The Southern Medical Program (SMP) is expanding the number of positions available for students interested in rural, remote, or northern rural medicine. Beginning with the 2015/16 admissions cycle, up to 10 of the 32 annual positions within the SMP will be designated for students with rural, remote, or northern backgrounds.
These changes are being implemented in an effort to help address the need for more doctors practicing in rural, remote, or northern communities, in particular within the BC Interior.
The Remote and Rural Suitability Score (RRSS) currently used in selection of students for the Northern Medical Program (NMP) will now also be used to help identify suitable students for these 10 SMP positions.
All students with rural, remote, or northern backgrounds are encouraged to complete the RRSS section as part of the online application.
Applicants who do not complete the RRSS section will still be able to rank the SMP as one of their potential site options (site preference completed post multiple-mini interview) as in previous admission cycles. However, they will be considered for the non-rural positions only.