Media Release | Mar. 15, 2002

University of British Columbia Life Sciences Centre

Expanded medical education program

• The three universities along with their affiliated hospitals, health regions and community-based physicians and health-care professionals will provide a full range of medical education including training with a community-specific focus such as aboriginal and rural health or geriatric medicine.

• Students in the NMP and IMP will spend their first four months of the MD undergraduate program in Vancouver and the remainder of the first two years in the north or on Vancouver Island.

• In the third and fourth years of the program students will have a range of experiences in the north and on Vancouver Island and will also have opportunities through UBC's network of 96 affiliated teaching hospitals and health authorities throughout B.C.

• The number of positions for residencies will be increased to accommodate the greater number of graduates from the undergraduate program. Faculty will be added at all sites to fulfill teaching requirements and they will have access to professional development programs and student supervision.

• It is recognized that students and residents trained locally are more likely to develop the skills and relationships necessary to work in those communities as physicians.

Current situation

• More than 300 doctors leave B.C. or retire annually*

• UBC educates only 30 per cent of new family physicians and 18 per cent of new specialists in the province

• Almost three-quarters of B.C. physicians received their training outside of the province

• About 44 per cent of medical specialists in B.C. are older than 50 years*

• About 40 per cent of specialist in obstetrics, gynecology, neurology and general surgery are older than 55 years*

• The School of Audiology and Speech Sciences -- a part of UBC's Faculty of Medicine and the only School of Audiology west of Toronto -- is currently at less than 20 per cent of student space standard

• The number of graduates in Occupational Therapy and in Physical Therapy -- part of UBC's School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Faculty of Medicine -- is the lowest per capita in Canada for both professions and meets only 35 per cent of provincial needs

• Existing UBC facilities available for the training of MDs and other health care professionals occupied to full capacity, however, there are inefficiencies due to physical configurations and significant building code issues including fire and safety, accessibility and seismic stability

*Source: Angus Reid Group Omnibus poll conducted for Canadian Medical Association, August 1999