do if a work injury occurs?
Report to the supervisor who may engage the Occupational Health Office Protocol of the institution. An incidence report will need to be completed. Residents need to call the Workplace Health Call Centre (1-866-922-9464).
Do I have to purchase long-term disability insurance?
It is mandatory for residents to have long term disability insurance. Residents are automatically enrolled in an employer paid LTD plan. If residents want to obtain additional coverage they can contact any CMPA provider.
Will the program pay for CMPA?
All residents are required to have CMPA coverage. The Ministry of Health will reimburse category 12 CMPA fees.
I am doing an out-of-province elective. Does UBC provide insurance coverage?
Residents are protected under CMPA and UBC liability insurance if the elective is done within Canada. However, if it is an out-of-country elective, the resident should purchase supplementary health and travel insurance.
How long does it take for the statutory pay to process?
The statutory pay will be included in your biweekly pay cheque. It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks for the pay to be processed.
Do I get a lieu day for attending educational courses on Saturday or CaRMS open house?
Lieu days in general will only be given when residents provide clinical service on a statutory holiday. The only other time when residents will get lieu day is when a mandatory course take place on a Sunday. Residents will get one lieu day for their participation.
Do I get paid time off to attend R3 interviews?
No. You must use your vacation or lieu days to attend R3 interviews
Will the program pay for parking for academic sessions?
Please refer to the PGME guidelines on reimbursement.
Should I attend academic half day during rural rotation and will my travel be paid for?
You are not expected to attend academic half day while on your rural rotation. You may choose to attend those sessions if you are in a close vicinity site. However, your travel will not be reimbursed.
Am I automatically a member of the BCMA?
No.
How long will it take UBC Finance to process a claim?
Depending on where you are located, generally it takes between 6-8 weeks for UBC Financial Services to process a claim (provided the information accompanying the claim is complete). It is therefore important for you to use an address that will be valid for the next one or two months.
Can I arrange for direct deposit of my reimbursement cheque?
Yes. To increase the timeliness of reimbursements, Vancouver Coastal Health Accounts Payable highly encourages the use of direct deposit. (This is separate from your payroll direct deposit). Please fill out this authorization form.
There are also times when UBC will reimburse residents for expenses. To set up direct deposit with UBC, please fill out this authorization form.
Can I get an advancement for my travel and rental expenses?
Under certain circumstances, travel advance can be arranged. Please contact the Education Coordinator at fppg.admin@ubc.ca at the Program Office.
I am interested in training a resident at my clinic. What should I do?
If you’re interested in getting involved in teaching residents, please review the information on the Join the Program webpage.
I have never taught at UBC before. Where do I start?
A great place to start is with your home residency site faculty. Here are some helpful contacts. If you aren’t sure which site is yours, contact residency@familymed.ubc.ca.
What is clinical faculty and how do I get an appointment?
Clinical faculty are health professionals that primarily participate in clinical work outside of the university, and who also teach residents or students from UBC. They may also participate in administration and research opportunities. In order to participate, you will need to join the faculty. Please contact us for further information.
What is expected of me as a preceptor?
This preceptor role description describes the various sub-skills of being a preceptor.
What resources are available to help me develop my skills as a teacher?
Your local site faculty development representative is a great place to start. They can advise you of resources available close to home, as well as exciting opportunities to learn alongside your colleagues.
What tips and resources are available to help me assess my medical learner?
UBC follows a competency-based assessment model using a system that is designed to provide reliable, valid, and meaningful information to support resident learning. Your Site Faculty are very knowledgeable will be happy to guide you.
What tips are there to make the most efficient use of my office for me and my learner?
One of the keys to making teaching time efficient is to have clear expectations right from the beginning. Taking some time up front to get to know your learner and their expectations and sorting out how to balance them with your clinical context and your own expectations is a huge time-saver in the end. While ‘orientation’ may be the term often used for this, it is more of a conversation than a ‘showing around’ sort of thing.
Using helpful tools to give structure to your feedback can create efficiency. Try out the One Minute Preceptor or the SNAPPS tool which can focus your feedback and keep you and the learner on track.
Thinking about scheduling in advance can help you plan best for ways to observe your learner doing parts of the clinical encounter. There is no one right way, but there are a few suggestions from your colleagues.
What should I expect a FP learner to be competent at throughout residency?
There are several frameworks that are helpful guides to what a resident is expected to learn during their training. At UBC we use the 6 Skills Dimensions, CanMEDS-FM roles, and these Core Learning Outcomes as guides.
If you would like all of the details from the CFPC regarding observable behaviours, they can be found on their website here.
What do I do if I think I have a learner in difficulty?
As soon as you see a problem occurring, arrange a time to speak with the resident in private. Express your concerns, citing your observations whenever possible. Ask them for their perspective and see if you are in agreement that a problem exists. If you are unable to co-design a plan to address the issues, contact your Site Director or other helpful site faculty and colleagues.
How do I get paid as a teacher?
All teaching payments are coordinated through your local residency site. The first step is to obtain a clinical faculty appointment. Contact your Site Coordinator for payment details. If you are unsure to which site you belong, please contact residency@familymed.ubc.ca
Are there any opportunities for my clinic/division to attend a resident even and speak to the residents?
There is currently no single program event that includes all residents. If you are interested in connecting with our resident group, please contact residency@familymed.ubc.ca.
I want to find a locum for my practice. Can I get a list of the residents contact information?
Please send details of the practice opportunity to residency@familymed.ubc.ca. We will send the details to our new grads and R2s through our internal mailing list.
Can I arrange my own rotation in a community of my choosing?
No. Selecting appropriate rural sites and providing the necessary faculty development takes time. We have more than enough rural rotations for all the residents in our program. Some locations have longstanding relationships to certain of our sites. Your site administrator will let you know about these.
What will be reimbursed?
You will be reimbursed according to the PGME policy for mandatory distributed rotation.
Will the program pay for a rental care if I don’t have one?
No, if you do not have a car, you should select a site where the office, accommodation and hospital are in walking distance, or transport is provided. Please check with the rural education manager if you are unsure which sites do not require a car.
Can I take my family?
Some sites can accommodate families but not all. PGME Mandated Housing has a priority to provide accommodation for the resident.
Can I take my pet?
This is not recommended. If you decide to take your pet, please ensure the accommodation permits animals. Sites with PGME Mandated Housing do not permit pets.
Where can I get information about the teaching sites?
This information is on ENTRADA under Program Resources > Rural Rotations. Your Site Coordinator will also have information about rural communities that have an affiliation with your site.
Can I stay longer than 2 months?
If you wish to complete additional rural electives, you may be able to do so if the schedule permits. Please contact the Rural Education Manager if you wish to arrange this. REAP may be able to cover up to $1400 for travel and accommodation for that month for RSA communities.
How many days are allotted for travel? If I have to stop part way, is the hotel covered?
Residents have protected time off from their clinical work to accommodate travel to a rural rotation or when returning from a rural rotation to their home site or subsequent placement.
The amount of protected time off, per one-way trip, is as follows:
- Travel under three hours: no time off
- Travel between three-six hours: half-day (4hrs) off
- Travel over six hours: full day off
Travel time can be supported through google maps (if necessary).
If accommodation is required during the travel, please email PGME to request pre-approval of the cost.
Should I contact the community directly?
Don’t contact the community without first speaking with your site coordinator or rural education manager to confirm your rotation.
What if my circumstances don’t allow me to leave my home site?
In exceptional cases, where being away from home would be a hardship to the resident and their family, rural rotations may be arranged in communities that you can commute to from your home site. Speak to your site director regarding this. A close proximity request will need to be submitted.
What if airfare is cheaper but I need my car at the site?
You need to submit your request to the residency office for approval.
What about attending the academic half day?
You are not expected to attend academic half day while on your rural rotation, even if you can commute. You will not be reimbursed if you choose to attend these sessions. See the Rural Academic Log tab for information on continuing academic activities while away from your site.
Will the program pay me for coming back for CCFP exam, LMCC exam, resident retreat, Scholarship Day or graduation party?
Your travel will be covered for attending Residents Conference, Residents Retreat and Scholarship Day. However, we will not pay for travel for CCFP and LMCC exams, or Year End parties.
If I get very cheap or free accommodation, or if I commute daily, can I apply the savings on accommodation toward my travel expense?
No.
If the distributed site has PGME accommodation but it is not suitable for my needs, can I have accommodation paid for elsewhere?
Residents must have pre-approval by the PGME office if they want to stay elsewhere. Please email pgme.mandatedhousing@ubc.ca for approval.
What if I cannot find accommodation for $1400/month?
Please refer to the PGME website for the Policies and Procedures on Resident reimbursement requirements related to travel on mandatory distributed rotations. https://postgrad.med.ubc.ca/current-trainees/policies-procedures/
Accommodation exceeding $1400/month must be pre-approved by the Postgraduate Dean’s Office with a minimum of eight weeks notice. The monthly maximum reimbursement rate $1,400/month will be treated as equivalent to a single rotation (28 days), and pro-rated for any duration less than 26 days or greater than 31. Please send requests to – pgme.mandatedhousing@ubc.ca.
Mandated Housing Update Applicable to the 2023-2024 Academic Year
- Residents are required to request pre-approval for mandated distributed rotation housing expenses above $1,400/block 8 weeks in advance of the rotation start date.
- A maximum amount of $3,000/block for mandated distributed rotation housing expenses will be considered for pre-approval requests. Pre-approvals will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and will be approved based on the lowest cost available housing for the specified rotation dates and location that meet PGME requirements.
Can I apply if I have already graduated from my family practice residency?
Yes! Applicants may be practicing physicians or recent graduates of a family medicine residency. Please see Admissions for priority order of application acceptance.
Do I need to be training or practicing in BC?
Please see Admissions for priority order of application acceptance. Applications are accepted from across the Country, but preference is given to candidates who are practicing or intend to practice in BC. Evidence of an existing or promised position in BC may be requested for some proposed areas of training.
Is a letter of community support required?
For the majority of programs, a letter of community support is not required but will strengthen your application. You may be asked for a letter or evidence of a specific community commitment for Obstetrical Surgical Skills and Gender and Sexual Health.
How much is the funding?
All Enhanced Skills programs are third year residency programs, meaning that you will be paid at the level of an R3 during your training. See the Resident Doctor’s of BC website for details about salary and benefits.
How much training time can I apply for?
This depends on the program you are applying for. Category 1 programs have set training times, while the Category 2 programs can vary. Please view the specific program you are interested in on our Training Programs page for details.
Can I train part time?
The Clinician Scholar Program is a part-time program at 50% FTE over 2 years. The remaining Category 1 programs should be done full-time.
There is sometimes flexibility with the Category 2 programs, depending on the individual training sites.
Do I have to start July 1?
If you are in a year-long Category 1 program, you will be expected to start July 1 unless there are extenuating circumstances (i.e., maternity leave). There are generally 2 start times within the Obstetrical Surgical Skills program – July 1 or January 1. For the remaining programs of 6 months are less, start times are generally quite flexible provided there is availability at the training locations.
Do I need to be working (or intend to work) in a rural community?
An under-served community can be either rural or urban, but certain job opportunities are only available in rural communities. The following training programs are designed for physicians who intend to work in a more rural location:
Category 1: Family Practice Anesthesia, Obstetrical Surgical Skills
Category 2: Palliative Care, Pediatrics
I am currently a physician who is training or working in another country. Can I apply for the UBC Enhanced Skills Program?
To apply for the UBC Enhanced Skills Programs, you must either hold your CCFP or be eligible to attain it within your year of training. Enhanced Skills is a fully accredited residency program, not a fellowship. The program is not available to visiting international trainees.
I live outside the Lower Mainland. Will I have access to UBC housing when I travel to Vancouver to do my Enhanced Skills training?
No, UBC will not cover your costs to re-locate during your training.
Category 1 residents do receive reimbursement for travel to mandatory rotations outside of their home site. Category 2 residents do not generally qualify for this, with some exceptions.
I have a Return of Service commitment. Can I apply for Enhanced Skills?
Our programs are open to applications from IMG applicants who are currently in Family Practice training, or who are currently completing their Return of Service obligations. However, there are some restrictions and additional application requirements. Please see the Admissions page for details.
If you are an IMG applicant who has completed their Return of Service obligations (and meets the other eligibility requirements), you can apply to any of our programs via the regular application process.