Program Sites

The Island Medical Program, based in Victoria, is delivered in collaboration with the University of Victoria. The Medical Sciences Building, located on campus, serves as the home base for the IMP and boasts lecture theatres; anatomy, research and multipurpose laboratories; problem-based learning and clinical skills rooms; and computer labs. IMP students have full access to University of Victoria’s student services, including the library, athletics and recreation facilities, and clubs.

Students gain clinical experiences across Vancouver Island, including the central island communities of Duncan and Nanaimo as well as north island locations, such as Campbell River, Comox, Port McNeill and Port Hardy.

The medical education experiences reflect the health-related challenges facing mid-sized urban communities, as well as smaller, remote communities which include both a large elderly and Aboriginal population. The IMP blends state-of-the-art medicine, including access to all of the major specialties and most sub-specialties, with community medicine in smaller centres than those found in Vancouver.

To learn more about the program, please visit the IMP website.

The Northern Medical Program (NMP) is based at the University of Northern BC in Prince George. The Dr. Donald Rix Northern Health Sciences Centre (above), a sophisticated and attractive new building, is home to the program. All NMP students have full access to UNBC’s student services, including the Northern Sport Centre, a state-of-the-art recreation centre with an indoor track and soccer fields.

Clinical learning in the NMP takes place not only in Prince George but throughout the north. Rural and family medicine is a significant focus of the NMP, and the opportunities for independent learning are considerable. NMP students benefit from many up-close, hands-on learning experiences not commonly found in larger programs, and receive tremendous support from the medical community, who are proud to be involved in training the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Two integrated clerkships, one in Terrace, and a second in Fort St. John, offer students the opportunity to learn medicine in an innovative format. Instead of the traditional discipline-based rotations, integrated clerkship students spend their third year working in a community setting where they follow patients through in-take to discharge for any medical procedures they may require.

To learn more about the program, please visit the NMP website.

The Southern Medical Program (SMP), based at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan Campus (UBCO) in the Interior of British Columbia, accepts 40 students each year.

Admission to the SMP program is processed centrally by the UBC Faculty of Medicine Admissions office, as is the case with the other programs. Students share the same curriculum and meet the same academic standards as their peers in Victoria, Prince George, and Vancouver. Graduates from the program receive a UBC degree.

Two buildings funded by the BC Government have provided the SMP with high-tech classrooms and lecture theatres, research and teaching laboratories, and administration and faculty offices. The Health Sciences Centre, a $28 million, 4,266-square-metre building is located on the UBC Okanagan campus, and a two-storey, 3,200-square-metre building at Kelowna General Hospital serves as a Clinical Academic Campus.

In addition to Kelowna General Hospital, students have first-rate clinical training opportunities throughout the province, and in the Interior region. Affiliated Regional Centres include the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, the Vernon Jubilee Hospital and Penticton Regional Hospital.

Visit the SMP website to learn more about this unique program.

The Vancouver Fraser Medical Program (VFMP) delivers innovative, patient-centered medical education at UBC’s Life Sciences Centre on the Vancouver campus, the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre (located beside Vancouver General Hospital), and at 13 hospitals and multiple community settings across the Vancouver and Fraser regions of British Columbia.

The VFMP is one of four medical campuses across B.C. delivering UBC’s province-wide, distributed undergraduate medical doctor (MD) program. The other campuses are based in Kelowna, Prince George, and Vancouver Island.

Our dedicated clinical faculty are instrumental in helping the VFMP train the next generation of healthcare professionals. They teach and inspire our learners, and make significant contributions in administration, professional development, and translational and clinical research.

The VFMP strives to meet the MDUP mission: "to educate socially accountable physicians who provide culturally safe, high-quality healthcare across the population of B.C., including Indigenous Peoples, people living in rural and remote communities, and people who disproportionately experience adverse health care interactions and health outcomes." The program ensures rigorous academic and logistical planning to ensure each student experiences an exemplary medical education.

VFMP Learning Communities

Each year, the VFMP admits 208 students, with over 1,000 enrolled across all four years. To foster a sense of community, since 2025, students are now placed into smaller classes within distinct Learning Communities: Vancouver North (64 students), Vancouver South (80 students), and Fraser (64 students). This innovative approach supports the creation of stronger relationships with fellow students, faculty, preceptors, and mentors, and helps prepare students to practice across B.C.’s diverse regions.

• Fraser Learning Community (64 students): Royal Columbian Hospital (New Westminster), Surrey Memorial Hospital, Burnaby General Hospital
• Vancouver North Learning Community (64 students): St. Paul’s Hospital (downtown Vancouver), Lions Gate Hospital (serving North Shore)
• Vancouver South Learning Community (80 students): Vancouver General Hospital, Richmond Hospital, BC Women and Children’s Hospital

Students often choose to practice where they train, which is why it is important to foster collaboration and inclusivity, providing students with the opportunity to experience the collaborative, supportive environment often found in smaller cohorts, while still benefiting from the resources of a larger program. Through the VFMP learning communities, students will be a part of a supportive network from the very beginning of their medical education. A focus on continuity is essential in ensuring that students feel supported and connected throughout their training, and that they are set up for success in their future medical careers.

Discover how Learning Communities can help students thrive

Medical education can be challenging, but having a strong sense of connection and a reliable support system can transform the experience. The VFMP Learning Communities were specifically designed to help students succeed by:

• Enhancing wellbeing: fostering continuity and connectedness helps create a positive learning environment that supports wellness and resilience throughout medical school.
• Providing a constructive learning environment: students will benefit from opportunities to closely collaborate with peers and faculty.
• Creating tailored educational experiences: from small-group sessions to career mentorship, learning communities are designed to support success both academically and professionally.
• Ensuring continuity of care and learning: engaging with mentors and peers promotes a supportive and enriching environment throughout academic and clinical training.

As the program progresses, there will be a gradual shift from centralized to more community-focused, immersive training aligned with the designated Learning Community.

Year 1
Most educational activities for all 208 students will be based in Vancouver, with opportunities to engage in learning experiences in healthcare settings outside of Vancouver, including the Fraser region. Priority will be given to small group learning and networking opportunities with students from the same Learning Community so that peer-to-peer relationships can develop from day one.

Year 2
Students will experience an increased focus on the dedicated Learning Community within the VFMP (i.e. Fraser, North or South). For example, students in the Fraser Learning Community will have more learning experiences in Fraser healthcare settings which will be of benefit when they begin Year 3.

Year 3
The program aims to ensure that the majority of clinical rotations will be located at hospitals and clinics within a student’s dedicated Learning Community. However, given that the UBC MD program is designed to educate doctors across the province of B.C., including in rural and remote communities, approximately sixteen VFMP students are required to complete their clerkship in Kamloops or at one of the Integrated Community Clerkship (ICC) locations. VFMP students will have the opportunity to rank their preference for these clerkship locations (i.e. an ICC, Kamloops, or home learning community).

Year 4
Clinical electives are not tied to the dedicated Learning Community. However, the final Transition into Postgraduate Training and Practice course is delivered in Vancouver for the Vancouver North and South Learning Communities and in Fraser for the Fraser Learning Community.