Residency Program

As everyone is aware, the cost of accommodation is higher in Vancouver than most other cities in Canada. Nevertheless, most residents in our program are easily able to obtain rental units in close proximity to Vancouver General Hospital where the majority of clinical rotations take place. A strong network exists amongst the residents to acquire accommodation, and we would encourage you to contact the department if you require assistance in this matter.

Since most residents live in neighbourhoods close to VGH, many will commute by bicycle to the other two hospital sites that are relatively close by (SPH and BCCH). Although most residents may choose to travel by car to Burnaby, RCH (in New Westminster) and Richmond, public transit is a viable option for all three sites. UBC PGME assists all residents with obtaining accommodation, and reimburses travel expenses, for the community orthopaedics rotation in Prince George.

Residents complete at least one, and most often two, one-year fellowship training programs in subspecialties of orthopaedic surgery. In recognition of the clinical and academic accomplishments of our residents, and extensive working relationships that exist between our faculty and faculty at other training centres, we can advocate effectively on behalf our residents when applying for these positions. Our graduates have had a high rate of success in obtaining a position at highly sought-after fellowship programs in Canada, the US, and abroad. After completion of their fellowship training, our residents have ultimately always been successful in obtaining career positions in both academic and community hospital not only in BC but elsewhere in Canada and the US. Learn more about our alumni.

• in PGY1, a 4 week “orthopaedic surgery boot camp” consisting of lectures, case-based discussions, and surgical skills training on simulated bone models, cadavers, and simulations. PGY1 residents are not scheduled to provide any clinical service during these 4 weeks, with the exception of a couple of weekend on-call shifts.
• in PGY1, a 4 week surgical foundations “CRASH” course consisting of lectures, case-based discussions, and surgical skills simulations. PGY1 residents are not scheduled to provide any clinical service during these 4 weeks, with the exception of a couple of weekend on-call shifts.
• daily structured 45 minute teaching sessions at every hospital site, prior to the start of the work day.
• a weekly “academic half day”, covering all required knowledge in orthopaedic surgery as well as selected topics in the non-expert role CanMEDS domains, taught in a case-based format.  Teaching at academic half days is provided by residents and faculty, and a faculty member is assigned to supervise every session. Residents are excused from all clinical duties in order to attend the academic half day.
• during weekly “academic half day” in the months of July and August, a cadaver dissection lab providing hands-on training in surgical anatomy
• a fracture fixation advanced skills lab attended by all residents, held yearly
• hands on skills labs in arthroscopic surgery on cadavers and simulated joints, as well as on high fidelity computer-based simulators
• 3 all-day “visiting professor” teaching sessions provided by invited national and international faculty, in a broad range of subspecialties
• mandatory courses provided external to the program, for which the program provided full tuition support. These courses include both AO Basic and Advanced Fracture Fixation skills courses, and the COA Basic Science Course.
• the resident research program

Participating in orthopaedic research is an important part of surgical training. Critical appraisal skills and an understanding of research are required to evaluate rapidly changing treatment techniques.

Resident research in the UBC orthopaedic surgery training program is facilitated and promoted in several ways:

• A Director of resident research, who oversees each resident’s progress toward completion of their research

• A strong ongoing clinical research program within all Divisions of the UBC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, which provides a broad range of available avenues for resident research. Many Divisions have a dedicated research coordinator as well as faculty with advanced training in clinical epidemiology, who are able to provide support and guidance to residents completing a research project within the respective Division

• Residents may apply during their training for dedicated time to perform basic science or clinical research. The resident will be allowed, over the course of one or more of their scheduled 2-month clinical rotations, to dedicate half of their time each week towards completion of a research project.

• Residents are required to present a research project at the annual UBC Orthopaedic Surgery Research Day in at least four of their five years in the program.

• Residents planning a career in an academic centre may consider obtaining an advanced degree in a related field such as clinical epidemiology. If a resident wishes to complete this training prior to the completion of their residency, then
  • they will require approval from the Department Head and the Director of Postgraduate Education
  • they will need to lengthen their residency training in order to take time off for their chosen program of study – which will typically be not less than one year since this time is not funded by UBC PGME, they can apply for one year of funding (currently in the amount of $20,000) from the program’s Brett Kilb Memorial Fund.

• Another opportunity for residents seeking to obtain advanced degree training, and an opportunity for dedicated research time with full salary support, is to apply to the UBC “Clinical Investigator Program”.

In general, all residency programs encourage their graduating residents to broaden their experience by obtaining fellowship training at a centre elsewhere within or outside of Canada. However, all Divisions in our Department provide fellowship training experiences that residents from our program can certainly apply for. Many of the fellowship opportunities provided by our department are very highly regarded both nationally and internationally – particularly those in the subspecialties of spine, hip and knee arthroplasty, foot and ankle surgery, and trauma.

The UBC Orthopaedic program values diversity and inclusion. From a gender perspective, 40% of residents in the UBC orthopaedic surgery residency program are women, and virtually all clinical rotations in our program have female faculty preceptors, enhancing our program’s ability to provide role modelling, mentorship, and advocacy for women starting their career in orthopaedic surgery. In addition to gender diversity, we believe that different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives enrich our program and we seek to reflect that diversity in our residents, staff and faculty.

Non-Canadian trainees are supported by their home country to obtain residency training in Canada. Our program selects, on average, one non-Canadian trainee from Kuwait or Saudi Arabia each year.

PGY1 and PGY2 residents are encouraged (and assisted in) matching with one of the PGY4 or PGY5 residents to obtain mentorship at the start of their training. During the course of their training, most residents self-assign themselves to one or more faculty mentors to obtain mentorship. Our faculty members are all very approachable and welcome the opportunity to assist trainees in achieving their goals throughout residency and beyond. By self-assigning a faculty mentor, residents can obtain support and career advice from faculty that closely match their own personality and aspirations.