Admissions Blog


The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.

Update and reminders for 2012-13

By Admissions on Mar 21, 2012 It has been a while since we have posted anything here, mainly because since the interview weekends the Admissions office has been very busy preparing for the final selection meetings where the MED 2016 class will be chosen. Interview scores and information provided by referees has been amalgamated with academic grades, MCAT scores etc and we have been double-checking all the information in the files to ensure that applicants can be assured of a fair discussion and decision.  Offers will, as we say on the 2011-12 timeline, be made beginning May 15th, no earlier –  sorry, know the wait is agonizing. If you have not already done so, you may wish to have a look at our updated Faculty of Medicine website.  The content of the Admissions website is the same, there is just a new look and layout.  This means you will still be able to access the same information.  Please note, if you have bookmarked any specific pages on the website, you should now be redirected to the new site. There will also be some changes to the content and navigation of the website later this year. A heads-up for those of you thinking forward to the 2012-13 application. The on-line application will open on June 1st and this will also be the cut-off date for inclusion of non-academic activities, employment, awards & research. The application deadline is later, September 17, 2012.  A reminder that we will be requiring a WES or ICES evaluation for all non-North American transcripts and that it can be a lengthy process to (a) obtain foreign transcripts from some countries and (b) can take several weeks, or even a couple of months, for these evaluations to be completed, so it is definitely something you should think about in plenty of time. Another change for this next cycle is that we will not be requiring re-applicants to provide us with all new transcripts. We will bring forward transcripts from this year for those institutions where no further coursework has been taken. Applicants will not have to request this – there will be a question on the application instead – but it will absolutely be their responsibility to ensure that any transcripts brought forward did not show courses in progress. If in doubt at all, please send another one by the September 17th deadline to ensure your application is not made ineligible. UBC students will still be able to request that we access their transcripts electronically. We will of course update the Notes section of the website with any updates for the next cycle. Permalink | 4 Comments

Davis Cup During Interviews This Weekend

By Admissions on Feb 07, 2012

The Davis Cup tennis tournament will be held at Thunderbird Arena on UBC campus this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (February 10 – 12).  There will be a high volume of traffic around the arena, and surrounding roads and parking lots may be closed or otherwise affected.  If you are interviewing this weekend, please give yourself extra time to arrive.  Our Davis Cup Information Sheet has parking recommendations and additional information.

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Clarification of Site Selection

By Admissions on Dec 23, 2011

We would like to correct circulating misinformation regarding site selection and how it impacts applicants chances of being admitted. Let us say loudly and clearly that the sites you rank DO NOT affect your admissibility to the program. In fact admission and site placement is a two step process. First, the Admissions Selection Committee decides whether or not an applicant is admissible to our medical program and second, the Admissions Office attempts to place admissible applicants to sites within the program.  This second step is where your site preference comes in to play. Our commitment is to try to offer admissible applicants a position in our program at a site where they will be happy studying and living. In order to do this, applicants this year are allowed to rank sites in preference from 1 to 4. Applicants may also select “no interest” in a specific site. It is a mistake to try and second guess the process or rank the sites in any order other than the one you truly prefer.

How site placement works is like this: When we (the Admissions Office) moves through the list of applicants and comes to your name, we look at your first site of preference, if it is full, we put you at your second site of preference, if that is full, third, etc. If you are placed at any site other than your first preference, you will be wait-listed for your preferred site(s). If we cannot place you, and you have been deemed admissible, you will be wait-listed.

The one exception to the site placement rule is the Northern Medical Program (NMP); where one of the assessment criteria is the Rural Training section of the application. As stated in the application help guide, “The NMP is seeking applicants with a genuine interest in learning medicine in the context of rural, remote, and northern communities.” If you didn’t fill out the Rural Training section of the application, you will not be considered for the NMP, even if you rank it as your first choice.

Lastly, there is a “no interest” option for those who actually have NO INTEREST is going to one or more sites. Applicants should only use this option if they do not want to move to a specific location or cannot move to a specific location. If you absolutely will not, or do not want to, go to one of the distributed sites, it is very important for you to indicate “no interest.” Understand that after the deadline applicants will not be permitted to re-rank sites, irrespective of any change in life circumstances.

We understand that medical school is a big commitment for you. It’s a big commitment for the Faculty of Medicine as well. Please help us put you in a program where you will be happy by fully considering the choices you are making. Offers to the UBC medical program are site specific and are binding to the location indicated. We cannot switch people between sites once they are committed to a specific location. Each of the distributed sites in the program will be fully subscribed when the offers are all accepted. Additional seats or “openings to move” are not an option. Help us give you the best possible outcome and rank sites where you wish to live and study for the duration of the undergraduate program.

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Happy Holidays!

By Admissions on Dec 19, 2011

The Admissions Team is slowly dwindling (there are only 3 of us left!) as the school prepares to shut down for the holidays. If you have any pressing issues or concerns, please let us know ASAP as our office will be closed Monday, December 26 – Monday, January 2. Phone hours will only be Monday – Thursday this week (Dec. 19-22).

During the break, current applicants invited for interview are encouraged to review their Interview Information package and take a look at the remaining documents/deadlines that are outstanding. Are there any referees you haven’t contacted or need to follow up with? If you are grad student, have you submitted your grad student report? What about the site preference form? If you aren’t sure about what sites you would like to rank, check out our website and take some time to research the cities they are in. The Island Medical Program (IMP) is located in Victoria, the Northern Medical Program (NMP) is in Prince George, the Southern Medical Program (SMP) is in Kelowna and Vancouver Fraser Medical Program (VFMP) is in Vancouver. You will have an opportunity to meet current med students and hear first-hand about their sites during the Site Information Session, so bring your questions! Also, check out and sign up for the Medical Undergraduate Society (MUS) events. The students can’t wait to meet so many of their prospective colleagues. We can’t wait either! Preparations are well underway, including the creation of a huge pile of multi-colored name tags, one of which has your name on it!

We hope that you have an incredible holiday season, full of relaxation, fun and joy. Season’s greetings and Happy New Year!

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Change to UBC Biochemistry prerequisite

By Admissions on Dec 09, 2011

We have made a change to our biochemistry requirement for UBC students. BIOC 300 will no longer be offered as of September 2012. In its place, students will take a new course, BIOC 202 and BIOC 302.  We will continue to accept BIOL 201/BIOC 302, although students should note that by taking BIOC 202/302 they will be better prepared for the biochemistry component of first year medicine. This stream is recommended, as it has a human focus and is designed for students planning to enter the health sciences fields, including medicine.  Students in the biochemistry program will take BIOC 203 and 303, though we will only include the grade for BIOC 303 in the prerequisite average. BIOC 300 is of course still acceptable for the biochemistry prerequisite if taken before September 2012.

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