It is hard to believe we are coming to the end of yet another school year. The past months have been a flurry of activity in the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program. As we busily prepare for end-of-term activities, it is the perfect time to pause and reflect on the successes of the last few months.
First, I would like to extend my personal congratulations to the Class of 2015. This is an exciting time in your careers as you move into residency. Overall, we had great success in the 2015 CaRMS Match Day. Over 95% of our VFMP students matched in the first iteration, with more than 30% of students choosing Family Medicine as their specialty; Internal Medicine also had a great showing with 18% of students matching there. I have no doubt that each of you will have much success in your future. Whether you are staying in British Columbia or moving elsewhere in Canada, I hope you will take with you fond memories of your time at UBC and, in particular, the VFMP.
We have also had some exciting accolades on the clinical faculty front of late. Dr. Linlea Armstrong (Medical Genetics) and Dr. Pawel Kindler (Cellular and Physiological Sciences) were honoured with the Canadian Medical Association’s Certificate of Merit Award for teaching . Each year, this award recognizes faculty members who have made a valuable contribution to medical education in our faculty. In addition, Dr. Sandra Jarvis-Selinger, Director of Curriculum in the MD Undergraduate Program, and Assistant Dean, Faculty Development, in the Department of Surgery received the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Faculty Development in Canada. Congratulations to all – and sincere thanks for their dedication and commitment to medical education.
I do hope you enjoy reading through this spring’s newsletter and learning about the work of our students and faculty. Finally, please take the time to read the updates regarding Curriculum Renewal, Accreditation and leadership changes. It truly has been a great year for all of us. In the midst of the preparation for the launch of the renewed curriculum in August 2015, I hope you find some time to rejuvenate over the summer and come back for a great 2015/16 academic year.
Very best regards,
Dr. Amil Shah
MDCM, FRCPC, FACP
Regional Associate Dean, Vancouver Fraser
Clinical Professor, Medicine