Admissions Blog

Waitlist Questions 2021

By Admissions on May 14, 2021 Many applicants have questions about the waitlist and how it works. UBC’s waitlist is a bit complicated, so we hope these FAQs will help. Most of the questions are the same as in an earlier post – there have not been any changes to how we handle the waitlist this year. Waitlist questions: applicants who have an application status of Waitlisted

1. Can you tell me where I am on the waitlist? How long is the waitlist? How quickly is the waitlist moving?

We can’t tell you, sorry. Our waitlist is more complicated than most due to the four sites, and we do not reveal where applicants are on the waitlist, how long it is, how quickly it’s moving, etc.

2. When will you send the next round of offers?

It will be after the deadline for this round (Friday, May 28). We will try to send them on Monday the 31^st or Tuesday, June 1^st and will update the blog when the next round has gone out.

3. I am on the waitlist but received an offer from another Canadian medical school. Can I accept the offer at the other institution but still remain on the waitlist for UBC?

Yes, that’s fine. If you get an offer from UBC and want to accept it, you will need to withdraw your acceptance from the other school.

4. How long will I be on the waitlist?

That really depends on how many people decline their offers. We do not give estimates or chances to applicants because we have no way of knowing how many people will ultimately decline. We usually try to shorten the waitlist at some point during the summer, but unfortunately it is possible to stay on the waitlist until late August.

5. Can I change my site preferences? My circumstances have changed and a different first choice would work better for me.

Sorry, site preference selections are final and cannot be changed. If you receive an offer to the site you want to go to, however, you can accept the offer and stay at that site (see question 3 below). Waitlist questions: applicants who have received an offer

1. I received an offer, but it wasn’t to my first choice site. What are my options?

• You can accept the offer and most likely stay on the waitlist for your first choice site (and second choice and third choice sites, if applicable). There are a couple of rare exceptions, which is why we say you will “most likely” stay on the waitlist – applicants who selected the NMP but did not complete the Rural Training section of the application will not be waitlisted for the NMP, for example. However, the majority of applicants will be on the waitlist for their preferred site(s). This happens automatically so you do not need to contact us about it. Please note that if you accept the offer, you are agreeing to go to the site listed on your Response to Offer form. You will not be able to change sites unless you get another offer.
• You can decline the offer to that site and most likely stay on the waitlist for your more preferred site(s). Same as above – the vast majority of applicants will be waitlisted for their preferred site(s), and this will happen automatically. The difference is that you are declining the offer and the site. This is taking a risk since you may not get an offer to a more preferred site, but sometimes you know a particular site won’t work for you, and in this case it’s better to free up the spot for someone else. Please note that accepting or declining the offer will not make a difference in terms of your position on the waitlist for your preferred site(s) – your waitlist position will be the same either way.
• You could decline UBC completely. This would remove you from the waitlist and you would not get any further offers from us.
• You could not submit the Response to Offer form at all (although we would prefer you did!). Not submitting the form removes you from the waitlist for your preferred site(s) and prevents you from receiving any other offers from UBC.

2. Is my position on the waitlist of my preferred site(s) affected by accepting or declining an offer to a less-preferred site?

No, your position is the same whether you accept or decline the offer.

3. What if I have accepted an offer to my second (or third or fourth) choice and have decided I want to stay there? Do I have to accept an offer to my first choice site if I receive one?

You can stay at a less-preferred site if you would like to. We will take you off the waitlist for your preferred site(s). Please message us to let us know, and be aware that this decision is final. You will not be put back on the waitlist for your first (or second, etc) choice site.

4. What if I have received an offer to my first choice site but I want to go to my second (or third or fourth) choice? 

If you receive an offer to your first choice site, you must remain at that site. You will not be given any other offers. This assumes you have not already accepted an offer to your second (or third or fourth) choice site – if you have, please see #3 above. Permalink | No Comments

2021/2022 Application Timeline

By Admissions on Apr 16, 2021

The Application Timeline has now been posted for the 2021-2022 application cycle. This includes all of the important dates and deadlines concerning applications for the Class of 2026.

As you begin to prepare for the upcoming application cycle, we wanted to share with you several free resources provided by the AAMC to help prepare for the MCAT. To review this information, please visit: https://students-residents.aamc.org/prepare-mcat-exam/free-planning-and-study-resources

We wish you the best of luck as you prepare for and sit your MCAT exams!

Permalink | No Comments

Virtual Information Sessions

By Admissions on Apr 09, 2021

Permalink | No Comments

Help us improve the MD Admissions website – give us your feedback

By Admissions on Mar 02, 2021

We are working on making the UBC MD Admissions website better and we’d like your feedback.

The online survey should take between 10-15 minutes to complete and your responses will be collected anonymously.

This survey is now closed.
Thank you to all who participated.

Permalink | No Comments

Pre-Med Diversity Symposium

By Admissions on Feb 03, 2021

Ever consider a career in medicine? Join us at the Pre-Med Diversity Symposium, an annual UBC faculty-sponsored event designed to encourage people from all walks of life to apply to medical school. This event is tailored to applicants who consider themselves ’non-traditional’ for reasons that may include having a non-science background, applying later in life, having children and family, having financial or personal hardship, or belonging to a demographic underrepresented in medicine.

Permalink | No Comments