POTENTIAL APPLICANTS
Important
At this time, we only accept applications for residency positons through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).
R1 Match Information
The University of British Columbia Plastic Surgery Residency Training program accepts 1-2 applicants per year into a clinical 5-year stream. 1 applicant every two years is accepted into a 7-year clinical investigator stream. All applications are conducted through CaRMS.
UBC’s Eligibility Criteria can be found here at: https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/british-columbia/
Curriculum
The program is five years with graduation from a Canadian or American medical school the academic pre-requisite. There is one core years and four years of plastic surgery. This is a predominantly clinical program. During each of the plastics years, the resident is expected to carry out a research project either clinical or basic science but there is not a specific research rotation.
The clinical program in the upper years provides ample opportunity to progress in responsibility and acquire a wide variety of skills and reinforce these by repetition. Clinical volume is fairly equally divided between elective and trauma related plastic surgery. Trauma coverage includes hand and wrist, burns, soft tissue and maxillofacial trauma in both adult and pediatric services. Exposure to elective plastic surgery covers all major areas including hand and wrist surgery, burn reconstruction, microsurgery, tumour reconstruction, breast reconstruction and repair of pediatric congenital defects. Most of the attending plastic surgery staff have cosmetic surgery practices and opportunity exists for residents to spend time in the setting of private cosmetic surgery clinics. A resident cosmetic surgery clinic provides an opportunity to participate in cosmetic surgery, both evaluation and treatment. During these three years, there is a one-month elective of the resident's choice.
Residents are encouraged to attend ambulatory clinics. A wide variety of outpatient clinics exist including general pediatric, vascular malformation, cleft lip and palate, craniofacial, hand, burn and general adult plastic surgery. Specific ambulatory rotations exist.
Practice written and oral examinations are given twice a year. In-service written examinations occur twice a year. Residents receive a written and sit-down evaluation once every three months.
Selection Criteria
Applicants should have an acceptable academic record which demonstrates strength in subjects related to plastic surgery, i.e. anatomy, physiology, surgery and internal medicine. Applicants should understand surgical diagnoses and have the ability to acquire and retain surgical skills as demonstrated to preceptors who supply references from the clinical undergraduate years. These references should indicate your intelligence, ability to learn, ability to function within a team, the ability to grow and proficiency in technical skills. They should be from a period within the previous calendar year. References from a plastic surgeon who has personally observed you in the past 12 months are beneficial.
Citizenship Requirements
Proof of citizenship/residency is required for all applicants and is submitted through CaRMS.
The province of British Columbia will accept one of the following notarized/certified documents as proof of the citizenship/permanent residency. Photocopies are accepted, but citizenship documents other than what is listed below are not accepted. Proof of citizenship/permanent residency must be submitted to CaRMS by the File Review deadline. No allowances for late submission.
-
Canadian Birth Certificate
-
Canadian Passport
-
Canadian Citizenship Certificate
-
Canadian Citizen Card (both sides)
-
Current Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides)
Language Requirements
Program application language: English
Candidates who graduated from a medical school in Canada where the language of instruction was English (includes McGill), are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
Candidates who attended medical school in Quebec or the University of Ottawa where the language of instruction or the primary language of patient care was not English, or any international medical graduates (IMGs), must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements of the College of Physicians of Surgeons of BC as identified below. This requirement is the same as the IMGs and is required by Rank Order deadline.
-
IELTS - Minimum score of 7 in each component
-
IELTS scores are valid for a period of 2 years from the date taken
Applicants are advised to review the College of Physicians and Surgeons English Language Proficiency Requirements here: https://www.cpsbc.ca/files/pdf/REG-ELP.pdf
Applying for an Elective at UBC
Electives are not required to be considered for applications, but are strongly encouraged. For UBC students, electives are organized during your 3rd year through your home program. For non-UBC students, obtaining an elective at UBC is done through the Visiting Student Elevtice Program (VSEP) - visiting.electives@ubc.ca.
How to apply for residency
Applications are only accepted through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).
A personal letter of interest, CV, and 3 letters of reference are required. Referees should be told that this is a letter focusing on your suitability as a trainee in plastic surgery as per selection criteria.
