The 2012-2013 school year was a great success for the UBC MD Undergraduate Program. With 1156 undergraduate students studying medicine across British Columbia, we are continuing our mission to admit and educate students who will graduate with demonstrated competencies and behaviours that will equip them to address the current and future health care needs of British Columbians.
I have been continually impressed with our MD students completing their training in the Vancouver Fraser region. Our program is intently focused on ensuring these young men and women are trained to address the pressing medical needs B.C.’s diverse population. Vancouver Fraser is an exceptional example of how the needs of patients are so varied. This population’s extreme diversities are illustrated in ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
This year’s faculty awards brought home the amazing individuals who educate students in patient care, research and a diverse array of other areas, including arts and humanities; my sincerest congratulations to all award recipients.
As many of you are aware, our program is undergoing a curriculum renewal process, which is moving along steadily. 2013-14 will see the proposed curriculum move through UBC’s Senate approval process. We have also been recruiting for Clinical Advisors in both Vancouver and Fraser and are excited about the expertise and interest from those who have accepted positions. I would especially like to thank Dr. Dan Beegan, who has served as Clinical Education Lead for Fraser for approximately three years. He has been an excellent liaison and has worked hard on behalf of our students. We will miss him as he moves on to other things.
I sincerely hope you will enjoy reading through the stories in this update, which highlight the great work and achievements of our students, faculty and staff in the Vancouver Fraser region.
Happy Holidays and here’s to a successful 2014 in the UBC VFMP!
Dawn E. DeWitt, BA, MSc, MD, FACP, FRACP
Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Fraser
Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia