Postgraduate Medical Education

The Province of British Columbia is committed to ensuring an optimal distribution of physicians throughout the province, with the goal of achieving the right number and mix of physicians in each region to improve access to healthcare. To support this objective, the Ministry of Health employs a range of strategies, including recruitment and retention efforts, collaboration with physicians, communities, and partners, and initiatives to enhance healthcare accessibility and expand medical education and training opportunities.

The Ministry works closely in collaboration with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine and Simon Fraser University (SFU) Stephens Family School of Medicine to support the delivery of high-quality medical education and training in B.C. Undergraduate medical education is funded by the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, while postgraduate medical education (PGME) is funded by the Ministry of Health.

Postgraduate Medical Education

Postgraduate residency programs provide specialized clinical training in various fields like family medicine, surgery, and psychiatry. During their residency, resident physicians work in clinical settings and receive compensation. Upon successful completion, they become eligible to take national certification exams, which then leads to their eligibility to apply for a license to practice medicine independently in a chosen area of expertise.

In partnership with the UBC Faculty of Medicine and SFU Stephens Family School of Medicine, the Ministry of Health funds and facilitates seat allocations, creates strategic opportunities for residents, and supports over 1,500 resident physicians currently in training across B.C.

Re-entry into PGME Program

The Re-entry Program provides opportunities for licensed, practising physicians to retrain in a priority specialty that addresses a critical area of need in the province. Participants complete their retraining through a residency at UBC. After completing residency, they fulfill a Return of Service (ROS). For more information on the ROS and how to apply:  Re-entry Return of Service.

Competitive Stream 

The Province of British Columbia launched a new competitive residency stream in 2024 to attract and retain more physicians for critical specialties. This program offers expanded residency opportunities to both Canadian and international medical graduates.

• The Competitive Stream is open in the first iteration of the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) R-1 Match to both Canadian medical graduates (CMGs) and international medical graduates (IMGs) who meet the eligibility criteria.
• The Competitive Stream is in addition to the existing CMG and IMG-BC Stream.
• The positions for the 2027 CaRMS match are in medical specialties that are of priority for people in B.C., including: Diagnostic Molecular & General Pathology, Diagnostic Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, and Urology. Specialties may be adjusted annually to support the changing healthcare needs of people in B.C. Residents in this stream will be eligible to subspecialize.
• Successful applicants will be required to make an ROS commitment. For specific ROS requirements and how to apply: Competitive Stream.
• IMGs seeking to be matched to a Competitive Stream position are required to participate in UBC’s Clinical Assessment Program (CAP). Further information about the CAP program is available on the UBC CAP website.

This new initiative is part of the B.C. Government’s broader commitment and investment in the expansion of medical education opportunities to train more physicians for B.C.

All prospective candidates can apply through the CaRMS Process. Information about the application process, CAP requirements, and position information are available on the UBC Faculty of Medicine website.