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International Medical Graduates - BC

Last updated on September 6, 2024

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Program overview

This program provides international medical graduates (IMGs) the opportunity to complete residency and practice as a physician in B.C. In exchange, participants complete a return of service (ROS) after completing their residency. The ROS takes place in a community of need and supports patient access to physician services in B.C.

Residency positions

The IMG-BC residency positions at UBC for the 2025 Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) match are:

  • Six general specialty positions with a three-year ROS:
    • Psychiatry (2) – Northern Health Authority (1), Interior Health Authority (1)
    • Internal Medicine – ROS in Northern Health Authority
    • Pediatrics (2) – ROS in Northern Health Authority (1), Vancouver Island Health Authority (1)
  • 52 family medicine positions with a two-year ROS in the same regional health authority as the matched training site.

Family Medicine training sites and ROS:

  • ROS in Interior Health Authority for those matched to Kamloops, Kelowna Regional, Kelowna Rural, Kootenay Boundary, or Okanagan South residency training sites
  • ROS in Fraser Health Authority for those matched to Abbotsford-Mission, Chilliwack, Surrey-South Fraser, or Vancouver Fraser training sites
  • ROS in Vancouver Coastal Health Authority for those matched to Coastal or Vancouver - St. Paul’s training sites
  • ROS in Vancouver Island Health Authority for those matched to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island-Strathcona, or Victoria training sites
  • ROS in Northern Health Authority for those matched to Prince George or Rural Fort St. John training sites

How to apply

All applications are made through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). The IMG-BC residency positions are protected for IMG applicants in the first iteration of the CaRMS Main Residency Match under the IMG stream. In the second iteration, both IMGs and Canadian Medical Graduates may apply. Detailed information is available on the CaRMS website and the University of BC Faculty of Medicine IMG Office website.

Return of service communities

In this program, health authorities choose the communities and clinics/facilities available to the participants for ROS in conjunction with the Province. For more information on the placement process, see the contract and policy documents on this page.

These maps identify the B.C. communities that have received a ROS placement:

Participants in rural B.C. communities may be eligible for financial incentives. Learn more about Rural Practice Programs.

Hosting a return of service

Clinics or facilities who wish to host an IMG-BC ROS placement should contact their health authority’s physician recruitment team. In part due to high demand, not all interested clinics or facilities may receive a ROS placement.

Return of service contract

Physicians who accept an IMG-BC residency position via CaRMS must sign the ROS contract. Each physician ROS program may have unique requirements. The ROS contract is a legal commitment that warrants independent legal advice. Candidates should consider the contractual requirements before applying. Not fulfilling the ROS contract carries significant financial consequences. For more information on the ROS commitment, see the documents on this page.

 

If you have any questions about the Return of Service programs, please contact us at:

ReturnOfService@gov.bc.ca