POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

FOR STUDENTS IN YEAR 4

ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-2015

This document contains information for Faculty & Students in

Year 4 of the Medical Curriculum on Assessment and Key
Policies & Procedures.

Note: Updates to the Policies and Procedures manual may be

made during the academic year. The most recent version of this
document is the one found on the MEDICOL website.

th

Last Revision: Friday, January 10 , 2014

Table of Contents
YEAR 4 PROGRAM & SITE LIST ........................................................................................................... 4
I.POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT IN YEAR 4 5
A. Preamble
B. Types of Assessments
5
C. Purposes of Assessment
5
D. Policies
6
E. Principles
6
II.YEAR 4 CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT POLICIES .......................................................................... 7
A. Goals of the Year 4 Curriculum
7
B. Preparation for Medical Practice (PMP) Course
7
C. Assessment of Preparation for Medical Practice Course
8
D. Electives: Principles and Guidelines
9
E. Comprehensive OSCE Assessment
11
F. First Point of Contact
11
III.PROMOTIONS POLICIES ............................................................................................................... 12
A. Student Promotions Committee Years 3 & 4
12
B. Advancement in Year 4
12
C. Year 4 Grading Practices
12
D. Release of Grades and Promotions Committee Decisions
13
E. Special Recognition and Awarding of Scholarships and Prizes
14
F. Academic Probation
15
G. Problems related to Unprofessional Behaviour
15
H. Information Sharing
15
I. Withdrawal from the Program
15
J. Appeals Policy and Process
16
K. Appeal of Promotions Decisions
16
IV.ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES .......................................................................................................... 16
A. Year 4 Scheduling Policies
16
B. Policies Relating to Insurance during Year 4 Electives
16
C. Pagers
17
D. Dress code
17
E. Absence Policy & Procedures
17
F. Parental Leave of Absence Policy
20
G. Parental Leave in Year 4
20
H. Academic Concessions
21
I. Accommodation for Examinations
22
J. Policy and Procedure for Missed Examinations
22
K. Student Movement between Sites of the UBC MD Undergraduate Program
22
L. Transfer requests
22

APPENDIX 1: Defined Competencies: Learning Goals and Objectives ................................................ 24

APPENDIX 2: Students Engaging in Clinical Activities........................................................................ 27
APPENDIX 3: End of Elective / Mid-Rotation Assessment Forms ....................................................... 30
APPENDIX 4: Case Report Guidelines............................................................................................... 32
APPENDIX 5: Elective Cancellation Policy ........................................................................................ 33
APPENDIX 6: Liability Insurance & Informal Elective Opportnities .................................................... 34
APPENDIX 7: OSCE Exam Guidelines ................................................................................................ 35
APPENDIX 8: First Point of Contact .................................................................................................. 36
APPENDIX 9: MSPR ......................................................................................................................... 39
APPENDIX 10: Disruption of Teaching and Learning Activities .......................................................... 39
APPENDIX 11: Unmatched Students from the CaRMs First or Second Iteration ................................. 42
APPENDIX 12: International Elective Guidelines & Application Form ................................................ 43
APPENDIX 13: Year 4 Committee TERMS OF REFERENCE .................................................................. 53
APPENDIX 14: Student Support and Development Committee (SSDC) & Complaints
Received by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC .................................................................. 55
APPENDIX 15: Anti Plagiarism Guide.................................. .................................... 64
APPENDIX 16: Blood & Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure Policy. ......... 65
APPENDIX 17: Appeals Process
.
70
APPENDIX 18: CaRMS Entry Disciplines and Medical, Surgical/Procedural and Primary Care elective75
APPENDIX 19: Class of 2015 Academic Schedule
.77

Year 4 Programme & Site List

Vancouver Fraser Medical Program (VFMP)
Regional Associate Dean: Dr. Dawn DeWitt
Assistant Dean Vancouver: Dr. Amil Shah
Associate Dean Student Affairs: Dr. Janette McMillan
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs: Dr. Carol Ann Courneya
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs: Dr. Christina Roston
Assistant Dean Fraser: Dr. Jill McEwen
Clinical Education Leader Fraser: Dr. Dan Beegan
VFMP Site Director: Dr. Jill McEwen
Year 4 Electives Director: Dr. Michael Curry
Island Medical Program (IMP)
Regional Associate Dean: Dr. Oscar Casiro
Assistant Dean Student Affairs: Dr. Darlene Hammell
Year 4 Electives & Site Director: Dr. Amita Modi
Northern Medical Program (NMP)
Regional Associate Dean: Dr. Paul Winwood
Assistant Dean Student Affairs: Dr. Leigh Hunsinger
Year 4 Electives & Site Director: Dr. Tony Preston
Southern Medical Program (SMP)
Regional Associate Dean: Dr. Allan Jones
Assistant Dean Student Affairs: Dr. Connie Hull
PMP & Year 4 Electives Course Lead: Dr. Katharine Smart
Year 4 Departmental/Site Representatives
Anaesthesia, Pharmacology & Therapeutics: Dr. James Price
Dermatology: Dr. Simon Wong
Emergency Medicine: Dr. Shahin Shirzad
Family Medicine: Dr. Barra OBriain
Internal Medicine: Dr. Jennifer Yao
Obstetrics & Gynaecology: Dr. Francine Tessier
Ophthalmology: Dr. Noa Mallek
Orthopaedics: Dr. Nelson Greidanus
Paediatrics: Dr. Victoria Atkinson
Pathology: Dr. Jason Ford
Psychiatry: Dr. Peter Chan
Radiology: Dr. Savvas Nicoloau
Surgery: Dr. David Taylor
Urological Sciences: Dr. Ercole Leone
Public Health & Preventative Medicine: Dr. David Moore
Year 4 OSCE Director: Dr. Amil Shah
Chilliwack: Dr. Mark Mackenzie
Lions Gate Hospital: Dr. Dean Brown
Richmond General Hospital: Dr. Nancy Austin
Royal Columbian Hospital: Dr. Dale Stogryn
Surrey Memorial Hospital: Dr. John Diggle
Course Directors, Preparation for Medical Practice (PMP)
VFMP Course Director: Dr. Linlea Armstrong
IMP Course Director: Dr. Fraser Black
NMP Course Director: Dr. Keri Closson
Program Administrative Managers
Year 4 Program Manager, VFMP: Deborah Phillips
Year 3 & 4 Program Manager & Assessment Manager, IMP: Lynne Fisher
Year 3 & 4 Curriculum and Assessment Manager, NMP: Jennifer Young
Year 3 & 4 Curriculum and Assessment Manager, SMP: Elaine Thomas

I.

POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE DESIGN AND

IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT IN YEAR 4

A. Preamble
This Policy and Procedures Manual is intended to provide faculty and students with the guidelines used for
developing Year 4 assessment plans. Please note that each Course or Elective is responsible for providing
students with an overview describing learning objectives, faculty contact information, and specific assessment
procedures. While the policies and procedures below are the ideal standards that every experience should
endeavour to meet, due to existing resource limitations (e.g., the availability of clinical teaching units, human
resources, patient populations), it may be difficult for all Electives to meet all standards, however, all clinical
departments have agreed to attempt to fulfill these policies and procedures to the best of their abilities.
B. Types of Assessments
Central tenets of the assessment process are that ongoing and detailed dialogue with students on their progress is
an integral part of the learning process, and that early detection of problems will enable more effective help to be
provided. Both formative and summative assessments will be provided to each student. The following lists the
types of assessments that may be included in each category:
Formative (To provide students with information about their skills and achievements and how to improve them,
and to enable students to practice self-assessment skills):
Preceptor feedback ongoing
Mid Rotation Clinical Assessment
Clinical supervisor - resident, fellow, clinical faculty feedback; including Mini-CEXs, & Case Reports
Formal feedback about performance levels on the components of the summative assessments (OSCE, written
examinations)
Summative (To record formal judgments about student progress):
End-of-rotation clinical assessment
Comprehensive Exit Year 4 Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE)
Preparation for Medical Practice (PMP)
student project
participation in large and small group sessions
on-line written examination
C. Purposes of Assessment
Assessments are critical to the learning process and significantly determine what, when and how students learn.
The primary purposes of assessments are to assist student learning, to measure the learning results and to predict
practicing performance. To ensure that assessments complement learning, the instruments and process used will
measure attainment of the required competencies for the MD undergraduate program at the University of British
Columbia and must provide feedback to students and faculty. Assessments will measure the critical components
of learning: what we know; what we do; how we think; and how we act.
A list of the defined competencies for the UBC MD Undergraduate Program is attached in Appendix 1. These
competencies include:
Knowledge Integration and Analytical Skills
Communication Skills
Professional Behaviours

Clinical Skills including Clinical Reasoning

Practical and Technical Skills
Personal Management Skills
Health Policy Skills
All competencies are considered essential to the practice of Medicine. The Faculty of Medicines assessment
procedures will ensure that these competencies are adequately learned and satisfactorily performed upon
completion of the MD Undergraduate Program.
Faculty assessment of student performance as potential colleagues and future practicing physicians is an
important professional responsibility. Identification of students who require improvement in any aspect of their
learning initiates a positive and constructive process of assistance and remediation.
D. Policies
Assessment policies and procedures will be consistent with the Principles identified by the Council of
Undergraduate Associate Deans UBC Taskforce on Student Assessment Report May 2006.
There must be a single standard for promotion and graduation of students across geographically separate
campuses.
Comprehensive assessment policies will be adopted which are consistent throughout all components of the
entire MD undergraduate curriculum.
Assessment policies will be developed, reviewed and revised by the MD Student Assessment Committee
(SAC). The SAC along with the Curriculum Committee reports to MDUEX. SAChas the responsibility to
establish policy, develop and/or approve procedures and instruments, and monitor the effectiveness of the
system for assessing students. The MD Student Assessment Committee is tasked with the implementation of
assessment in the UBC integrated and distributed program.
The Promotions Committee will use the criteria and policies as set out in this Policies and Procedures Manual
in making decisions on student advancement, the need for remediation and supplemental work or
assessment.
The development of assessment instruments will be based on the domains of competence (e.g., professional
behaviours, knowledge, clinical, psychomotor and technical skills, reasoning and decision-making skills).
Standards will be established and all stakeholders will be informed of Promotion requirements. Specific
consequence of failure will be made clear:
A structured process of appeal will be available.
The development, administrations, scoring of assessments and remedial instruction for students will be the
responsibility of the Deans Office and/or faculty members as well as rotation and course directors.
The assessment of course content and competencies will be cumulative across the MD Undergraduate
Program.
Students will be responsible for ensuring the submission and maintenance of their assessments to enable
follow-up discussion with student advisors. The Deans Office will retain the original copies of all summative
assessment data.
Students must satisfactorily pass all required assessments prior to the granting of the MD undergraduate
degree.
E. Principles
Assessment measures will be positive learning experiences.
All assessments will be directly linked to competencies and specific course objectives.
Assessments across Courses will provide a balanced representation of the biological, behavioral, social, and
population domains.

Assessments of basic knowledge will focus on the application and integration of knowledge as applied to
relevant clinical phenomena.
A variety of assessment methods will be used to provide reliable, valid and realistic evaluation of specific
content and competencies. These could include written and oral examinations, standardized patient
examinations, tutor ratings and narratives, clinical preceptor ratings and narratives, and any other procedures
that effectively assess the achievement of program objectives.
Assessment of students will be comprehensive, cumulative, and frequent in order to guide and facilitate
student learning.
The assessment process will include effective measures to provide feedback to students on their strengths
and weaknesses (formative assessment) and to judge students achievements (summative assessment).
Summative assessments will include carefully determined criterion referenced passing standards.
Grades will be designated as follows: (Note, however, that only an F, or a P will appear on student
transcripts.)
Fail (F): Does not Meet Requirements
Pass (P-): Requires Improvement
Pass (P): Meets Requirements
All students must obtain a passing grade on both Course and formal examination components of the
assessment system.
The timing of summative assessments will be scheduled to allow for remediation measures should they be
necessary.
Faculty will be assisted with the provision of quality assessments.
The system of student assessment will evolve with the ongoing development, review and evaluation of
program effectiveness.

II.

YEAR 4 CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT POLICIES

A. Goals of the Year 4 Curriculum

The Faculty of Medicine has a responsibility to ensure that students meet the goals of the MD Undergraduate
Program through a high quality and rigorous four- year educational program. In Canada, the final year of medical
school is influenced by two powerful external events that dominate the students lives: the CaRMS Match and
Part 1 of the Licensure examination of the Medical Council of Canada (MCCQEI). The challenge is to provide a
coherent and meaningful educational experience in year 4 while recognizing the external realities and the needs
of students to be successful in both the Match and the examination (since these affect not only a students future
but also act as benchmarks by which the success of the undergraduate program is judged).
Year 4 is composed of four curriculum elements:
1. Clinical Block 1: Electives 1, 2, 3 & 4 is September 2nd - December 21st 2014 (a total of 15 weeks)
2. Clinical Block 2: Electives 5 & 6 is February 9th April 5th 2015 (a total of 8 weeks)
3. The Preparation for Medical Practice Course (PMP): 2 weeks in January and 4 Weeks in April, 2015
4. The Year 4 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) held November 29th and 30th 2014
Please refer to Medicol or ONE 45 Handouts & Links for the current schedule of Year 4.
B. Preparation for Medical Practice (PMP) course
The PMP Course is protected academic time, and content is designed to complement and augment what
students learn during their clinical rotations. Much of the Course content is case- based which ensures that the

clinical relevance of the teaching components are explicitly demonstrated. Learning formats include large group
learning, small group sessions, online assignments, and a student project. Small group sessions are of various
formats, including a number with standardized patient encounters. Please refer to MEDICOL for the current
schedule of the PMP Block.
Large and small group sessions:
Students must attend all large and small groups sessions. These are set up to be interactive, and allow students
to apply their learning and practice their skills.
Online Assignments:
The PMP Course requirements include completion of a series of online assignments. With clearly specified
objectives, students are guided through various tasks. Formative guidance is provided as embedded feedback
within the assignment wherever possible. Most assignments have multiple choice post tests to be completed on
MEDICOL for the purpose of formative assessment. The assignments complement the face to face learning within
the Course.
These assignments are not formally graded, and do not contribute to the final numeric grade in the Course
however, students must satisfactorily complete the assignments to pass the Course. The quizzes are set up so
students can repeat them until they achieve a Passgrade. Each assignment can take up to three hours.
The Student Project:
Students work with peers to address a clinical question of their choice. Students must present their work to
Faculty and their peers. Assessment by faculty will provide 15% of the course mark, and assessment by a
selection of peers will provide 10% of the PMP mark.
The project allows students to work with peers, research an interest of their choice and develop a more indepth
understanding and reasonable conclusions to articulate and educate the rest of the Class.
C. Assessment of The Preparation for Medical Practice course
Student Assessment:
There will be formative and summative assessments provided to students.
The formative assessments provided to students over time will help guide student learning. Formative
assessments include:
feedback from peers and tutors during student projects, , and the small and large group sessions .
Answers to the multiple choice post tests in the online assignments will be provided, including why certain
answers were right/wrong to ensure students have a full understanding of the correct answer.
Assignments will also direct students having difficulty with related concepts to specific resources.
Some of the assignment EBM concepts will be reviewed with students during an EBM Lecture and small group
sessions.
The Palliative Care on-line assignments will be reviewed in a small group setting.
The On-line Written Examination will be followed by an exam-review opportunity for formative purposes.
Summative assessments are those that judge and rank the students for the purpose of promotion and award
determination. The following components compromise the final numeric mark for the PMP Course:
Team Project 25%
Completion of the Online Assignments and participation during large and small group sessions 25%
Online written examination on April, 2015 50%

Final standing is determined as follows:

*Pass A PMP numeric mark of at least 60%.
*Fail Failure to meet any of the passing requirements.
Failure of the PMP course will result in a detailed review of performance to identify the problematic areas, and
the requirement to successfully complete an appropriately designed remedial program, and may also require a
passing grade in supplemental assignments written, or OSCE, as per the nature of the identified weaknesses.
D. Elective Principles and Guidelines
Students will continue to be connected with and supported by the Program to which they were admitted for the
duration of their undergraduate degree, irrespective of the location(s) of their Electives.
The UBC Clinical Departments will continue to have overall responsibility for quality assurance with respect to
Elective offerings, however the Programs and Sites are, in accordance with the geographic model approved by
Year 4 Committee, are responsible for approving their Electives, confirming directly with applicants (irrespective
of home program), scheduling, and orientation if necessary.
The UBC MD Programme includes includes 24 weeks of Elective time during Year 4.
Carry-over work from Year 3 or academic remedial work during Year 4 will reduce Elective time.
When selecting electives, students will follow these guidelines:
1. No more than 8 weeks in any one CaRMS entry position (see * Exception below)
2. Core Electives:
a) At least 4 weeks must be surgical / procedural based
b) At least 4 weeks must be medical based
c) At least 4 weeks must be in a primary care setting (eg: Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine,
Community Medicine)
d) Must be taken at LCME accredited schools in the USA and Canada
3. No more than 12 weeks in any one Elective Category: Medical, Primary, Surgical / Procedural (see
**Exception below)
4. Students are allocated 8 Change Credits per Clinical Block with a total of 16 Change Credits to make
changes to Electives in the One45 system.
5. Students must complete 12 weeks of UBC Year 4 Electives.
6. Students may spend up to 12 weeks Out-of-Province (OOP) with no more than 8 weeks at Non-LCME
medical schools
7. A maximum of 4 two-week electives
8. An elective cannot be done more than once in the same discipline at the same site..
Students who have failed a clerkship or the Year 4 OSCE or who have had professionalism concerns raised on
Evaluations may be required to stay in-province.
Please see appendix number 18 for lists of CaRMS Entry Disciplines and Medical, Surgical/Procedural and
Primary Care elective. Appendix 19 for Academic Schedule (with exceptions* & **)
Students with special requests or circumstances outside these guidelines MUST have approval from the Year 4
SITE Director before proceeding.
1. Electives Assessment
Assessment of performance is critical to the growth of student physicians.

There will be formal assessments of the students for all Electives during Year 4. Students are advised to ensure
that these are done.
It is hoped that excellence is the norm and that most students will meet requirements.
Preceptors will be encouraged to do a Mid-Rotation Assessment to provide realistic feedback to students to
address any concerns and make any necessary changes to improve his/her performance before the Final/End-ofRotation assessment. Some students may be required to have Mid-Rotation assessments sent to the Deans
Office. Students will also be required to complete two to four Mini-CEXs during one selected 4 week UBC Elective
in the first clinical block.
Students will also be required to complete one Case Report for one selected 4 week UBC Elective in the first
clinical block.
See Appendix 4 for Case Report Template.
Categories are graded on an Exceeds Requirements (H), Meets Requirements (P), Borderline (P-), or Does Not
Meet Requirements (F) basis. Overall, Electives are graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
2. Failure of Electives
Students must successfully complete, i.e. receive at a minimum, a Pass grade, for each Year 4 Elective.
If a student fails an Elective, a supplemental Elective must be successfully "passed" (in the same category and
discipline, whenever possible), in order to adequately remediate the failure.
If an Elective is failed close to the end of Year 4 and the supplemental Elective cannot be successfully completed
before the scheduled end of Year 4, it may jeopardize the ability of the student to graduate with his/her Class in
May. Students are advised to be particularly wary about leaving core Electives until the end of their schedule.
Mid-Rotation Assessments must be completed.
In extenuating circumstances, primarily unavoidable medical issues, the Promotions Committee may consider
waiving only one non-core Elective. The Promotions Committee will take into consideration both the
circumstances and the previous academic as well as professional record of the student in making the decision.
3. Supervision
All Electives require a designated supervisor who is responsible for all aspects of the Elective.
4. Learning Objectives
Each Elective must provide the educational objectives of the rotation. Students are required to prepare a list of
five or more personal objectives for their Electives and to obtain the consent of the supervisor for these
objectives. See Appendix 1 & 2.
5. Educational Activities
Each Elective must outline the academic activities developed to facilitate student learning, i.e., Rounds seminars,
tutorials, etc. Most Electives provide an opportunity for increasing responsibility with direct patient care under
appropriate supervision in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings, however, some Electives may focus on
non-patient care activities such as Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, Radiology, and Clinical Epidemiology. The
Elective will describe any special features which provide further educational opportunities for the student. In
addition, there may be a written report required for the Elective. This report may take the format of a case
report, critical appraisal of a topic or a topic review. If a case report, it will include a history and management
plan for a patient to illustrate the students clinical reasoning skills and to develop clinical judgment skills
6. Research Electives - Scholarship in Medical Education
Year 4 supports scholarship in medical education and with this in mind, will review student requests for approval
to pursue Research Electives.
There are eligibility criteria:

10

a. The student must not have had academic difficulty prerformance or competency issues, in the preceding
years.
b. The student must have a balanced Year 4 schedule that fully meets the stated Year 4 core curriculum
requirements.
c. The elective will be classified as miscellaneous and cannot count toward Year 4 core curriculum
requirements.
d. There must be a specific scholarly deliverable from the Elective, clearly laid out in writing in the form of an
application using the Elective description template form.
e. The Research Elective must be affiliated with a recognized university, and a well-established graduate degree
programme in health care research.
f. The application to pursue this Elective must be submitted a minimum of three months in advance of the
proposed start date to the students home site Year 4 Site Director, so it can be reviewed by the Year 4 Director or
Site Directors with enough time should another Elective need to be chosen prior to the 6-week cancellation
deadline.
g. The allowable duration for this Elective experience is 4 weeks.
h. If the deliverables are not met during the allotted 4-week time frame, the student will have to address a
remediation plan as determined by the home site Year 4 Director.
7. Evaluations by the Student
Students may be required to submit an evaluation of the Elective and its preceptor.
8. Elective-related Policies
See Appendix:
Assessment forms Appendix 3
Cancellation of Electives Appendix 5
Malpractice and Liability during outside formal Electives Appendix 6
Unmatched Students from CARMS First or Second Iteration Appendix 11
International Electives Guidelines Appendix 12
9. Comprehensive OSCE Assessment
A comprehensive objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) based on the MD Undergraduate Program
outcome objectives will be administered as an exit examination for the MD Undergraduate Program. All students
must pass the OSCE in order to graduate.
The OSCE for the Class of 2014 will take place at each students home sites, IMP,NMP, SMP & VFMP on both
Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30, 2014. Each student will participate in 16 stations total; 8
stations on Saturday and 8 stations on Sunday. Students are required to attend both examination dates.
Students will receive specific details of the OSCE (e.g. number of stations, mix of cases, the required number of
stations to be passed, etc.) as soon as the examination is set.
Please refer to the section below Year 4 Grading Practices on page 13 for further OSCE details.
10. First Point of Contact
Please see Appendix 8

11

III. PROMOTIONS POLICIES

A. Student Promotions Committee, Year 3 & 4
The Years 3 and 4 Student Promotions Committee makes decisions on student advancement, and the need for
remediation and supplemental assessment or other requirements based on the academic standards and policies
of the Faculty of Medicine. Promotion decisions are based on a detailed review of student performance both
within the PMP Course blocks and across clinical sites for the respective academic term. The detailed Terms of
Reference for this Committee is available from the Deans Office, Undergraduate Education.
Medical Student Performance Record (MSPR)
A Medical Student Performance Record (MSPR) is composed for each student in the Fall term of fourth year in
preparation for the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) application process. Please refer to the Year 3
P & P Manual for additional information.
B. Advancement in Year 4
Supplemental Clinical Rotations
Supplemental rotations as part of remedial work from Year 3 may require the utilization of six weeks of Year 4
Elective time. It is the responsibility of the student to consult the Clerkship Program Director concerning details of
the schedule. Students who may be using the month of August 2014 to complete Year 3 requirements need to be
aware that these requirements may not be completed with results known for the Promotions Committee
Meeting, in time for the beginning of Year 4. Therefore, such students are advised to not apply for or confirm an
OOP Elective during the first 6 weeks of the first clinical block of Year 4. All supplemental clinical work must be
completed by the end of the first 6 weeks of Year 4. The consequences of not successfully completing the
supplemental program will be decided by the Student Promotions Committee - Years 3 & 4 and may result in the
repetition of the clerkship year (Year 3) or dismissal from the Program.
Some students may have possible stipulations and requirements for Year 4 schedules. The Year 4 Director, as well
as the Home Site Directors for Year 4 will be advised of such supplemental work. Students involved in
supplemental work will be asked to discuss their Elective schedule in Year 4 and may be required to provide midrotation assessments as well as additional Mini-CEXs, reflective essays and case reports.
C. Year 4 Grading Practices
The PMP Course component is graded on a Pass/Fail basis, according to the guidelines outlined in section II. B.
While the assessment categories of the Electives Assessment Form are graded on an Exceeds Requirements (H),
Meets Requirements (P), Borderline (P-), or Does Not Meet Requirements (F) basis; overall, Electives are graded
on a Pass/Fail basis.
The Year 4 OSCE assesses competency in the following domains: history-taking, physical examination,
communication skills, diagnosis, patient management, patient education (counseling), professionalism/ethics, and
inter-professional team work. The Medical Council of Canadas Clinical Presentations list and the Year 3 Must
See/Must Do list will be used to guide the selection of suitable cases for the Year 4 OSCE:
(http://www.mcc.ca/objectives_online/objectives.pl?lang=english&loc=contents)
The Pass/Fail cut-off will be determined through a criterion-referenced standard-setting method (similar to the
modified Ebel and Angoff methods), and may vary from year to year depending on the specific examination
blueprint. An aggregate score for the competency domains targeted by the examination will be generated, based
on the performance of students across all OSCE stations, using the examiners ratings. In addition, the application

12

of clinical knowledge will be assessed in individual stations through case scenarios within the context of safe
clinical practice. In order to pass the Year 4 OSCE, students must demonstrate satisfactory performance in each
competency domain and pass a pre-determined number of stations.
The Year 4 OSCE is an exit examination and must be passed in order to successfully complete Year 4 of the UBC
MD Programme. Students who fail the Year 4 OSCE will be required to undertake remedial clinical work ranging
from 4 to 8 weeks duration during their Elective time which may result in a change of Electives and/or
cancellation of Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country Electives. Students will take a supplemental OSCE at the end of
the remediation period. The supplemental Year 4 OSCE must be passed in order to graduate from the UBC MD
Programme. The same pass standards and scoring criteria as described above for the initial Year 4 OSCE will apply
to supplemental OSCE.
Failure of the supplemental OSCE will result in an overall failure of Year 4. Students who fail Year 4 may be
offered the opportunity to repeat the Year, either fully or in part, at the discretion of the Promotions Committee.
Upon completion of the prescribed clinical work to qualify for graduation, students will be required to pass an exit
Year 4 OSCE as outlined above.
Failure in the PMP Course, an Elective, or the Year 4 OSCE will result in the requirement to successfully complete
an appropriately designed remedial program during the Electives in February and March as well as achieve a
passing grade in a supplemental examination, assignment or supplemental OSCE. Elective plans which include
travel may need to be cancelled, therefore students should be prepared to accept that plans for remediation take
precedent over Out-of-Province (OOP) or international Electives. The score (standard) required on remedial or
supplemental assessments will be the same as that set for the curriculum component or Course.
Students will receive individual score reports with information about their own performance in the individual
stations and the OSCE as a whole. For security reasons, individual station checklists are not shared with students.
The Year 4 OSCE Director will review the individual checklists of all students with sub-standard performance and
will identify the specific areas for improvement but students will not be permitted to view their individual score
sheets personally.
Failure of the supplemental PMP Course assessments, supplemental Elective , supplemental OSCE or any of the
Elective components including those after the CaRMS match will result in a student being required to undertake
further remediation before being awarded the MD degree from the UBC Distributed Program and taking up a
residency training position. Students with borderline clinical marks or issues of professionalism which may occur
post CaRMS match may expect letters noting such concerns to be sent to Residency Program Directors. This may
also involve a delay in graduation.
All components of the Year 4 curriculum must be satisfactorily completed in order for students to be approved by
the Promotions Committee to receive the MD degree.
D. Release of Grades and Promotions Committee Decisions
All grades are provisional until reviewed by the Promotions Committee. Due to the discipline-specific Electives in
Year 4, Clinical Departments are responsible for the release of provisional marks (pending formal approval by the
Promotions Committee). Students who are required to do supplemental work will be informed by e-mail and/or
telephone as soon as possible following the Promotions meeting to enable them to plan for any required
additional work with faculty. Every effort will be made to notify students of their performance within seven days
of the Promotions meeting. Those students who are concerned about their performance may contact the Deans
Office following Promotions meetings.

13

Students who are required to complete Remedial and/or Supplemental Exams following their last Year 3 rotation
must accommodate the requirements in their schedule either during the August break or at the beginning of Year
4.
Students who use the August break to complete Year 3 requirements are advised that results may not be known
for the year-end Student Promotions Committee meeting for promotion into Year 4. These students are advised
not to arrange Out-of-Province Electives during the first four weeks of Year 4 because further remedial or
supplemental work may require cancellation. Students should therefore discuss their plans with the Year 4
Director.
If a student has Year 3 requirements to complete in Year 4 (August or September) such as:

Remedial exam(s)
Supplemental exam(s)
Supplemental rotation(s)
Make up time from LOA
Examination(s) deferred
Incomplete required MUST-See/Do items

the Promotions Committee will formally refer the student directly to the Year 4 Director (Chair) or designate and
information about the students performance will be shared. Students will be also asked to attend an individual
Student Support and Development Committee (SSDC) meeting to discuss plans for remediation and supplemental
work. A student will be notified of the Year 4 referral and SSDC referral by a letter from the Promotions
Committee Chair. If the Promotions Committee has two or more concerns about a student such as:

Remedial exam(s) written and passed

Weakness in clinical performance
Professionalism issues

or a single concern that is of sufficient magnitude that it may have an impact on the students learning, the
Promotions Committee will formally refer students to an individual SSDC to develop learning expectations (a Best
Plan) with the student. Information Sharing with the Year 4 Director (Chair) or designate may be part of this
contract. Students will be notified of the SSDC referral by a letter from the Promotions Committee Chair.
The purpose of the above referrals is to provide educational support for the student: to facilitate his/her success
within the undergraduate program and set the framework for success in a residency program and independent
clinical practice. The Year 4 Director (Chair) or designate will help the student choose appropriate Year 4 Electives
given the Best Plan and the identified difficulties, and may provide review and feedback on the issues throughout
Year 4. Guidance and/or overseeing progress will support the students planning and preparation for CaRMS
applications and interviews during the first three Electives of Year 4.
Referrals will begin with the February Years 3 and 4 Student Promotions Committee meeting.
E. Special Recognition and Awarding of Scholarships and Prizes
Student grades in Year 3 as well as all clinical assessments, assignments, and other related objectives relevant to
Year 4, will be used by the Promotions Committee to recommend scholarships and prizes.

14

F. Academic Probation
A student about whom the Promotions Committee has serious concerns about academic performance and/or
professional behaviour may be asked to meet with the Year 4 Director/and the Home Site Director to review
certain conditions that are specified in a remediation plan. The plan will be discussed with, and signed by the
student as a condition of continuing in the Program. A student may not be allowed to undertake Electives at
other institutions while on Academic Probation.
G. Problems related to Unprofessional Behaviour
Problems may arise in Electives relating to unprofessional behaviour or interpersonal difficulties which may in
turn interfere with the learning process, especially in the context of clinical care. The following steps should be
considered in addressing such problems, and these should be pursued as quickly as possible. The specific steps to
be followed will depend on the severity and nature of the problem.
1. Individual Discussion between Student and Preceptor. The preceptor who identifies a problem
should initiate a discussion about the situation as part of the feedback process, with the goal of
resolving the problem.
2. Outside Assistance. If step #1 does not resolve the problem, the preceptor should bring the problem
to the attention of the Elective Owner and the Site Director as well as the Year 4 Director. All activities
relating to steps one and two should occur as quickly as possible (in a time-frame of less than one
week).
3. Referral of Problem to Regional Associate Dean. If the problem persists, the Year 4 Director and the
Home Site Director should notify the Regional Associate Dean about the problem in writing, to
request that a meeting be held with the student to resolve the problem. Depending on the nature
and severity of the problem, the matter may be brought to the Promotions Committee.
4. Record-Keeping. Letters, meeting summaries and other documentation pertaining to the problem
and the process of attempting its resolution should be forwarded to the Regional Associate Dean.
5. The Office of Student Affairs should be considered an option for student support and advocacy.
H. Information Sharing
For the purposes of ensuring that academic and/or professionalism issues are successfully remediated, the
Promotions Committee may mandate Information Sharing as part of the Best Plan developed with a student
(i.e. with the students knowledge).
The goals of Information Sharing are to help the student, and to alert preceptors to the difficulties being
experienced by the student, so that they may make an effective contribution to the resolution of any
problem.
If the problem is in the process of being resolved through the above interventions and if this process carries
over to a new Elective opportunity, the student is encouraged to update the new preceptor about the
problem and what is being done to resolve it. The Best Plan may specify that new preceptors, Site Directors
and Elective owners must be advised of the concerns to best support the student during that Elective.
If problems persist, Information Sharing may be a requirement set by the Promotions Committee.
Referral to the Student Support and Development Committee (SSDC) for VFMP, NMP, SMP and IMP for
further details may also occur. Appendix 14
I. Withdrawal from the Program
Although satisfactory academic performance is a prerequisite for advancement, it is not the sole criterion used in
the consideration of the suitability of a student for promotion or graduation. The Faculty reserves the right to
require a student to withdraw from the program if there is evidence that the required competencies including
professionalism cannot be effectively addressed through remediation.

15

J. Appeals Policy and Process

If a student does not agree with the assessment provided by the Clinical Preceptor, the following applies.
Step 1: Student and Preceptor meet to discuss the discrepancy.
If a satisfactory agreement is not reached:
Step 2: Student brings appeal with written rationale to the Year 4 Director/Home Site Director who will attempt
to facilitate a resolution.
In some cases the appeal may need to be brought to the Promotions Committee.
K. Appeal of Promotions Decisions
Decisions about academic standing made by the Promotions Committee (e.g. withdrawal from the Program,
requirement to repeat the year) may be appealed to the Dean. The student should address their appeal in writing
(not email) to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, detailing the reason for the appeal, the specific reasons why
the appeal should be considered and submit any relevant objective documentation supporting the appeal.
Appeals should be submitted as soon as possible after the student has been informed of the Promotions
Committee decision.
Please refer to APPENDIX 17: Appeals Policy

IV.

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES

A. Year 4 Scheduling Policies

Holidays
A student is allocated two weeks of holiday during the academic year over the Christmas/New Year period.
Holidays cannot be taken during any Clinical Elective time or PMP academic blocks.
Statutory holidays, except for scheduled holidays as noted above should not be assumed to be holidays for
the student. Students should check with Clinical Preceptors, Year 4 Director/Home Site Director/ and or
Supervisors about whether clinical placements are available on the statutory holiday. The UBC mid-term
break does not apply to students.
Work Hours
Each clinical specialty and clinical settings have varying hours of work and work responsibilities. Therefore
specific hours a student is expected to work cannot be clearly defined in a general way.
Students are expected to make use of all clinical opportunities to learn as much as possible. This may mean
staying beyond a scheduled OR time, ER shift or clinic time to complete the learning experience.
If students feel that the above policies are not being followed or that the hours they are working are
extraordinary, they should first address this concern with their Clinical Preceptor/Supervisor, Year 4
Director/Site Director if possible. The students may address this with the Office of Student Affairs if they are
uncomfortable or dissatisfied in addressing it directly.
In the event a disruption occurs before or during a teaching and learning activity due to inclement weather,
labor disputes or facility closures: students may be requested not to attend or concessions may be made
about attendance. Please see Appendix for Disruption of Teaching and Learning for guidelines.
B. Policies Relating to Insurance during Year 4 Electives
1. Malpractice Insurance through the Universitys General Liability and Medical Malpractice Insurance Policy will
cover the UBC student undertaking an Elective in UBC-affiliated sites as well as in other locations approved by the
UBC Faculty of Medicine.

16

2. Health Insurance for students undertaking Electives outside British Columbia, particularly in the United States,
should be arranged before the student leaves British Columbia. It is the students responsibility to ensure that
he/she has adequate health insurance coverage.
3. Hospital Insurance will be covered by the hospitals insurance policy while the student is on site. This applies
to all aspects of the coverage except long-term disability. This policy applies to the major UBC-affiliated teaching
hospitals.
4. All students are strongly encouraged to obtain Disability Insurance, if they do not already have this protection.
This can be purchased through the BCMA, or the OSA will have information about other provider .
C. Pagers
Students in Year 4 are responsible for pager requirements for Electives. In some cases, pagers may be provided,
however, if not; students should assume a professional manner towards fulfilling clinical obligations in the Elective
by arranging to have a pager. Students should also provide the pager number/changes to the Deans Office,
Undergraduate Education. Students should ask about areas where their outside pagers may not work as well
as any required procedures. These might include serving notice to a main ward or an office prior to entering a
problem area.
D. Dress code
A proper dress code demonstrates a professional attitude, and respect. When medical students are working in
any clinical setting with patients, they are required to maintain a clean, neat and tidy appearance.
1. Clean, white, short clinical jackets should be worn on the wards, ambulatory clinics and doctors offices.
(Students will not wear their white jackets in Psychiatry unless asked to do so).
2. ID badges must be worn and clearly visible at all times.
3. Students must not wear jeans, shorts or T-shirts. Clothes should not be torn or ragged. Inappropriate exposure
of the mid torso or low necklines is unacceptable.
4. Students should wear closed shoes as this is a safety issue.
5. Obvious body piercing and tattoos could affect your patients perception of you and your professionalism.
Please make every effort to carefully consider and suitably address this matter.
6. Hair should be well groomed; long hair pulled back.
7. Hands should always be clean. Nails must be trimmed neatly and kept to a length that does not interfere with
physical examination techniques and procedural skills.
8. In the interest of patient and colleague comfort, heavy perfume/cologne should not be worn. Some hospitals
and clinics are designated scent-free. Please respect any restrictions noted for ones attention.
E. Absence Policy & Procedures
In extraordinary circumstances, students may have an Unavoidable Absence or request an Anticipated or
Negotiated Absence from their clinical education. All students are expected to approach potential absences in a
professional manner, and seriously consider implications on their education, their patients, and fellow members
of the medical team. Therefore, a request for leave will be reviewed, and either approved or not approved. For
the SMP, IMP and NMP, this will be done by the Year 4 Electives Director in consultation with the Site /PMP
Director. For the VFMP, this will be done by the VFMP Site Director in consultation with the relevant Department
preceptor and/or the Director of Year 4.
The following procedures outline the steps that must be taken in the event a student is considering an Absence,
(either Unavoidable, Anticipated, or Negotiated), from their studies.
All Absences will be recorded on a spreadsheet in a secure student folder.

17

A. Unavoidable Absences: Illness, injury, family emergency or bereavement

The student will notify the preceptor responsible for the time period being missed (phone or in-person) at his/her
earliest opportunity.
1.

2.
3.
4.

The student will contact the appropriate administrator(s) via email or phone. For the NMP and
IMP: Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant and/or the Year 3-4 Program Manager; for the VFMP: the
Departmental Program Administrator and/or the Year 4 Program Assistants.
Upon his/her return, the student must provide the above administrator(s) with a Record of
Student Absence Form reporting an Unavoidable Absence.
The student should connect with the preceptor to explore opportunities to make-up the missed
work (if more than three days) and note this on the Record of Student Absence Form.
Copies of the Record of Student Absence Form will be distributed as follows:
NMP/IMP:
Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant NMP/IMP Files
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs NMP/IMP Files
Student mailbox
VFMP:
VFMP Department Program Administrator/Assistant Departmental files
Year 4 Program Assistants VFMP files
Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs VFMP Files

B. Anticipated Absences: For medical or dental appointments or religious holidays (for a complete list,
please refer to http://students.ubc.ca/current/holidays.cfm?page=all).
Students will attempt to book medical or dental appointments for times outside of scheduled clinical
duties.
Prior to the Anticipated Absence:
1.

2.

3.
4.

The student will contact the IMP/NMP Site Electives/PMP Director or the VFMP Site Director in a
timely fashion to discuss the potential for an Anticipated Absence. The site directors will consult
with the relevant DSSL or Preceptor, Elective owner for Year 4 and the Assistant/Associate Dean
of Student Affairs, if necessary, before approving the absence. The DSSL or Year 4 Departmental
Representative does have power to refuse the absence. If the Anticipated Absence is approved,
the student will complete a Record of Student Absence Form and have the Home Site Director
sign it. Students should outline what action they propose to take in order to catch up on missed
work (if more than two days) and how they will fulfill their clinical responsibilities on the Record
of Student Absence Form.
The student will submit the signed/approved Record of Student Absence Form to the appropriate
administrators. For the NMP and IMP: Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant; for the VFMP: the
Departmental Program Administrator/Assistant and the Year 4 Program Assistant.
The student will notify the appropriate preceptor responsible for the time period being missed.
Copies of the Record of Student Absence Form will be distributed as follows:
NMP/IMP:
Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant NMP/IMP Files
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs NMP/IMP Files
Student mailbox
VFMP:

18

VFMP Department Program Administrator/Assistant Departmental files

Year 4 Program Assistants VFMP files
Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs VFMP Files

B. Negotiated Absences:
Negotiated Absences are for academic pursuits of a one-time nature (e.g. commencement exercises, attendance
at a scientific meeting to present a paper or accept an award), participation in major varsity team events,
participation in major faculty activities , or rare occurrences (e.g., compassionate leave, marriage).
Holidays cannot be taken during any Year 4 clinical rotation outside of the Christmas Holiday break. Please note
that Negotiated Absences may or may not be granted and are at the discretion of the IMP/NMP/SMP/VFMP Site/
PMP Director or the Year 4 Director.
Prior to the Negotiated Absence:
1.

2.

3.
4.

The student will contact the IMP/NMP/SMP/VFMP Site /PMP Course Director or Year 4 Director
to discuss the potential for a Negotiated Absence. This should be preferably 6 weeks, at least one
month prior to the absence. They will consult with the relevant DSSL and the Associate/Assistant
Dean of Student Affairs, if necessary, before approving the absence. The Preceptor or DSSL does
have power to refuse the absence. If the Absence is approved, the student will complete a
Record of Student Absence Form for the appropriate site designate to sign. The student should
outline what action he/she propose to take in order to catch up on missed work and how they
will fulfill their clinical responsibilities on the Record of Student Absence Form.
The student will submit the signed/approved Record of Student Absence Form to the relevant
administrator. For the NMP and IMP: Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant; for the VFMP: the
Departmental Program Administrator/Assistant and the Year 4 Program Manager.
The student will notify the preceptor responsible for the session being missed.
Copies of the Record of Student Absence Form will be distributed as follows:
NMP/IMP:
a. Year 3-4 Clinical Program Assistant NMP/IMP Files
b. Assistant Dean, Student Affairs NMP Files
c. Student mailbox
VFMP:
d. VFMP Department Program Administrator/Assistant Departmental files
e. Year 4 Program Manager VFMP files
f. Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs VFMP Files

Grievances
Students with grievances pertaining to any absence are encouraged to meet with the Associate/Assistant
Dean, Student Affairs.
Absence Request forms are available on One45 & MEDICOL
Extended Leave of Absence
In the event a student is considering a request for a leave of absence from their studies, an appointment must be
arranged with the Associate/Assistant Dean Student Affairs, to discuss the request. All requests must be
approved by the Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs in consultation with the Year 4 Site Director(s).

19

F. Parental Leave of Absence Policy

The Faculty of Medicine supports MD undergraduate student requests for Parental Leaves of Absence. This policy
applies to all medical students who are becoming parents and does not discriminate on the basis of gender or
sexual orientation.
It is a goal of the Faculty of Medicine to support students in creating a Leave Plan that both optimizes the time
they need with family and ensures that they have the best opportunity for success within the MD degree
program.
Students have a professional obligation to ensure that their training will be complete and a leave of absence will
not risk their future ability to serve their patients needs.
G. Parental Leave in Year 4
Students are responsible for completion of all of the objectives and assignments of Year 4, and are expected to
meet the same level of academic/clinical competence as their peers. Students may be required to complete
missed clinical or course time.
To that end, it is vital that students seeking Parental Leave recognize that many important elements of the MD
degree program are delivered once during the year. Each Parental Leave will be negotiated on an individual basis,
depending on Elective, length of leave, academic concerns and remediation requirements.
Students with absences in excess of four weeks from one or more Elective will require an extension of the usual
Year 4 or may require an extension of the four year time frame for completion of their MD degree. This option
would be limited by the students academic record (for example, need for remediation), by the time needed to be
made up, and the programs capacity to accommodate additional learners. This may have an impact on the
students CaRMS process and graduation.
Process for requesting Parental Leave in Year 4
1. VFMP students requesting Parental Leave are required to meet with their Assistant/Associate Dean for
Student Affairs and the Year 4 Chair, in consultation with Year 4 Program Directors. NMP and IMP
students requesting Parental Leave will meet with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and the Year 4
Site Director (in consultation with the Year 4 Chair, Program Directors and DSSLS if applicable). The
meeting will be held to discuss the Program and the personal and financial implications of a Leave. At
that time, the elements of this Policy will be discussed.
2. Following this discussion, students are required to present a written Leave Plan, including the time they
expect to be away from the Program. If everything is in order, the Assistant/Associate Dean of Student
Affairs and the Associate Dean of Curriculum or Associate Dean of the IMP or NMP (or designates) will
respond to the student in writing supporting the plan and granting permission for a Leave of Absence.
3. Appropriate Course Directors and administrative staff will be notified in writing by the Office of Student
Affairs (VFMP/IMP/NMP) when a Leave has been granted. The Administrative Director, Faculty of
Medicine, in the Deans Office must also be notified.
4. It will be the students responsibility to determine how he/she will make up the work missed during the
Leave, retaining the balance prescribed by the curriculum requirements. This planning process will be in
conjunction with the Year 4 Chair, Site Directors and DSSLs if applicable.
5. Students will contact their Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and the Year 4 Chair or Home Site
Director if it appears that their leave will be longer than expected. Initial expectations regarding time
lines for Course completion may have to be adjusted accordingly. If a major change in the Curriculum

20

occurs during an extended Leave of Absence, it may necessitate re-entry at an earlier level in the
Program.
6. Students are expected to meet with their Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Year 4
Directors, one to three months prior to returning from a Parental Leave (depending on length of absence)
to discuss their options and requirements for reintegration into the Program. The timing of this meeting
should be documented in the written Leave Plan. (see 2 above)
7. If the Leave becomes longer than originally anticipated, it will be important for students to maintain
contact with their Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Year 4 Director or NMP/IMP Year 4
Director. Students will re-negotiate the timing for the reintegration meeting to ensure that plans are in
place for return to the program.
H. Academic Concessions
Students may request academic concession in circumstances that may adversely affect their attendance or
performance in a Course or Program. Such circumstances include:
A medical condition (student must provide documented evidence of condition)
Emotional or other problems
Religious observance
Please note that students who intend to request or as the result of circumstance must request academic
concessions must notify their respective Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, (not an individual faculty or
Course Director), as specified in the procedures below.
In the case of a request for alternative written examination accommodation, a student must provide the
documented request two weeks prior to the scheduled exam. Please notethe Year 4 OSCE will occur over a
weekend (Saturday and Sunday). In the case of a request for alternative OSCE accommodation, based on religious
observance only, a student must provide the document request to their respective Associate/Assistant Dean,
Student Affairs: three months prior to the scheduled examination. Students may not request a date or time of
their scheduled OSCE based on personal motivation.
Religious observance may preclude attending classes or examinations at certain times. Students who wish to be
accommodated for religious reasons must notify their respective Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, in
writing, as soon as they have been given their schedule in which they see a conflict.
Students absent from final examinations held in the official examination periods must request academic
concession from the Undergraduate Deans/Student Affairs Office. Students who are absent at the other times,
or are unable to complete assignments/tests or other graded work because of short term illness, religious
obligation or for other reasons, should normally discuss with their Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs how
they can make up missed work, according to written guidelines given to them at the start of the course. The
Associate/Assistant Dean, Student Affairs is not required to make allowances for any missed test or incomplete
work that is not satisfactorily accounted for.
Students who wish to request academic concession from the Undergraduate Deans/Student Affairs office must
apply as soon as possible after their attendance is adversely affected. The University, in considering these
requests or any appeals of decisions on academic concession, will not normally take into account untimely
notifications. When a student requests academic, he or she will be asked to provide such evidence as is deemed
appropriate. It there is a medical problem, the student should submit a Statement of Illness obtained from the
Student Health Service or attending physician. The student may be asked to provide additional information.

21

I. Accommodation for Examinations

A student who requires accommodation for examinations due to a disability should contact Access & Diversity (A
& D) at UBC. Documentation will be required in order for any assessments (written, lab or OSCE exams) to be
taken under different circumstances (e.g. extra time, larger font, and use of special equipment). Requests for
accommodation must be made to A & D several weeks in advance of an examination, because documentation will
be required.
A student with a known disability who does not make a request for accommodation and
subsequently fails an examination cannot appeal the failure on the basis of the disability. Students must take
responsibility to self-identify and seek support through the A & D to obtain the arrangements they require to
optimize ability to succeed in the Program. Students who are granted accommodation for examinations are
required to meet the same academic standards as all other students.
J. Policy and Procedure for Missed Examinations
Responsibility of the Deans Office relating to Deferred Examinations and Follow-up for Leave of Absence
The Deans Office, Faculty of Medicine is responsible for:
1. Informing the Registrars Office of all leaves of absences where a students academic record is affected;
2. Informing, in writing, the Program Directors, of all students who have been granted a leave of absence or
have missed an examination and been granted a deferral;
3. Providing arrangements (location and date) for the student to write the deferred examinations;
4. Forwarding remedial marks to the Registrars Office;
5. Completing the Record of Student Absence form (Faculty of Medicine) for the student file; and
6. Forwarding the application for re-admission form to the student returning from a leave of absence and
preparing the appropriate paperwork (licenses, etc.).
K. Student Movement between Sites of the UBC MD Undergraduate Program
Opportunities for student movement:
Year 4 Electives: Students from all program sites will be able to take an Elective anywhere within the UBC
Program or elsewhere in Canada, dependent on availability of places.
PMP Course January/April blocks: Students may apply to transfer for PMP January/April Blocks (2015). However,
in keeping with the current transfer process, requests may only be accommodated (a) if space at an alternate site
is available, or (b) the reasons for a students requests are of a compelling or medical nature and not based solely
on a students personal preference. Requests for transfer between sites for component of Year 4 should be
directed to Dr. Linlea Armstrong attention: (jessica.hartley@ubc.ca). Requests are expected to include site
preference for the January 2015 and April 2015 PMP blocks as well as the reasons underlying the transfer.
L. Transfer requests
A student may formally request a transfer from one Program to another according to the Transfer Policy below.
Offers of admission to the MD Undergraduate Program are specific to a site. Applicants are informed that
acceptance of this site-specific offer is binding to the site for the length of the program, and that transfers will
only occur in exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are expected to be infrequent.
The Faculty may require a student to transfer between sites on academic grounds.
Students may request a transfer between sites for compassionate/extraordinary reasons or for the PMP Course
blocks due to current Elective location in Year 4 but transfers will only be considered if an opening exists in the
site that is being requested.
i)
Student primary site assignments at the time of admission are expected to be valid for the entire MD
Undergraduate Program.
ii)
Program switches by students between sites are generally discouraged.

22

iii)
iv)

v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
ix)

x)

The Faculty reserves the right to require a student to transfer between sites for extraordinary reasons.
Although a students education may occur in a variety of locations, each student will continue to be
considered a member of his/her original primary program site for administrative and other purposes,
unless a formal transfer is requested and approved.
Transfers may be requested by students with extraordinary circumstances or on compassionate grounds.
Requests for transfer must be made in writing and will require approval of the PMP Course Director prior
to authorization.
Supporting documentation will be required when any medical or personal issues referred to in the
transfer request are considered compelling.
Resources to accommodate the requirements of any transferring students must not significantly diminish
the resources available to existing enrolled students.
Any additional costs incurred by a students request for transfer will be the responsibility of student.
Travel stipends apply only twice and are intended for the use of the student moving to the Island or
Northern Medical Programs.
If a transfer is refused or cannot be accommodated and the student is unable to continue at his/her
current primary program site, the student must withdraw from the MD Undergraduate Program and reapply, stating his/her preference for a desired site.

23

APPENDIX 1: Defined Competencies: Learning Goals and Objectives

Extracted from UBC MD Undergraduate Program Mission, Goals & Objectives
(Approved Faculty Executive, January 2005) Now in Revision
LG1. Exit competencies: to ensure that every graduating student meets or exceeds the competency
requirements necessary for postgraduate training and as a foundation for lifelong learning and proficient
medical care
Learning objectives: Defined competencies for the UBC MD Undergraduate Program include:
LO1.

Knowledge integration and analytical skills: Knowledge skills relate to the acquisition,
maintenance, integration and use of knowledge. Students should be able to demonstrate that
they can:
LO1.1
acquire new knowledge and retrieve essential knowledge from memory to effectively
provide clinical care in health, disease and illness
LO1.2
think critically and apply the scientific method
LO1.3
commit themselves to life long reflection and learning for the purpose of maintaining
and enhancing professional competence
LO1.4
integrate new research knowledge into clinical practice
LO1.5
Students should be able to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of:
LO1.6
normal molecular, biochemical and cellular mechanisms of the body and its organ
systems
LO1.7
the various aetiologies of disorders and the mechanisms by which they cause disease
(pathogenesis)
LO1.8
altered structure (pathology) and function (patho-physiology) of the body and its
major organ systems
LO1.9
clinical and pathologic manifestations of the most common and serious acute and
chronic disorders
LO1.10
standard clinical and laboratory investigations and radiological imaging appropriate to
common and serious disorders
LO1.11
management options for the most common and serious disorders, diseases, and
illnesses requiring immediate and long-term treatment
LO1.12
relieving pain and ameliorating the suffering of patients
LO1.13
the incidence and impact of economic, psychological, societal, and cultural
determinants of health, illness and disease for individuals and within populations
LO1.14
the power of the scientific method in establishing the causation of disease and
efficacy of traditional and non-traditional therapies

LO2.

Communication skills: These skills relate to communication between doctor and patient, doctor
and the patients family, doctor and doctor, doctor and health care team, and doctor as manager/
leader. Students should be able to demonstrate that they can:
LO2.1. conduct an interview with a patient in an empathic manner, which is both therapeutic
and effective in eliciting information.
During an interview, the student will:
LO2.2. establish good rapport
LO2.3. proceed logically

24

LO2.4. obtain the essential history, including issues related to age, gender, and socio-economic
status
LO2.5. listen carefully
LO2.6. observe non-verbal cues
LO2.7. demonstrate an understanding of the person, and their life
LO2.8. determine the patients feelings, understanding of illness and expectations.
Students should also be able to demonstrate that they can:
LO2.9. communicate truthfully and compassionately with patients, their families, colleagues,
and other professionals both verbally and in writing
LO2.10 develop and maintain effective relationships with patients with complex problems
L02.11 provide information, emotional support and recommendation to ensure understanding
and informed consent for a mutually agreeable therapeutic plan
LO2.12 recognize and handle appropriately the reactions to bad news, loss, grief and other
common but difficult clinical situations
LO2.13 apply negotiation and conflict resolution skills in interpersonal relationships.
LO3. Professional behaviours: These behaviours relate to professional conduct. Students should be able
to demonstrate that they can:
LO3.1 meet or exceed accepted ethical standards, including the Professional Standards for Faculty
Members and Learners in the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of
British Columbia, with the highest sense of honesty and integrity.
LO3.2 interact with patients, patients families, colleagues, and others with honesty, integrity,
compassion, and respect
LO3.3 demonstrate respect and protection of the patients confidentiality, dignity and autonomy
when discussing personal issues, illness, and disease, prognosis and treatment options
with patients, their families, or other members of the health care team
LO3.4 advocate at all times the primacy of patient well-being in the clinical setting
LO3.5 not discriminate in interactions with others, on protected grounds such as age, race, colour,
ancestry, place of origin, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, physical or
mental disability, sex, sexual orientation or unrelated criminal convictions
LO3.6 respect social and cultural differences in attitudes and beliefs
LO3.7 understand and exhibit appropriate strategies to deal with boundary issues
LO3.8 exhibit professional conduct regarding demeanour, use of language, and appearance in
health care settings
LO3.9 understand the contributions of other health care disciplines, show respect for the skills of
others, and be prepared to practice effectively within a multidisciplinary, interprofessional team
LO3.10 understand and value the concept of patient-centred care and the non-disease-oriented
determinants of wellness
LO3.11 understand the threats to medical professionalism posed by the conflicts of interest
inherent in various financial and organizational arrangements for the practice of medicine
LO3.12 demonstrate an ethos of service to better meet the health needs of all British Columbians
LO4. Clinical skills including clinical reasoning: These competencies relate to providing highly skilled
clinical care to patients. Students should be able to demonstrate that they can:
LO4.1 obtain a complete and accurate history of the patients presenting complaints

25

LO4.2 perform a complete general and organ-specific examination including mental status
examination of patients, where appropriate
LO4.3 summarize and prioritize a patients clinical problems and present the results in a standard
written and oral form
LO4.4 request and interpret the results of appropriate investigations and diagnostic procedures
LO4.5 accurately record history and physical findings, test results, and other information pertinent
to the care of the patient
LO4.6 distinguish normal structure and function from abnormal and understand the significance
of these abnormalities in each of the major organ systems
LO4.7 analyze the information obtained from the medical history, physical examination, and
appropriate investigations in order to reach a working or provisional diagnosis (diagnostic
reasoning)
LO4.8 consider natural history, evaluate options and formulate a management plan (therapeutic
reasoning)
LO4.9 recognize urgent situations requiring immediate response and provide the appropriate
response
LO4.10 identify persons at risk for common health problems and provide health promotion/ risk
prevention education and counselling.
LO5.

Practical and technical skills: Students should be competent in performing a set of core practical
and technical skills meeting the specific objectives of all clerkships as outlined in the attached
appendices.

LO6.

Information management skills: These skills relate to the acquisition and use of information.
Students should be able to demonstrate that they can:
LO6.1 use general-purpose computer software packages
LO6.2 use electronic networks for communication with others
LO6.3 search, retrieve, and organize information from a variety of information sources
LO6.4 select and use materials as resources in self-directed learning, including computer-aided
and web-based learning resources
LO6.5 be adept at using hospital information systems
LO6.6 critically evaluate the validity and applicability of commonly encountered information
sources, including published literature and the Internet, and critically evaluate material
from pharmaceutical and other health-related industries.

LO7.

Personal management skills: These skills relate to development of the Person. Students should be
able to demonstrate that they can:
LO7.1 manage time effectively between work, study, recreation, and other activities.
LO7.2 prioritize tasks, plan and schedule work to meet deadlines and communicate effectively
with others around planning and scheduling work
LO7.3 select appropriate learning methods for the subject/ competency to be mastered
LO7.4 assess their own strengths and weaknesses and be willing to seek help or accept feedback
about personal limitations in knowledge and skills; acknowledge error and institute
corrective action
LO7.5 recognize and respond appropriately to emotional distress in themselves and others,
including colleagues, or seek help where appropriate
LO7.6 develop and practice active coping skills and when distressed, seek appropriate help.

26

LO8.

Health policy skills: These skills relate to working within the health care delivery system. Students
should be able to demonstrate that they can:
LO8.1 identify major issues of health care policy, economics and services in BC, Canada, and the
world
LO8.2 discuss the Canada Health Act and the Canadian health care system in relation to health
care delivery, including delivery to underserved citizens of Canada, and understand that
health care systems in other developed and less developed nations may be different
LO8.3 explain and integrate quality assurance and practice audit principles into clinical practice
LO8.4 understand the cost and societal implications of approaches to providing health care
services for patients and explain the principles of cost-effective patient care
LO8.5 recognize and appropriately address gender and cultural biases in the process of health
care delivery
LO8.6 advocate for access to health care for members of traditionally underserved populations.

APPENDIX 2: Students Engaging in Clinical Activities

All medical students at the University of British Columbia that are undertaking scheduled, supervised clinical
experiences, either during an academic semester or between such semesters, are eligible for coverage by the
Universitys General Liability and Medical Malpractice Insurance policy and hold valid educational licenses at
the College of Physicians & Surgeons of British Columbia.

Year 3 & 4: Clerkship & Elective Supervision, and Assessment Policies

Roles and Responsibilities of Medical Students
Medical students require clinical training in hospital and ambulatory settings. The usual model for this is called a
clerkship wherein medical students take part in health care delivery of patients with physicians. Historically
these clerkships took place in teaching hospitals where the students could be continuously supervised. More
recently with the changing nature of our health care systems the training of medical students has shifted to
include community-based sites.
In the UBC MD Undergraduate Program, the third and fourth years of our four-year program are the clerkship
years: Year 3 is considered core or junior; Year 4 is considered senior or Elective. Any of the below have to be
considered within the specific program objectives of each Program/Discipline or Department.
Medical students may become involved in any aspect of patient care. The following are examples:
1. Carry out a history and physical assessment in physicians offices, hospital wards or the Emergency Room.
2. The normal delivery of an infant.
3. A surgical procedure in an Operating Room.

27

4. The admission of a patient to an acute care ward and the follow-up of such a patient.
5. Be a member of a multi-disciplinary team in an ambulatory setting.
Students therefore carry out and provide the normal spectrum of medical services as physicians do, with
limitations, as follows:
1. They must be supervised at all times: this can be done by a post-graduate resident or an attending physician.
2. Histories and physicals must be completed, reviewed, and signed by the attending physician (or resident)
within 24 hours of admission.
3. Orders written by clerks under appropriate supervision are recognized (by the hospital) as equivalent to
orders written by other members of the resident and medical staff. Appropriate supervision is defined as
previous discussion of such orders with a resident or attending staff physician. For all orders, clerks must
indicate CLERK or MSI after their names.
4. In case of invasive diagnostic procedures or investigations, or therapeutic drug orders, including orders for
intravenous fluids (this includes blood and blood products), the clerk shall, except in an emergency, write the
name of the resident or attending physician with whom the orders have been discussed after his/her own
signature. The above orders must be countersigned by the responsible resident or attending physician. The
responsible resident or attending staff physician should preferably countersign orders before they are carried
out. If this is not practical the order may be carried out and then countersigned at the earliest opportunity.
Note: "In an emergency, narcotics and controlled drugs are to be treated in exactly the same way as any other
therapeutic agent ordered by clerks."
5. All orders written and signed in the Emergency Department require prior discussion with an on site resident
or attending staff physician before the orders are carried out. Clinical clerks in other Departments may write
and sign the following without requiring prior discussion:
Investigations:
a. Simple imaging procedures, non- contrast X-rays (but excluding CT scans, portable examinations, ultrasound
examinations and radionuclide scans.)
b. Electrocardiograms, echocardiograms.
c. Blood and urine tests, excluding bone marrow aspiration.
d. Microbiology cultures.
Medications:
e. Non-controlled analgesics and anti-pyretics.
f. Shampoos, dermatological preparations other than those containing steroids.
g. Vitamins.
6. Clerks may perform procedures under appropriate supervision. The words under appropriate supervision
mean that the supervising medical and resident staff shall ensure that the clerk has been sufficiently trained
to carry out the elements of patient care and that he/she is capable of performing the procedure he/she is
permitted to undertake. In addition, it is the responsibility of the clerk to ensure that he/she is competent to
undertake the elements of patient care. Patient and student safety must be ensured by supervisors in clinical
settings. Students must not be required to attempt procedures that they are inadequately trained to perform
or procedures with any significant foreseeable risk e.g. attempting to suture the agitated HIV/Hep C patient.
7. Clerks may not discharge a patient from a ward in the hospital, from the Emergency Department, or the
Outpatient Department.
8. Clerks cannot sign birth and death certificates, although they may carry out the clinical task of certifying
death. Prescriptions to be filled outside the hospital cannot be signed by clerks.
9. Physicians and clerks are advised to exercise care and caution during introductions to hospital staff and
patients, so that the role of the clerk cannot be misinterpreted. Each Department, Service or Hospital to which
a clerk is attached must be able to identify by name, the person responsible for the educational experience of

28

the clerk while he/she is attached to the Department, Service, or Hospital. Temporary registration is provided
to the clerk under Section 38 [2](d) of the Medical Practitioners Act.
10. Clerks are not permitted to dictate final versions of discharge summaries or consultation letters. Learning how
to prepare discharge summaries or consultation letters under supervision has potential educational value and
should be encouraged.

Examples of:

What Year 3 and 4 Students CAN Do

What Year 3 and 4 Students CANT Do

Carry out a history and physical assessment in

physicians offices, hospital wards or the emergency
room.

Discharge a patient from a ward in the hospital, from the

emergency department, or the outpatient department.

Be involved in the normal delivery of an infant.

Sign birth and death certificates.

Be involved in a surgical procedure in an operating

room.

Sign prescriptions to be filled outside the hospital

Be involved in any aspect of patient care during the

admission of a patient to an acute care ward and the
follow-up of such a patient.

Write orders in the Emergency Department without prior

discussion with an on site resident or attending staff
physician.

Be a member of a multi-disciplinary team in an

ambulatory setting.
Write orders that are countersigned by resident or
staff.
Order non contrast x-rays (but excluding CT scans,
tomograms, portable examinations, ultrasound
examinations and radionuclide scans).
Order electrocardiograms and echocardiograms.
Order blood and urine tests, excluding bone marrow
aspiration.
Order microbiology cultures.
Carry out the clinical task of certifying death.

29

Appendix 3: Mid & End of Elective Assessment Forms

Class of 20__
End of Elective Preceptor Assessment of Student in Year 4
Name of Elective: _________________________________________________________
Student: _________________________________________________________________
For dates: ____________________________ to _________________________________
Completed by Preceptor: ___________________________________________________
Dear Colleague,
This form runs to several pages, but will take only a few minutes to complete. There are definitions for each of the items to
guide your rating of how your student has performed this is why the form is so long, but should make your task quicker and
easier. End of rotation assessments are important for student learning and allow us to assign credit for the time spent with
you. Thank you for completing this assessment.
Please remember the vast majority of student will do well and should receive Meets Requirements.

Definitions of Standards:
Does Not Meet Requirements = Failure
critical errors or omissions
disorganized
jeopardizes patient care
passive
lacking insight
Requires Improvement = Borderline Pass
gaps in functioning at an appropriate level but not failing
Meets Requirements = Pass
satisfactory and clear pass
performing well
Exceeds Requirements
performing at the level of a much more senior learner or clinician
deserving of consideration for awards
Not Applicable
not all items apply to all electives
forced choice for indispensable items

30

Class of 20__
**Full print outs available on MEDICOL and ONE45

Mid Rotation Faculty Preceptor Assessment of Student in Year 4

Name of Elective: _________________________________________________________
Student: _________________________________________________________________
For dates: ____________________________ to _________________________________
Completed by Preceptor: ___________________________________________________
In providing an assessment, remember excellence is the norm and that most students will meet requirements.
In determining a rating for the students level of performance so far, please consider the Medical Expert category
as the central, integrative and critical role in medical student competence.
Assess of performance is critical to growth of student physicians. Your contribution will provide realistic feedback to your
student to address any concerns and make any necessary changes to improve his / her performance before the final
assessment is done.

MID-ROTATION ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE

Clinical Examination Skills

Management Skills

Communication and Interaction Skills

Collaboration Skills

Heath Care Advocate Skills

Scholar Skills

Professionalism
31

Appendix 4: Case Report Guidelines

Class of 20__ Case Report Guidelines
(No patient identifiers should be in this report; it is to be used as a guide only)
The purpose of a written case report is to familiarize the student with clinical reasoning and to provide the opportunity to present it in a
written form. The report should be at least 1,000 words (3-4 double-spaced pages) and focus on the diagnosis and management of a
patient during any one 4 week UBC Clinical Rotation.
Instructions
Preceptors
Instructions
Students

1.

for
for

Please review the students case report, keeping the guidelines described below in mind. If the report is acceptable,
please complete and sign the assessment portion of this page, sign the report and return both to the student.
You are responsible for completing and submitting your report to your preceptor with enough time for the
preceptor to review and return to you. You must return a signed copy of the case report, along with this
completed page, to your home site (see contact information below). All completed forms must be submitted to the
appropriate home site by January xx 201x. If the report is received after this date, the student will have an
incomplete showing on their transcript.

DATA GATHERING
Describe the sequential development and history of the illness and physical examination in appropriate detail.

2.

3.

DIAGNOSTIC REASONING
a)

Differential diagnosis - review and analyze the considered differential diagnosis and arrive at a provisional diagnosis

b)

Management plan - demonstrate discernment in analysis and use of investigations

THERAPEUTIC REASONING
a)

Natural history the student states the understood natural history of the condition

b)

Management plan - the student attributes realistic management options, considers appropriate expectations and risks, selects a
treatment of choice and provides a recommendation for the patient

4. LITERATURE REVIEW & APPRAISAL

5.

OVERALL CASE REPORT ASSESSMENT

Student Name: _______________________________

Evaluator Name: ____________________________

Elective: ____________________________________

Dates: ____________________________________

Please note:
a)
Only the most exceptional students will be given an Exceeds Requirements assessment;
b)
The Requires Improvement category is intended to alert both student and faculty of the need for possible remedial instruction;
c)
Any Requires Improvement or Does Not Meet Requirements assessment MUST be discussed with the student.
Does Not Meet Requirements

Requires Improvement

Meets Requirement

Physicians Name (please print)

Exceeds Requirements

Physicians Signature

If VFMP is your home site, submit to:

If IMP is your home site, submit to:

If NMP is your home site, submit to:

Maeve Lalor, UBC

FoM UG Deans Office
2775 Laurel Street, 11th Floor 11278
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
Fax: 604-875-5611
maeve.lalor@ubc.ca

Luisa Halsall
IMP Clinical Academic Campus
Victoria General Hospital
1 Hospital Way
Victoria, BC V8Z 6R5
Fax: 250 727 4149
lhalsall@uvic.ca

Deanna Brown
University of Northern BC
UNBC 5th Floor-University Hospital of Northern
BC1475 Edmonton Street
Prince George, BC V2M 1S2
Fax: 250-649-7105
deanna.brown@unbc.ca

32

ML| C2014 Case Report Guidelines | July 2013

APPENDIX 5: Elective Cancellation Policy

Year 4 Elective Cancellation Policy
Faculty of Medicine - University of British Columbia

Year 4 Electives allocation result from the combined effort of different parties involved in the process:
Students requests; Deans Office processing; Distributed Site Offices; corresponding Department
administrative support; Sub-specialty Divisions, and the continued use of the One45 online system by
Program Assistants and students.

Once Year 4 Electives are confirmed, it is understood that there is agreement amongst all parties involved.
Therefore, existing resources are scheduled accordingly and corresponding timeslots are reserved for
confirmed students.
Students cannot cancel an elective; rather must replace it with either another UBC elective or an OOP elective
through One-45.

Step 1

Any cancellations of UBC Year 4 Electives must be done through One45 at least 6 weeks prior
to the designated Elective starting date.
One-45 will not allow students to request to cancel an already scheduled UBC Elective less
than 6 weeks prior to the Elective start date.
Due to administrative and scheduling requirements, the Year 4 Elective cancellation deadlines
often need to be a couple days earlier which means that the last opportunity to cancel an
Elective may be in excess of six weeks before the start date of the Elective. Having provided
the Year 4 Program Assistants current email addresses, it is the students responsibility to
ensure that they regularly check for important email correspondence regarding upcoming
deadlines.
In cases when there are specific mitigating issues, students must contact their Home Site Year
4 Program Director. Please refer to the First Points of Contact for more contact information.

The UBC Year 4 Department Representative and Site Director reserve the right to deny late
Elective cancellation requests, and no late request is guaranteed to be approved.
ADDENDUM:
In the rare circumstance that a student requires an Elective cancellation under 6 weeks to
facilitate CaRMS application letters for a late career interest change, there is a process in
place for the request to be reviewed. All late career changes must be reviewed by the Office
of Student Affairs as part of the process.

33

APPENDIX 6: Liability Insurance & Informal Elective Opportunities

Date: October 2, 2008
To:

UBC MD Undergraduate Students

From: Office of Student Affairs

Re:

Medical Experiences and High-risk Travel

Preamble
Students in the UBC MD Undergraduate Program take the opportunity to explore a variety of volunteer and
unpaid opportunities in many different locations during their time in medical school.
Two important issues must be recognized with regard to medical experiences away from the UBC distributed
program sites:

Professional Liability Insurance coverage.

Personal health and safety

Professional Liability Insurance
Students in Years 1 and 2 should refer to Policy 6.1 in their Policies and Procedures Manual, with regard to their
coverage by UBCs General Liability and Medical Malpractice Insurance policy. Students in Years 3 and 4 should
refer to Appendix 2 in their Policies and Procedures Manual, with regard to their coverage by UBCs General
Liability and Medical Malpractice Insurance policy.
In general, students should understand that they have coverage for Liability and Medical Malpractice Insurance,
as long as they are engaged in supervised Clinical Activities which are appropriate for their level of education and
clinical skill, as detailed in the above policies. This means that they do NOT have Liability and Medical Malpractice
Insurance if they are engaged in clinical activities other than those detailed in the appropriate Policy and
Procedures Manual.
Students in Years 1 and 2 of the MD Undergraduate Program may choose to seek out medical experiences in
addition to those in the curriculum. Such experiences are NOT formal Electives, and do not fulfill elective
requirements of the Faculty of Medicine. A letter from the UBC Faculty of Medicine indicating that a student is in
good standing does NOT constitute approval of an Elective by the Faculty.
Students in Years 1 and 2 of the program should be aware that they have professional liability insurance only for
clinical activities or medical experiences which are outlined in Policy 6.1. These activities are essentially
observational.
Students should be aware that Year 3 of the Program begins with Rural Practice. Students undertaking a medical
experience before Rural Practice have professional liability insurance to perform clinical activities consistent with
Policy 6.1 in the Year 1 and 2 Policies and Procedures Manual.

34

Students in Years 3 and 4 of the UBC MD Undergraduate Program have the opportunity to participate in FORMAL
Electives as part of their medical training. As registered students in UBCs MD Undergraduate Program, these
activities are covered by UBCs Professional Liability Insurance.
Students undertaking a medical experience after Rural Practice, in Years 3 or 4 of the Program will have
professional liability insurance, as long as they follow the guidelines for Clinical Activities, as detailed in Appendix
2 of the Year 3 and 4 Policies and Procedures Manual. Such experiences are NOT formal Electives, and do not fulfill
elective requirements of the Faculty of Medicine.
The Office of Student Affairs, MD Undergraduate Program, will endeavor to advise all students should questions
arise during their medical experiences, regardless of their year of study, or the location of the experience. The
Associate Dean or site Assistant Deans of Student Affairs will make every effort to respond in a timely fashion if
questions arise. Telephone consultation is preferred if timing of a response is a concern (see Wallet Card).
Personal Health and Safety
For all students, regardless of their year of study, personal safety is paramount, particularly when traveling to
high-risk locations. Risks to students may be specific to a location, setting or region. Therefore, students are
advised to consider the following:
This list is not limited to the following:

Exposure to illness (including malaria, TB)

Exposure to blood borne infections (HIV)

High risk settings (political unrest/unfamiliar public transportation standards/limited local medical
resources)
Students are advised to:

Purchase appropriate extended personal medical coverage prior to departure this can be done through
groups like the BCAA, Blue Cross, and most banks. In addition, Travel Clinics will have information about
purchasing extended personal medical coverage.

Consult a Medical Travel Clinic, and secure appropriate immunization/medical travel protection prior to
departure

Contact information should be taken with you, should questions arise regarding: response to risk of
infection, Centre for Disease Control, Canadian Embassy, Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, next
of kin, etc.

Consider follow-up medical testing on return to Canada, depending on the location of travel.

All students travelling and working or volunteering abroad must comply with UBCs Policy #69, Students
Safety Abroad. Students will register with Go Global at www.students.ubc.ca/global/safety-abroad.
(see Appendix 13- International Electives Guidelines.)

APPENDIX 7: OSCE Exam Guidelines

University of British Columbia
Faculty of Medicine, Undergraduate Education
OSCE CONDUCT Years 1, 2 and 4
35

Arrive at the scheduled location no later than 5 minutes prior to the posted arrival time. Remain outside the
room until instructed to enter by the exam invigilators.
PERSONAL EFFECTS
All bags (including lunch bags), books, and electronic devices may not accompany you throughout the OSCE.
There will be a secure location to leave your personal effects during the exam.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, pagers, PDAs, etc.) must not be with the student during the OSCE. Please
ensure all cell phones in your bags are turned off.
DURING THE EXAMINATION
All students must respect the examination practices regarding no communication among students, and not using
reference materials.
Candidates suspected of any of the following, or similar, dishonest practices shall be immediately dismissed from
the examination and shall be liable to disciplinary action.
Having at the place of writing any books, papers or memoranda, calculators, computers, sound or image
players/recorders/transmitters (including telephones), or other memory aid devices, other than those
authorized by the examiners.
Speaking or communicating with other candidates.
Purposely exposing written papers to the view of other candidates or imaging devices. The plea of
accident or forgetfulness shall not be received.
ALCOHOL & DRUG USE IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING
The consumption of alcohol is restricted on University premises and regulated by UBC Policy No. 13.* The public
consumption of alcohol on University property is, therefore, generally not permissible. Specifically, unauthorized
consumption of alcohol before, during, and after a Faculty of Medicine academic event (such as a lecture,
examination or examination review session) is not permissible on the premises and will not be tolerated. If
students are found consuming alcohol or using illicit drugs at such academic events or settings, this behaviour will
be reviewed in light of UBC Policy, the Faculty of Medicines Professional Standards for Faculty Members and
Learners in the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of British Columbia, and provincial law.**
Any student found to have distributed and/or consumed alcohol or drugs, in violation of this statement, will be
referred to the Student Promotions Committee and/or the UBC student discipline process.
*See also University of Victoria policy #6445, Liquor Policy, and the Regulations & Policies section of the
University Calendar, University of Northern BC, for the regulations at the IMP and NMP sites.
**Section 40(1) of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, c. 267 R.S.B.C. 1996, states: Except for liquor purchased
and consumed in accordance with a licence that permits consumption in a public place, a person must not
consume liquor in a public place.

APPENDIX 8: First Point of Contact

1. INTRODUCTION
The Year 4 Electives Program is designed to build on the knowledge, skills, attitudes and professionalism acquired
in the first three years of the MD Undergraduate Program; foster advanced clinical skills to ensure students
achieve core competencies; and prepare the undifferentiated graduate to assume postgraduate roles in any

36

specialty. The purpose of this document is to identify a students first point of contact for advice and/or issues
pertaining to Year 4 Electives.
2. DEFINITIONS
The undifferentiated graduate/physician: has a core group of competencies such that, on graduation from an
undergraduate medical program, has the capacity to acquire the knowledge and skills of any specialty.
Home Program: the UBC program to which a student was initially admitted or to which they were
subsequently transferred.
Island Medical Program includes all Year 4 Electives on Vancouver Island or falling within the Vancouver
Island Health Authority boundary.
Northern Medical Program includes all Year 4 Electives North of Williams Lake that fall within the Northern
Health Authority boundary.
Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program includes all Year 4 Electives within the Lower Mainland, North
Shore/Garibaldi and Fraser Valley, falling within Provincial Health Services, Vancouver Coastal Health and
Fraser Health Authorities. Major sites currently include: VHSCC, Royal Columbian, Surrey, Lions Gate,
Richmond and Chilliwack.
Southern Medical Program: includes all Year 4 Electives within the Interior Health Authority which
encompasses all communities in the East Kootenays, Kootenay Boundary, Okanagan and Thompson Cariboo
Shuswap regions.
3. YEAR 4 ELECTIVES - STUDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM
Year 4 Home
Program Directors

Year 4 Home
Program
Managers

Island Medical Program

Dr.Amida Modi

Lynne Fisher

Northern Medical
Program

Dr. AnthonyPreston

Jennifer Young

Vancouver-Fraser
Medical Program

Dr. Michael Curry

Deborah
Phillips

Interior Electives
Program

Dr. Katharine Smart

Elaine Thomas

Year 4 Program
Director & Chair, Year 4
Committee

Year 4
Departmental
Representatives

Assistant Dean,
Student Affairs
(ADSA)
Dr Darlene
Hammell

Equivalent to
Clerkship Directors
in Yr 3 and often
the same person.
See list on Medicol

Dr. Leigh
Hungsinger
Dr. J. McMillan

Dr. Connie Hull

Dr. Michael Curry

4. UBC YEAR 4 ELECTIVES

4.1. Advice on educational choices/Electives to enhance a specialty or sub-specialty career path: contact the
Year 4 Departmental Representatives/or Departmental Advisors or Career Planning in the OSA office.

37

4.2. Changes that affect the balance of a students overall Electives plan (significant changes, e.g., to the
Mandatory Elective, change of career intention): the first point of contact prior to making any changes is
the Home Program Director.
4.3. Electives Selection Process: contact the Home Program Manager.
4.4. Changes to Elective Timing or Availability (minor changes, e.g. same Elective, different month): contact
Home Site Senior Program Assistant
4.5. Cancellation of an Elective: please refer to the Year 4 Elective Cancellation Policy To update the
personalized schedule (e.g, to reflect confirmed out-of-province electives): , Year 4 Program Assistant,
Deans Office
4.6. Experiencing Academic Difficulty: students in academic difficulty on a UBC Year 4 Elective should first
contact the Home Program Director.
5. OUT OF PROVINCE ELECTIVES
5.1. Advice/assistance choosing appropriate out-of-province Electives for a balanced program: contact the
Home Program Director.
5.2. Advice on educational choices/Electives to enhance a specialty or sub-specialty career choice: contact the
Year 4 Departmental Representatives or listed Departmental Advisors (see Medicol)
5.3. Experiencing Academic Difficulty: students in academic difficulty when out of province should first contact
the Home Program Director.
6. ASSESSMENTS
6.1. Mid Rotation: students are strongly encouraged to ensure their preceptor conducts a mid-rotation
assessment. For some students, completion of this form may be required and they will be notified of this
prior at the start of their elective(s)
6.2. End of Rotation: Year 4 students have access to completed assessments directly on the One 45 system. If a
student wishes to challenge an end of rotation assessment, either for a UBC or an out of province elective,
the first point of contact is the Department where the elective took place or the Home Program.
PERSONAL ISSUES / SITUATIONS:
6.3. In the Home Program: a student in personal difficulty while on Elective within the Home Program, has a
choice of contacting either:
The Home Program Director, or
The Assistant Dean, Student Affairs for their Home Program
6.4. Outside the Home Program or Out of Province: a student in personal difficulty while on Elective at a site
outside the Home Program or Out of Province can first contact:
The Home Program Director, or
The Program Director for the Program where the elective is located, or
The Assistant Dean, Student Affairs at the Home Program
The Assistant Dean, Student Affairs for the Program where the Elective is located
Students in personal difficulty will always be referred back to the Assistant Dean, Student Affairs at their
Home Program unless they specifically request otherwise.

38

APPENDIX 9: MSPR
Please Refer to P & P Year 3

APPENDIX 10: Disruption of Teaching and Learning Activities

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this document is to specify policy and procedure when a disruption in delivery occurs before or
during a teaching and learning activity in the Undergraduate Medical Program.
Despite the low probability of delivery disruptions occurring, there have been incidents over past years of the
distributed program, including:
technical failure
labour disputes and/or work stoppage
facility closures due to chemical spills
inclement weather
As a result of these incidents, the need to outline procedures when a potential, or actual, disruption occurs has
been identified. The guiding principles in the revision of this policy are as follows: (1) to keep the policy concise
and feasible and (2) years one and two are to remain as consistent as possible, and for years three and four there
are exceptions. The appended process document outlines the internal process for each department in years 3 and
4 and the first point of contact in the event that a disruption of teaching and learning occurs.
Definitions
Program Management Team Includes the Course Directors, MDUP Program Managers, Coordinators and
Assistants. This team is accessible by a listserve and by telephone.
AV Support Team Includes AV Specialists supporting the undergraduate medical education program. This team
is accessible by a listserv and the Technical Operations Managers.
MEDICOL Medicine and Dentistry Integrated Curriculum On-Line, a centralized curriculum repository for learners
in the undergraduate program.
VCSD (Videoconference Service Desk) AV support team centrally located at UBC to provide remote
Videoconference support for facilities without on-site technical personnel
Disruption Protocols
Missed Content
If a disruption of any kind causes one site to miss (a) teaching and learning session(s), or a portion thereof, the
other sites will continue as normal, and the missed content will be accessed by the affected learners on MEDICOL
if available for posting.
Closed Facility
If the instructor and AV specialist are able to attend the host delivery site, the teaching and learning session will
go ahead as planned. Instructors will be granted financial compensation regardless of whether or not a facility is
closed. Learners who miss the session will be responsible for the content through self-directed study. If available,
learning materials will be posted on MEDICOL, and may be provided in hard copy.
Absent Instructor
Regardless of the reason, if an instructor is not able to attend the host delivery site, the teaching and learning
session will be cancelled at all sites. The communication process (see below) will be activated by the Program

39

Manager for the year in which the disruption occurs. If available, learning materials will be posted on MEDICOL,
and may be provided in hard copy.
Absent AV Specialist
Regardless of the reason, if an AV specialist is not able to attend the host delivery site, the teaching and learning
session will be cancelled at all sites. The AV support team will notify the Program Manager for the year in which
the disruption occurs, thus activating the communication process. Learning materials will be made available on
MEDICOL, and may be provided in hard copy.
Multiple Instructors
When multiple instructors are involved in a teaching and learning session, the situation will be assessed on a caseby-base basis. The Program Manager for the year in which the disruption occurs will lead the assessment process
based on a criteria list [to be determined by Program Managers in consultation with course leadership], to
ascertain whether or not the session can go ahead as planned.
Anticipated Outages
For anticipated outages, or outages that last more than one day, the situation will be assessed by the Project
Management team on a case-by-base basis and accommodations will be made to transfer learning materials to
the affected site(s).
Year 4
As above in years 1 and 2, with the addition of the following:
Videoconference Service Desk
Should UBCs Point Grey campus close due to inclement weather or any other reason, the Videoconference
Service Desk (VCSD) will also be closed. This means that sites without onsite technicians (i.e., Affiliated Regional
Centres, ARCs) will not be supported and students at those sites may have to miss the lecture.
In this event, the VCSD Coordinator will contact the Program Managers/Coordinators at affected sites to report
the VCSD closure.
Communication Structure
The site Program Manager/Coordinator for the MD Undergraduate Program will be the central point of
communication for all delivery disruptions.
In the event of inclement weather, the Program Managers/Coordinators will check the local university website or
24 hour message service for closure notifications. The Program Manager(s)/Coordinator(s) at the affected site(s)
are responsible for communicating closure information to all relevant sites. For example, if there is a snow day at
the University of Victoria, the IMP Program Coordinator is responsible for activating the communication process.
In the event of facility closures, Program Managers/Coordinators may be alerted by a facility manager, learner,
instructor or staff. Currently, there is no formalized communication process from each facility that results in the
Program Manager(s)/Coordinator(s) being alerted when a facility is closed. Once alerted of the closure, the
Program Manager/Coordinator at the affected site is responsible for communicating closure information to all
relevant sites.
In the event of labour stoppage, Program Managers/Coordinators will be alerted by the host university or health
workers union. Once the Program Manager/Coordinator is alerted of the labour stoppage, the Program
Manager/Coordinator at the affected site will be responsible to communicate closure information to all relevant
sites.
In the event of technical outages, the AV support team will send written notification via email, in addition to
telephoning the Program Manager/Coordinator at the affected site, notifying them of the disruption. Once the

40

Program Manager/Coordinator is alerted of the technical outage, s/he is responsible for communicating the
outage information to all sites.
Program Managers/Coordinators will be required to make the decision to cancel a teaching and learning session
based on 1) the cancellation criteria, and 2) the information available to them at that time. Where possible, the
Program Manager/Coordinator will make this decision in collaboration with the instructor(s), and other Course
Director(s)/Site Director(s).
Communication Process
The following communication process will be activated for any disruption in teaching and learning in the MD
Undergraduate Program.
1.) The Program Manager(s) may receive a phone call or an email, or an information update from a website or
radio notifying them of an actual or potential disruption.
2.) The affected site Program Manager(s) will record a voicemail message for all students, staff, and faculty to
access. S/he will include the following information as available:
a. Whether or not classes are cancelled
b. When to expect an updated outgoing message
c. Reminder to check MEDICOL for materials
3.) The affected site Program Manager(s) will follow up with an email sent using an email listserv, with
additional phone calls as needed, to supply the following information as it becomes available:
a. Reminder of number to phone for updates
b. Current situation
c. Rescheduling information (if applicable)
d. Where to access missed content (if applicable)
e. Contact person(s)
4.) The Program Manager will be responsible for responding to all inquiries and troubleshooting all related
problems.

Program Management

AV
Support

Instructors

Learners

Cancellation Criteria
If classes at Pt Grey campus are cancelled, as noted on the UBC website, then Pt Grey classes and DHCC classes
are cancelled.
Acceptable level of risk
This process is not foolproof. Relying on emails and phone calls, there will be times when the Program
Management Team will be occupied in meetings which will delay their ability to activate the communication
process. The team will be very proactive in its approach and will provide information at the beginning of each
academic year to faculty, staff and students. Additional communications will be sent as the fall and winter
approaches, when likelihood of disruption may increase. This approach should minimize the level of risk.
DISRUPTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES SPECIFIC TO YEAR 4

41

Year 4 curriculum consists of 36 weeks (September to April) of which at least 24 weeks are in a clinical setting with
a protected time for Academic Activity consisting of 3 weeks in January and the last three weeks of February.
The Year 4 Management Team will follow two (2) plans of action in order to facilitate a clear process of
communication in the event of disruption of teaching and learning as defined in the Technology Enabled Learning
Policy 3. The action plan will be dependent on the date when the disruption of teaching and learning should
occur.
The Year 4 prototype schedule outlines the two components of the program Electives and Academic Activity
known as PMP. Therefore the process of communication will proceed according to date and activity of students
during the calendar year.
Should the disruption of learning occur during:
Clinical Electives Blocks: The Program Management Team which includes Year 4 managers at all sites, VFMP,
IMP, SMP and NMP as well as all Elective Owners (distribution list attached) will be responsible for
communicating to the best of their ability to the faculty and students across clinical sites.
PMP Academic Activity: The Program Management Team includes all Year 4 managers at all sites VFMP, IMP,
SMP and NMP and it will be responsible for responding to all inquiries and troubleshooting as well as related
problems during the disruption of learning. The Distribution list attached includes points of contact for PMP
Academic Activity.

APPENDIX 11: Unmatched Students from the CaRMs First or Second

Iteration
There is a clear need to support Year 4 students who do not match to a residency position in the first CaRMS
round. This is a difficult time for students as they deal with their disappointment, consider new plans for the
future, and prepare for the second match. The timeline for reapplication is very short (7-10 days) requiring
significant time to prepare, collect and, and submit new documentation. This is followed by a three-week window
in which students participate in interviews with Residency Directors across the country, both by phone and in
person* across the country. Students have no control over the timing of these interviews, and they are often
informed of the interviews with very short notice.
The Office of Student Affairs will be the primary resource for these students, along with the support of the Year 4
Site Director and other clinical faculty.
Students coping with this challenge will be given special consideration.
1. Students should contact the Office of Student Affairs as soon as they learn they have not matched. They should
connect with their Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, or the Director of Career Counseling to discuss
plans and options. They should also contact their Year 4 Site Director.
2. If the students wish it, their Year 4 Site Director will contact their Elective preceptor, explain the situation and
describe the process to come.

42

3. Students will normally be granted a five working day period following the Match to prepare their new
application. If a student is required to travel for interviews for the second match, such arrangements will be
negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the Clerkship director, and Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
4. Attempts will be made to facilitate telephone interviews. Following the submission of documentation, students
participate in telephone interviews with Residency directors across the country. The students have no control
over the timing of these interviews, and they are often informed of the interviews with very short notice. The
interviews are very important, and students need a quiet private place in which to talk.
5. Students who do not match in the second round will be considered on a case-by-case basis by both the Office of
Student Affairs and the Deans Office.
The Deans Office will ensure that as far as possible, the Year 4 core curriculum requirements are met by these
students.
* The requirement by some programs for interviews in person is a new phenomenon as of the 2008 match year.

APPENDIX 12: International Elective Guidelines

Preamble: Non - LCME Electives do not count toward Core Curriculum Requirements. All Non-LCME
Electives must be affiliated with an academic centre. Students may opt to do a maximum total of 8
weeks Elective experience at non- LCME centres, however all Electives and the maximum of 8 weeks
must follow the approval process below:
1) First, ensure that your schedule is well-balanced, satisfies all the core requirements, and that you have no
outstanding academic issues before thinking of pursuing a non- LCME Elective. *If your schedule has not been
populated or confirmed, include your proposed schedule.
2) Next, ensure that the Elective is affiliated with a University and Medical School Teaching Facility, and obtain a
written description of the Elective from the Preceptor/Institution that reflects that you will be actively engaged in
clinical medicine (i.e., you will not shadow and/or be an observer). This information must be submitted along
with your application form before approval will be considered.
3) At this point, after reviewing steps 1 and 2, if you still have questions about whether or not your schedule is
balanced, or whether your Elective will be considered appropriate, you may wish to contact the Year 4
administrative staff at your site for their assistance. In most cases the answer will be self-evident, but in
questionable cases, the Year 4 administrative staff will forward your application on to Year 4 Site Directors or Year
4 Director for their input.
4) Only after steps 1 & 2 are completed should you then submit the fully completed application form, along with
your complete Year 4 Elective Schedule (*or proposed schedule), and the required supporting documentation to
your site specific administrators.
5) The Year 4 administrative staff will obtain approval from the Year 4 UBC discipline-specific faculty
representatives.
6) Your Elective will then be approved/denied by the Year 4 Faculty Site Director as above.

43

Guidelines and Application below

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA YEAR 4 OOP GUIDELINES

The primary aim of the UBC Year 4 Program is to graduate an undifferentiated physician and to ensure that all students meet Year 4
Core Curriculum Requirements. The Year 4 Elective Program is an opportunity for self- education in an area of the students own
interest.
The Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia encourages and supports the valuable educational opportunities that exist
in other provinces/countries. To ensure that these Electives meet the UBC standards, LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical
Education) accredited Schools that are OOP (Out of Province) must be tracked as noted below. Non-LCME Electives must be approved in
advance by your home Year 4 Clerkship Site Director following the steps noted below.

LCME Accredited Out of Province (OOP) Electives

Definition: Electives that are self-arranged by students in LCME accredited medical schools in Canada and the USA. They may be
used to meet Core Curriculum Requirements.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Complete the documents required by the institution to which you are applying. These are usually available on-line from
their website.
For applications requiring confirmation signatures and/or immunization document completion by the Students home
university, please bring these to your Home Site office (VFMP, NMP, SMP & IMP).
You must provide a copy of the confirmation from the host university where you are doing the Elective to your home Site a
minimum of 6 weeks in advance of the Elective start date.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you update your one45 Year 4 Elective schedule with the confirmed L C M E
a c c r e d i t e d OOP elective for the relevant dates a minimum of 6 weeks in advance of the Elective start date.

Non LCME / Out of Country (OOC) Electives

Definition: Electives that are self-arranged by students in an out-of-country setting (Non-LCME accredited) must be pre-approved by
the students home Site Director after review of the submitted UBC Non-LCME / OOC Elective Application Form.
All Non-LCME / OOC Electives must be affiliated with an academic centre. Students may to do a maximum total of 8 weeks Elective
experience in Non-LCME / out-of-country setting, however all Electives and the maximum of 8 weeks must be approved by the Site
Director.
**Please note that Non-LCME OOC Electives cannot count towards UBC Year 4 Core Curriculum Requirements**
1.

2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

7.

Complete the UBC Non-LCME / Out-of-Country Elective Application Form along with all relevant documents (corresponding
to your Non-LCME / OOC Elective) and submit aminimum of 3 months in advance of the Elective start date to your home site,
program administrative staff.
The Year 4 administrative staff will obtain approval from the Year 4 UBC discipline-specific faculty representatives.
Your Elective application will then be reviewed for approval by your appropriate (home site) Year 4 Faculty Site Director. If
there are any problems or queries you will notified.
Your Home Site administrator will contact you via email regarding the approval and/or denial of your application.
Please read your Year 4 Policies and Procedures manual for important information regarding professional liability insurance
coverage and personal health safety. It is also recommended that you contact your home site Office of Student Affairs if you
have any questions or require additional guidance.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you update your One45 Year 4 Elective S chedule to r e f l e c t your
approved/confirmed Non-LCME / OOC Elective for the relevant dates, a minimum of 8 weeks in advance of the start date of
your Elective.
Global Health Student Participation Requirements Students must read, review, complete and register and participate in the
Pre-departure training in accordance with the UBC Student Safety Abroad Policy Number 69. Students will also be required to
sign on their Non-LCME / OOC Application form that they agree with the requirements of the Go Global Student Mobility
Agreement.

44

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA YEAR 4 ELECTIVES APPLICATION FORM

Non-LCME / OUT OF COUNTRY (OOC) ELECTIVES
PART A: TO BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT (PLEASE COMPLETE ENTIRE FORM AND PRINT CLEARLY)
Name:

Alumni Email:

Class of:

Location of Elective:
Elective Title:
Speciality / Department:
Academic Affiliation (University or Teaching Facility):
Preceptor / Institution Contact Information:
Elective Dates:
From:
Block

To:
Dates

Current Elective

Possible Change

1
2
3
4
5
6
Elective Description:
As per the Year 4 Policies & Procedures, you MUST ensure that the Non-LCME / OOC placement is affiliated with a University and / or
Medical School Teaching Facility. You must submit a WRITTEN DESCRIPTION of the Non-LCME / OOC Elective from the Preceptor or
Institution, that reflects that you will be actively engaged in Clinical Medicine (I.E.: You will NOT shadow and / or be an observer).
REQUIRED: GLOBAL HEALTH UBC Student Safety Abroad Policy Number 69: I have read, understand and meet all the Student
Participation Requirements. (Please submit your Global Health Form (separate) at the time of Application.

Student Signature:

Date:

PART B: TO BE COMPLETED BY UBC YEAR 4 CLERKSHIP SITE DIRECTOR

** Approved

**Not Approved

Comments:
Signature:

Date:

45

Students are required to complete an evaluation for the Elective Experience:

Year 4 Non-LCME Electives: Student Experience Survey

Introduction
As part of the evaluation of electives taken at non-LCME institutions, we are asking students to comment on the extent to which this
elective supported their learning. Results will be used to inform program improvement. Completion of this survey is a professional
responsibility. Please frame your comments in a respectful and constructive manner.
This evaluation is being conducted by the Evaluation Studies Unit (ESU) in the UBC Faculty of Medicine. If you have questions or feedback
we encourage you to contact us at evaluation@exchange.ubc.ca.

Directions: Please rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements:
GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS

0
N/A

1
2
3
Strongly Disagree Neither
Disagree
Agree nor
Disagree

4
Agree

5
Strongly
Agree

1.

I discussed learning objectives and expectations with the

preceptor (or supervisor) at the beginning of this Elective.

2.

Faculty had a clear understanding of what to expect of a

Year 4 student entering this Elective.
There was considerable agreement between the stated
objectives of the Elective and what was delivered.

3.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKLOAD

0
N/A

1
2
3
Strongly Disagree Neither
Disagree
Agree nor
Disagree

4
Agree

5
Strongly
Agree

4.

Learning materials were relevant and useful in supporting

my learning.

5.

The workload for this Elective was reasonable.

6.

I was given an appropriate level of responsibility for a Year

4 student.

7.

There was sufficient time for self-directed learning in this

Elective.

8.

I had sufficient opportunity to perform procedures in this

Elective.

9.

I had exposure to a sufficient variety of patients to support

my learning.

10. The balance between education and clinical service was

appropriate.

0
N/A

TEACHING
11. Residents and fellows effectively facilitated my learning of
key concepts in this Elective.

46

1
2
3
Strongly Disagree Neither
Disagree
Agree nor
Disagree

4
Agree

5
Strongly
Agree

12. Faculty effectively facilitated my learning of the key

concepts in this Elective.

13. Faculty were responsive to my questions.

14. There was sufficient teaching time (formal and bedside) in

this Elective.
15. I received constructive feedback on my performance that
helped me learn and develop my skills.

16. My learning was supervised throughout this Elective.

17. Faculty were good role models for my future practice as a

physician.

4
Agree

5
Strongly
Agree

0
N/A

LEARNING COMMUNITY

1
2
3
Strongly Disagre Neither
Disagree
e
Agree nor
Disagree

18. I was treated with respect during this Elective.

19. The schedule for this Elective was clear and organized.

2
Disagree

3
Neither
Agree nor
Disagree

4
Agree

5
Strongly
Agree

0
N/A

ASSESSMENT
20. My performance was assessed against the learning
objectives.

1
Strongly
Disagree

Directions: Please give an overall rating for this Elective:

1
Poor

OVERALL EXPERIENCE
21. Please rate the overall quality of your educational experience in
this Elective.

2
Fair

3
Good

4
Very Good

5
Excellent

YOUR COMMENTS
22. What really stood out as the strengths of this Elective?

23. If applicable, what improvements would you make to this Elective? Please comment on any of the above questions where you gave a
rating of 1 or 2.

47

Students are also required to write an Essay using a discipline specific template such as the following sample:
ESSAY OUTLINE FOR Non-LCME/OOC ELECTIVES
Please include within the essay, details of your own clinical experience. As a component of the elective
evaluation, it will expected that the medical student evaluate their own experience during their time spent abroad
while working and learning in an environment different than Canadas. To this end we would ask that the student
objectively evaluate the broad scope of Medicine within the host country and how it interrelates with the whole
health care system. This should include, but not limited by, the broad evaluation components that we use as
educators when evaluating students in their own domestic Electives, namely:

MEDICAL EXPERT
o How does a Physician acquire and organize information in order to assist in their decision making
process.
o Are there unique approaches that differ from those used by Canadian physicians?
o Diagnostic tests used, their uniqueness and their availability.
o How are the biopsychosocial needs of the patient addressed differently? Does the
psychotherapeutic approach differ?
o Are there unique elements of the doctor-patient relationship?
o Is the information organization and diagnostic formulation different?

COMMUNICATOR
o How do physicians organize clinical information?
o How is the clinical reasoning communicated to the patient?
o What other resources does the physician rely upon to communicate with the patient.
o How does the physician inspire confidence and obtain the co-operation of the patient?
o Are other media, such as the internet, books etc used to supplement or enhance the patients
clinical understanding.

COLLABORATOR
o How does communication occur between colleagues? Is it effective?
o Is there a lot of inter-disciplinary cooperation in the care of patients (re allied health
professionals)?
o How is continuity of care maintained?
o If you have seen conflict in the collaboration between disciplines/professions, how was it
resolved? If not can you comment on any factor that reduces or prevents conflict?

MANAGER
o Is time utilization effective in your opinion?
o Comment on the balance between patient care, learning needs and personal life.
o What technologies are used to optimize patient care and learning needs?
o How is the continuity of care of patients maintained?
o Does cost of care factor into the decision making? Access?
o What role does the Psychiatrist have in health care organization generally?
o Did you see a lot of mentoring of others?

HEALTH CARE ADVOCATE

o Do Physicians play a role in patient advocacy (both at the level of the patient/family and society)
either individually or through professional organizations? If so please describe.

48

In the health care system of the host country, are there areas , such prevention, promotion or
access that deserve better advocacy? Specifically how is the issue of stigma for those with mental
illness addresses? How would you see the Physicians role in addressing these?

SCHOLAR
o Comment on the initiative and motivation for self-learning observed during your time there.
o Does most of the continuing professional development occur via self-learning or through
conferences?
o What resources are in place for assisting in professional development? For example is there
government funding or subsidized time off to attend conferences etc?
o Is continued professional development a requirement to maintain ones professional license?

PROFESSIONAL
o Reliability
Comment on the degree to with the responsibility to patients and their families, as well as
colleagues is fulfilled.
Is the response to pages, patient and team needs timely?
Is the care to the patient continuous? Namely, is coverage arranged for in the absence of
the primary physician?
Comment on honesty, integrity and conscientiousness.
o Self-assessment:
Comment on the awareness of the physicians capabilities and acknowledgement of
limitations.
Is feedback, if witnessed listened to and acknowledged.

The above hopefully, will not only give you an outline in writing an essay on your experience but also serve as an
observational guide to navigate your time their and truly evaluate your experience not only in the day to day
doctor patient experiences but also as a critical observer of a health care system different from our own.

OVERALL ESSAY REPORT ASSESSMENT:

Please note:
a) Only the most exceptional students will be given an Exceeds Requirements assessment;
b) The Requires Improvement category is included to alert a student and faculty of the need for possible
remedial instruction;
c) Any Requires Improvement or Does Not Meet Requirements item MUST be discussed w/student.
Does Not Meet Requirements Requires Improvement Meets Requirements Exceeds Requirements

Department Representative Signature_________________________________________

49

International Health Experiences

Living, working and learning in a developing country can be a rewarding and satisfying experience for a medical
student. Recent literature suggests that for many it is life changing experience. Exposure to different cultures,
international health problems, and a different health care system, even for a short time, can be an influential
component of the educational opportunities for future physicians. Students will see health and disease in a much
broader perspective and begin to understand that health issues are often the result of diverse factors such as
poverty, nutrition, education and literacy, environment, politics and conflict.
The Faculty of Medicine encourages its students to consider doing Electives in developing countries because it
recognizes in an era of globalization, that we are global citizens with an integral connection to health and the
education of health professionals worldwide.
Student interest at UBC and worldwide in International Health issues is high and continues to increase.
Opportunities exist for senior students at UBC inYear 4 to participate in international Electives in a variety of
formats and venues.
Benefits
Personal experiences and published literature affirms the benefit of international experiences to the institution,
home societies and students. In a review article, Thompson et al (1) cite several benefits and Houpt et al (2)
recount the implications for competency development in medical education. Drain et al (3) recently articulate a
desire for schools to be more actively engaged in providing international opportunities and UBC Health Trek 2010
(4) articulates the desire for our students and faculty to become more aware of our global citizenship.
International experiences are often life changing experiences with specific educational benefits. These include:
a.
Increased career choices for rural locations, interactions with underserved communities and
primary care.
b.
Enhanced clinical diagnostic skills
c.
Numerous changes in attitude such as cost effective health care and cost effective resource
consumption, importance of public and community health, culturally sensitive communications
and appreciation for home health care delivery systems.
d.
Increased knowledge of tropical diseases
e.
Increased awareness of global citizenship
Benefits to the sending institutions, curriculum managers and sending societies include:
a.
a basic understanding of major diseases worldwide
b.
familiarity with health problems of travelers
c.
increased awareness of immigrant health care challenges
d.
increased opportunities for learning and diversification of resource utilization
e.
a better understanding and appreciation of the medical system in Canada
Opportunities and Requirements
Numerous opportunities for International Health Electives (IHE) exist and the student should consider the
following criteria:
a.
The minimum time in any international venue is 4 weeks and as many as 8 weeks are possible.
b.
All IHE must have a designated preceptor / supervisor and written approval of the elective must
be obtained from the supervisor.
c.
All IHE students must be assessed by their supervisor and the elective experience must be
evaluated by the student
d.
Electives must not be taken in regions on External Affairs' HIGH RISK list.

50

Electives Process
Students who are seeking an international health care educational experience should be proactive in planning for
International Health Electives (IHE). Arranging an IHE can be a time consuming process and the student should
allow at least 8 months for all arrangements to be met.
a.
The student will select the site of Elective, make contact with the site supervisor, and determine
the conditions and benefits of the experience.
b.
Describe the proposed IHE in detail, outlining the
i. Purpose and goals
ii. Specific objectives
iii. Expected competencies achieved during the IHE.
iv. Specific learning opportunities available
v. Levels of responsibility
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.

Confirm written agreement from the site supervisor with the electives coordinator.
Assessment at a Travel Clinic with completion of required immunizations is mandatory.
Arrange travel formalities, trip itinerary, medical health and evacuation insurance, and confirm
accommodation in the host country.
A pre-departure information session will be provided by the student advisor and all students are
expected to attend
Ensure you take an Elective evaluation and student assessment form.
Leave a record of the proposed trip, travel contact information, emergency contact information in
the Deans office.
Debrief on return with the IHE advisor
Prepare a written report of the Elective according to the format provided.

Guidelines for Safety

Several issues are important for any international travel and in particular as a medical student from UBC. These
relate to personal health and safety concerns and funding sponsorship.
Policies for International travel: The University of British Columbia has established policies to assist thosestudents
participating in international electives and travel. These policies are excerpted below.
New Student Safety Abroad Policy
The UBC Board of Governors, UBC Okanagan Senate and UBC Vancouver Senate have recently approved a policy
to support and better prepare students for safe travel abroad. Policy #69 covers UBC students travelling abroad
for university activities such as exchange and study abroad, attending conferences, international service learning,
conducting research, and volunteering.
Under the Student Safety Abroad policy, all staff and faculty members are to inform students of their obligation to
register for travel for university purposes. Students can undertake these steps on the Go Global website at
www.students.ubc.ca/global/safety-abroad.
UBC students are required to seek authorization and register for international travel on university activities. For
most regions, students can complete these requirements online on the Student Safety Abroad website.
For regions designated as Level 3 or 4 by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(DFAIT), students must undertake additional safety planning and risk assessment prior to authorization.
In partnership with Go Global, Heads of Units will be responsible for granting or declining students' requests to
travel to Level 3 and Level
4 destinations.

51

The Safety Abroad website provides students with:

o
o
o
o

A quick and easy online mechanism to register travel dates and complete essential documents
Instructions and reminders on safe travel abroad
Travel reports status updates on the region they will be studying or working in
A process for them to request approval to countries with Level 3 and 4 advisories

University activities do not include activities sponsored or organized by student clubs or the AMS, the Students'
Union or the Graduate Society unless the activity is funded, coordinated or sponsored by UBC. Students engaged
in these activities are welcome, and encouraged, to use the Student Safety Abroad resources and registry.
Review the policy on the University Counsel site:
www.universitycounsel.ubc.ca/policies/policy69.pdf
Preamble: Students in the UBC MD Undergraduate Program will have the opportunity to explore a variety of
volunteer and unpaid opportunities in many different locations during their time in medical school.
Two important issues must be recognized with regard to medical experiences away from the UBC distributed
program sites:

Personal health and safety

Professional Liability Insurance coverage.

Personal Health and Safety
For all students, regardless of their year of study, personal safety is paramount, particularly when
traveling to high-risk locations. Risks to students may be specific to a location, setting or region. Therefore,
students are advised to consider the following:
This list is not limited to the following:

Exposure to illness (including malaria, TB, Hepatitis)

Exposure to blood borne infections (HIV)

High risk settings (political unrest/unfamiliar public transportation standards/limited local medical
resources)
Students are advised to:

Purchase appropriate extended medical coverage prior to departure

Consult a Medical Travel Clinic, and secure appropriate immunization/medical travel protection prior
to departure

Contact information should be taken should questions arise regarding: response to risk of infection,
Centre for Disease Control, Canadian Embassy, Associate/Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, next of
kin, etc.

Consider follow-up medical testing on return to Canada, depending on the location of travel.
Professional Liability Insurance
Students in Year 4 of the UBC MD Undergraduate Program have the opportunity to participate in FORMAL Electives
as part of their medical training. As registered students in UBCs MD Undergraduate Program, these activities are
covered by UBCs Professional Liability Insurance.

52

The Office of Student Affairs, MD Undergraduate Program, will endeavor to advise all students should questions
arise during their medical experiences, regardless of their year of study, or the location of the experience. The
Associate Dean or site Assistant Deans of Student Affairs will make every effort to respond in a timely fashion if
questions arise. Telephone consultation is preferred if timing of a response is a concern.
Funding and sponsorship:
a) Canadian Federation of Medical Students: Some support and assistance may be provided through the
CFMS. The CFMS in partnership with the International Federation of Medical Students offers a small
number (2 spots) of subsidized research and clinical exchanges for students in the first and second year of
medical school. The numbers of UBC students that are able to take part in this program is contingent on
the number of exchange spots that we can offer at UBC.
b) Other external granting agencies: There are numerous local and international databases for the funding
of International Health Electives and projects. The elected International Health Liaison who sits on the
Medical Undergraduate Society council can provide assistance in guiding students towards these
resources.
c) Independent organizations such as you lead and other funding societies may sponsor students in
specific situations.
References:
Thompsom MJ, et. al. Educational Effects of International Health Electives on U.S. and Canadian Medical
Students and Residents: A Literature Review. Acad. Med. 2003;78:342347.
2. Houpt, ER, et. al. Three Domains of Competency in Global Health Education: Recommendations for All
Medical Students. Acad Med. 2007; 82:222225.
3. Drain PK, et. al. Global Health in Medical Education: A Call for More Training and Opportunities. Acad Med.
2007; 82:226230.
4. UBC Faculty of Medicine website <http://www.med.ubc.ca/about_us/strategic_plan/Goals___Strategies.htm
1.

APPENDIX 13: Year 4 Committee TERMS OF REFERENCE

Approved by the Curriculum Committee
UBC Faculty of Medicine
MD Undergraduate Program
Year 4 Committee
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose: The Committee is responsible for the ongoing planning and implementing the fourth/final year of the
MD Undergraduate Curriculum in the expanded, distributed programme.
Authority: The Year 4 Committee is a standing committee which reports to the MD Undergraduate Curriculum
Committee.

53

Membership: Voting
Year 4 Director Chair
Year 4 OSCE Director
PMP Course Director
Year 3 Committee Chair
Department Representatives: Anaesthesia, Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Dermatology,
Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Ophthalmology,
Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Pathology/Laboratory Medicine, Psychiatry, Radiology, Surgery, and Urology
SMP Site Director
NMP Site Director
IMP Site Director
VFMP Site Director
Site Education Leaders
Clinical Education Leader
Two students each from Years 3 and 4 (One vote per Year)
Membership: Non-Voting
Undergraduate Associate Dean, Medical Education
Chair Curriculum Committee
Associate Dean Student Affairs
Faculty Lead, Accreditation
Deans Office Administrator
Year 4 Programme Managers and Administrative Support Staff Year 4 All Sites
Office of Faculty Development
Curriculum Development
Educational Assessment Unit
Evaluation Studies Unit
One-45/Med-IT
Library Operations Committee

Appointment Process: Each Committee member is appointed by his/her Department or Division Head, and
invited to participate at meetings.
Term: As determined by each Committee members Department of Division Head.
Chair: The Chair of the Year 4 Committee is the Year 4 Director who is appointed for a three-year term and whose
role includes providing overall leadership to the planning and implementation of the Year 4 curriculum in the
distributed MD Undergraduate Programme.
Meetings - frequency and timeline: Monthly (first Tuesday of every month) or as required at the call of the Chair.
Committee Secretary: Minutes Recorder with input from the Chair.
Minutes and Reports: Chair, Programme Administrative Staff.
Quorum and decision making processes: Decisions on issues requiring a vote will be determined by the majority
of members in attendance at the Meeting where the issues are discussed. All members will be invited to give
feedback and voting preference prior to the meeting, if unable to attend.
The number of voting members required for a quorum is 12 and members must be from at least two UBC
distributed sites.

54

Lines of Accountability and Communication: The Year 4 Committee will be reviewed annually by the MD
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. Working groups will be established for specific components of detailed
planning and/or research and the committee will review these plans. The Chairs of the working groups will be
drawn from members of the subcommittee(s).

Responsibilities:
1. Define (a) the planning strategy (process, deadlines, and deliverables) that will be employed; and (b) the
implementation plan for delivering the fourth year of the undergraduate medical program in each of the IMP,
NMP, SMP and VFMP regions.
2. Present recommendations to the Curriculum Committee for implementation regarding Year 4 of the
undergraduate medical program in each of the IMP, NMP, SMP and VFMP sites.
3. Define the resources required for program implementation for each of the IMP, NMP, SMP and VFMP sites.
4. Identify strategies to ensure that the Year 4 curriculum is comparable across all sites.
5. Ensure that the Year 4 curriculum of the distributed program continues to meet the educational principles
presented in the 1994 Report of the Strategic Planning Committee on Curriculum Reform.
6. Ensure that the delivery of the Year4 curriculum is in compliance with LCME standards and CFMS guidelines.
7. Ensure that the discipline-specific learning objectives are achievable across the distributed program.
8. Identify potential additional clinical teaching sites and makes recommendations for the development of these
sites to meet the need of the distributed program.
9. Work collaboratively with the Information Technology Committee to ensure the availability of AV-IT
technology to support learning in the Year 4 curriculum.
10. Work collaboratively with the Educational Assessment Unit to ensure that the student and the instructor
assessment and implementation plans for the delivery of the Year 4 Curriculum across all sites are
comprehensive, educationally sound and compliant with the accreditation requirements.
11. In collaboration with the Evaluation Studies Unit, (a) monitor and maintain the quality of the Year 4
curriculum through regular program evaluation and continuous quality improvement, and (b) receive and
review evaluation reports/data on the Year 4 program, and carry responsibility for appropriate follow-up of
program improvement recommendations.
Approved by the Year 4 Committee: 05-March-2013
Approved with edits (as per this draft) by the Curriculum Committee: 12-March-2013

Appendix 14: VFMP Student Support and Development Committee (SSDC)

Continuum for Year 4 TERMS OF REFERENCE
Approved by the Curriculum Committee February 24, 2009
Year 4 will continue to follow-up and monitor those students who have been identified and followed by the VFMP
Year 3 SSDC. The Year 4 SSDC will report to the MD Undergraduate Student Promotions Committee for Years 3
and 4 (SPC). The Committee will hold serial meetings with students identified with (1) academic difficulty, (2)
issues related to poor professional behaviour, and/or (3) other concerns which may interfere with their ability to
successfully complete Year 4.

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The VFMP Year 4 SSDC will provide similar services and functions as the Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 SSDCs (q.v.
Terms of Reference of those Committees) but will be structured in accordance with Year 4 as follows:
1. Year 4 VFMP class students will need individual review
2. Clinical Nature of Year 4 Schedule:
Students present with academic difficulties and professionalism issues throughout the year
Concerns must be addressed as soon as possible to ensure patient safety
Students must balance their clinical obligations with meeting with an SSDC
3. Year 4 students are not synchronized
Electives are often at different locations
Student issues may be different and warrant individualized attention
4. Limited and variable times available for remediation:
Very tight Year 4 Schedule
Possible self-study week and time during Christmas Break
Possible one week at end of last Elective
Limit of six weeks remediation/supplemental time in the first clinical block of Year 4.
Thus, the VFMP Year 4 SSDC must be tailored to address the students immediate and individual needs. The
Committee needs to convene immediately should a problem arise regarding the students planning and/or for
patient safety.
The VFMP Year 4 SSDC Terms of Reference will be reviewed next year and then as-needed by the Year 4
Committee, with approval by the MD Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
MEMBERSHIP
The Chair will be the Year 4 Director or a delegate from Year 4 Lead Faculty
* An individualized, appropriate, available consultation team will be drawn together in a timely fashion for each
student by the Year 4 Committee Chair with input from the Associate Dean, Office of Student Affairs (OSA),
* VFMP Assistant Dean
* VFMP Site Director
* Departmental Representatives for Year 4 (possibly including the Elective in which the difficulty was identified
and current or future Electives)
* Specific DSSLs
* Educational specialist(s) e.g. Learning techniques, Presentation Skills
* Representative from the OSA
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCESS
1. The receipt of a Referral from:
a. the student him- or herself
b. the Departmental Representative or Preceptor
c. the Site Education Leader
d. the Site Director
e. the DSSL
f. the Deans Office staff
g. the Student Promotions Committee (SPC)

56

2. The Chair will convene a team drawn from the potential members and other appropriate resources to
meet the needs of the identified student.
3. Together with the student, a best plan will be developed and documented and presented to the SPC for
approval. Documentation of what transpires at meetings and the best plan is the responsibility of the
Chair.
4. The VFMP Year 4 SDC will continue to monitor and support the student through Year 4.
5. The best plan will be revisited on and ongoing basis, and be revised if needed.
6. Tracking of the student through Year 4 will be done through the SPC process and the Deans office
managers and administration.
7. Continuity with Year 3 will be insured by:
a. The Attendance by the Chair at the Year 3 Student Promotions Committee meetings
b. Communication with the Year 4 SSDC (maybe written through the Office of Student Affairs or through
attendance at the meetings)
c. Access to a students academic file to review past performance, with the students agreement. The
file review will be a main focus of the meeting.
N.B. All discussions are confidential within the SSDC
8. Continuity within Year 4 will be ensured by:
a. Attendance of Departmental Representatives at the SPC;
b. Discussion with the current and upcoming Departmental Representatives regarding the best plan to
help the student develop appropriate action plans for improvement. This will be done with the
students knowledge and cooperation as it will facilitate a best possible match for the student in an
upcoming placement but would not necessarily include forward-feeding to supervisors or preceptors.
c. Ongoing communication between the student and the VFMP Year 4 SSDC team.
9. The SSDC will advise the student if any specific follow-up is required, and the Chair of the SSDC or
designate may be given the responsibility of monitoring the students performance.
10. The Chair of the SSDC will be responsible for reviewing that the best plan occurs satisfactorily. If it is
unclear if this has occurred further meetings of the SSDC and student will be organized as necessary.

11. Normally information from the file review and SSDC meeting will not be shared with other tutors or
Course Directors. However if the SSDC members feel that forward feeding such information is
important the student will be advised of this fact.
12. The SSDC Chair will prepare a written report of the outcome of the SSDC
Promotions Committee Chair.

57

involvement to go to the

Northern Medical Program

Student Support and Development Committee Years 3 and 4
Terms of Reference
Purpose:
The Student Support and Development Committee Year 3 and 4 will make recommendations on appropriate
remediation for NMP students who are identified as having academic difficulty, issues related to professional
behavior, or other concerns that may interfere with their ability to succeed in the clinical clerkship years 3 and 4.
The NMP SSDC Year 3 and 4 is accountable to the NMP Associate Dean and its membership must be approved by
the NMP Associate Dean.
Membership
he Committee will be chaired by NMP Assistant Dean, Curriculum. Membership will be drawn from the following
list depending on the individual student situation.

NMP Assistant Dean Curriculum

Year 3 Clerkship Director
Year 4 Electives Director
PMP Course Director
NMP Associate Dean
NMP Assistant Dean Student Affairs (as student support)
Other individuals may be asked to attend by the Chair or the student, if either so wish.

Support:
Administrative support will be provided by the Curriculum and Assessment Manager, Years 3 and 4.
Annual Review
The Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually for the first three years.
Responsibilities and Process:
1. The committee may receive referrals from:
a. the student him- or herself;
b. a preceptor;
c. a DSSL;
d. the Regional Deans Office staff; or
e. the Student Promotions Committee (SPC).
2. The Chair will convene the committee to meet with and correspond with the student.
3. Together with the student, a best plan will be developed and documented and presented to the SPC
when appropriate. Documentation of meetings and of the best plan is the responsibility of the
Chair. Depending on the nature of the difficulty, the remediation plan will be sent to the NMP

58

Assessments and Evaluations Coordinator, as appropriate. A student may be required to generate a

Reflection/Remediation Plan (e.g. for professionalism issues).
4. The NMP Year 3 and 4 SSDC will continue to monitor and support the student through Year 3 and 4,
through the remedial or supplemental work. This information may be shared with the SPC.
5. The best plan will be revisited and revised as the situation changes.
6. Tracking of the student through the year will be done through the SPC process, and the Regional
Deans office managers and administration, as appropriate.
7. Continuity from Year 2 will be insured by:
a. communication with the Year 1 and 2 SSDC (may be written, through the Office of Student
Affairs or through attendance at the meetings);
b. access of the Chair to the Administrative Years 1 through 4 Promotions tracking document;
and
c. access of the Chairs to the Promotions Sharepoint site (currently being developed).
8. Continuity within Year 3 will be insured by:
a. attendance of NMP Year 3 Clerkship Director at the SPC;
b. discussion with the current and upcoming DSSLs/Site Leaders as part of the best plan and
with the students knowledge and cooperation (this may insure a best match for the student
in an upcoming placement but would not include forward-feeding to the supervisors or
preceptors); and
c. ongoing communication between the student and the NMP Year 3 and 4 SSDC team.
9. Continuity with Year 4 will be insured by:
a. attendance of the Year 4 Electives Director at the SPC;
b. discussion with the Year 4 Electives Director and PMP Director to monitor and tailor Year 4
electives.
Based on the Year 3 VFMP SSDC Terms of Reference-December 16, 2008
Modified to make NMP Site Specific April 7, 2009

Island Medical Program

Student Support and Development Committee (SSDC) Year 3 and 4
Terms of Reference
Purpose:
The Student Support and Development Committee Year 3 and 4 will make recommendations on appropriate
remediation for IMP students who are identified as having academic difficulty, issues
related to professional
behavior, or other concerns that may interfere with their ability to succeed in the clinical clerkship years 3 and 4.
The IMP SSDC Year 3 & 4 is accountable to the IMP Associate Dean and its membership must be approved by the
IMP Associate Dean.
Membership

59

The Committee will be chaired by the IMP Year 3 Clerkship Director or IMP Year 4 Electives Director. Membership
includes the following individuals:

Year 3 Clerkship Director, Co-Chair

Year 4 Electives Director, Co-Chair
IMP Assistant Dean Student Affairs
IMP Assistant Dean Curriculum (TBD)
One IMP Clinical Faculty

Decisions require a quorum of 3 committee members.

Support:
Administrative support will be provided by the IMP Year 3 and 4 Program Coordinator.
Annual Review
The Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually for the first three years.
Responsibilities and Process:
1. The IMP Year 3 Clerkship Director or Year 4 Electives Director may receive concerns from:
a. the student him- or herself;
b. the postgraduate resident
c. the preceptor;
d. the DSSL;
e. the Site/Electives Education Leader;
f. the Postgraduate Program Director;
g. the Regional Deans Office staff; or
h. the Student Promotions Committee (SPC).
2. These concerns will be referred to the Year 3 and 4 SSDC. The appropriate consultation team will be
drawn together and recommendations will be made.
3. Together with the student, a best plan will be developed and documented and presented to the SPC
when appropriate. Documentation of meetings and of the best plan is the responsibility of the
Chair. Depending on the nature of the difficulty, the remediation plan will be sent to the IMP
Assessments and Evaluations Coordinator, as appropriate. A student may be required to generate a
Reflection/Remediation Plan (e.g. for professionalism issues).
4. The IMP Year 3 and 4 SSDC will continue to monitor and support the student through Year 3, through
the remedial or supplemental work and liaise with the Year 4 Electives Director. This information may
be shared with the SPC.
5. The best plan will be revisited and revised as the situation changes.

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6. Tracking of the student through the year will be done through the SPC process, the Regional Deans
office managers and administration, and the IMP Assessments and Evaluations Coordinator, as
appropriate.
7. Continuity from Year 2 will be insured by:
a. communication with the Year 2 SSDC (may be written, through the Office of Student Affairs or
through attendance at the meetings);
b. access of the Chairs to the Promotions Sharepoint site (currently being developed).
8. Continuity within Year 3 will be insured by:
a. attendance of IMP Year 3 Clerkship Director at the SPC;
b. discussion with the current and upcoming DSSLs/Site Leaders as part of the best plan and
with the students knowledge and cooperation (this may insure a best match for the student
in an upcoming placement but would not include forward-feeding to the supervisors or
preceptors); and
c. on going communication between the student and the IMP Year 3 and 4 SSDC team.
9. Continuity with Year 4 will be insured by:
a. attendance of the Year 4 Electives Director at the SPC;
b. discussion with the Year 4 Electives Director and PMP Director to monitor and tailor Year 4
electives.
Based on the Year 3 VFMP SSDC Terms of Reference-December 16, 2008
Modified to make IMP Site Specific March 12, 2009

Addendum:
Information About Complaints Made About Students
Email sent to all students every year from the Office of Student Affairs:
In the course of clinical work, sometimes patient care doesnt go as expected or patients are unhappy with the
care they receive. Sometimes, this happens for medical students! The College of Physicians and Surgeons of
British Columbia may be involved, or complaints may go through the particular hospital or through the Deans
Office.
It is always upsetting for a physician or a medical student to learn that a complaint has been made about us. It
doesnt happen often for an individual and when it does, we think we are the only one it has happened to. That is
not the case!
Increasingly over the past years, the College has contacted a few students for different reasons related to
complaints and so we thought that we should let you know that it does happen and that the OSA team does know
what to do. You should contact us as soon as possible and we will help you through the process.
General advice:
Try not to worry too much
Acknowledge receipt of the communication but dont respond to the content until youve talked to us

61

Dont talk or write about it with anyone before you talk to us

You are strongly advised to CONTACT US!

We can help and we want to support you.

OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS TEAM

Advice (compiled from The College of Physicians & Surgeons of B.C., Risk Management and the CMPA):
1. Call Student Affairs as soon as possible for an appointmentdo not email complaint issue or material.
2. Student Affairs will speak with you as soon as possible and advise you throughout the process.
3. Do not discuss the complaint before contacting appropriate assistance (e.g. not with colleagues, friends or
other physicians/health care professionals involved or not).
4. Acknowledge receipt of the communication but do not address the content until discussed with OSA, then:

Read the letter and citations very carefully.

Address only that which is asked.
Remember that the person who made the complaint will see what you write as a response.
Respond to citations with neutral words and with as much factual detail as can be recalled or can be
gleaned from the chart.
If deemed appropriate, apologize for doing something if you did it or not doing something if you did not
do it.
If not remembered, state your usual practice and say you do not remember this particular event.
Apologize that the patient might not have heard, not understood, or misinterpreted what you said or did
based on your usual practice.
Defend your position with facts not defensive statementsbe specific and detailed with explanations to
show the College/Hospital/Dean and your appropriate thoroughness.
The complainant may make comments that are not appropriate; it is often best not to respond to these
you are the professional here.
Explain what was learned and how your practice will be different because of this complaint. This is the
single most important part of your response and what often shifts the complainants opinion.

APPENDIX 15: Anti-Plagiarism Guide

Rationale:
Reference to, and examination, of others writings and thoughts contributes to a persons scholarship. However,
when a person uses excerpts in paragraphs or essays, he/she must acknowledge the author, through footnotes,
endnotes, or other academic citations. UBC Medical School students are responsible for ensuring that any work
that they submit does not constitute plagiarism. UBC policy describes plagiarism as a form of Academic
Misconduct and states that ignorance of is no defence for plagiarism.
Definition: Plagiarism:
Includes the presentation or submission of the work of another person, without citation or credits, as the
student's own work. Plagiarism includes the following:
Not crediting an author for phrases and sentences;

62

Not crediting an author for ideas of the author, which have been incorporated into a students work;
An entire paper is copied from an author and presented as original work;
Submitting the same, or almost the same, as previous work done/submitted by the person at the
same/other institution, without prior approval.

Steps to avoid plagiarism: Every student should take care to:

ensure that the work they submit is their own.
if unsure, review the UBC plagiarism policy at http://www.vpacademic.ubc.ca/integrity/policies.htm and
plagiarism
resources
at
UBC
Academic
Integrity
Resource
Centre
at http://www.library.ubc.ca/clc/airc.html.
if collaborating with other students and/or faculty, keep detailed field notes to record each stage of the
collaboration and submit a final authorship statement that clearly describes the contribution of each
collaborator to the work.
seek prior approval from Course Director if the/she is considering using work that he/she previously
submitted/created at the same/other institution.
Faculty roles: Faculty may review all work submitted by students for authenticity and originality; they may use
software tools, and third party services including Internet-based services to do this review. By submitting work,
students consent to their work undergoing such review and being retained in a database for comparison with
other work submitted by students. The results of such review may be used in any University investigation or
disciplinary proceedings.
Consequences of plagiarism:
When a member of faculty suspects that plagiarism has occurred, he /she shall review the students work.
If satisfied that plagiarism did occur, he / she shall notify the student and also notify the Course Director
and respective undergraduate medical program dean.
The student will be given an opportunity to explain the plagiarism incident
Appropriate academic action will taken by the Course Director and Dean concerned.
When the misconduct consists of plagiarism as described above, zero credit may be assigned by the
Course Director and the Dean for the plagiarized work.
The Course Director will report the action thus taken to the Dean of Medicine and to the Chair of the
Promotions Committee who will then report it to the President's Advisory Committee on Student
Discipline, together with a complete description of the evidence upon which the faculty action was based.
The Disciplinary Measure that UBC normally imposes for plagiarism or cheating is suspension from the University.
This plagiarism policy is based on the language and ideas contained in the plagiarism resources available at UBC
Academic Integrity Resource Centre at http://www.library.ubc.ca/clc/airc.html

63

APPENDIX 16: Blood & Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR UBC MD UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
UBC MD Undergraduate Students
Blood or Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure
All students in the MD Undergraduate Program at UBC, in all four sites, must know how to manage a Blood or
Body Fluid (BBF) exposure, such as a needle-stick, suture-stick, scratch or splash.
A useful source of information about contact with blood or body fluids is HealthLink BC File #97 (April 2011).
Such exposures can occur at any time during training in the MD Undergraduate program, but are most likely to
occur during Family Practice, Year 3 or Year 4. All BC hospitals, in all Health Authorities, have detailed protocols for
managing these exposures and it is important that students follow these protocols. In addition, all students
receive a laminated card, to be worn with their hospital ID, which summarizes the basic information.
In general, the protocols require the student to perform first aid to the exposed site (see below), inform their
preceptor of the exposure, and provide the name/PHN of the patient involved. The student is then expected to
attend the closest Emergency Room immediately (within 2 hours) for assessment, triage, and possible treatment
by the ER physician. Attending at the Emergency Room is not optional. The student and the preceptor will be
required to fill out forms which document the event. Follow-up procedures will be set in place see general
reporting procedures and site-specific reporting procedures, below.
ALL students participating in medical experiences which are part of their program (electives, clinical rotations) in
British Columbia, are covered by WorkSafeBC. Therefore students who have a BBF incident which is part of their
program, in British Columbia, are required to fill out WorkSafeBC forms, and start a WorkSafeBC Claim (see below)
as well as follow the usual Health Authority procedures. UBC students participating in volunteer medical activities,
shadowing in or outside of BC, or other medical experiences outside of BC are not covered by WorkSafeBC, and
should follow the protocols of the local Health Authority in which they are working. MSP or their personal health
insurance will cover the cost of lab tests, etc.

Procedures for Managing a Blood or Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

Blood or body fluid (BBF) exposure: An event where blood or other potentially infectious body fluid comes into
contact with skin, mucous membranes, or subcutaneous tissue (via percutaneous injury [ie. needle stick]).
Protocols for Managing a BBF exposure:
Mucous membrane or eye: Rinse well with water and/or normal saline.
Skin: Wash well with soap and water.
Allow injury/wound site to bleed freely, and then cover lightly.
Do not promote bleeding of percutaneous injuries by squeezing. This may damage the tissues and
increase uptake of any pathogen(s).

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General Reporting Procedures for Blood or Body Fluid Exposure

ALL SITES
1. Report the incident.
If working in a hospital, report to the nurse-in-charge. Remind him/her that you are covered by
WorkSafeBC. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure.
If working in an office or clinic, notify the preceptor or supervisor of the exposure. You may be able to do
this at the time of the exposure or sometime later.
2. GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS
NOT OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure and that you are covered by
WorkSafeBC, unless you are volunteering or shadowing. In the ER, Form 2339 will be filled out.
This form collects information from all health care workers and also from the source, and goes to
the lab with the blood work. This form is filled out for all BBF exposures.
3. Go to: http://riskmanagement.ubc.ca. Click on Report an Accident or Incident (orange button) and go to 2.
UBC practicum/clinical placement students.
Student must complete UBC Practicum/Clinical Placement Students Report of Occupational Injury or
Disease Form 6A.
Student must fax the completed form to UBC Workplace Health Services within 24 hours of the incident.
Tel: 604-822-8759
Fax: 604-822-0572
Email: wcb.info@ubc.ca
Student should ensure that his/her supervisor/preceptor goes to http://riskmanagement.ubc.ca.
Supervisor/Preceptor must complete Practicum Supervisor/Preceptor Report of Occupational Injury or
Disease Form 7-PS.
Supervisor/Preceptor must fax the completed form to UBC Workplace Health Services within 24 hours of
the incident.
Tel: 604-822-8759
Fax: 604-822-0572
Email: wcb.info@ubc.ca
4. Start WorkSafe BC Claim by calling the WorkSafeBC Teleclaim Contact Centre at 1-888-WORKERS (1-888-9675377).

Additional Site-Specific Reporting Procedures

VFMP:
1. Give the triage nurse the name of your Family Physician or UBC Health Service (604-822-7011), if you do
not have a Family Physician, to ensure results of blood tests are appropriately forwarded and followed up.
2. For more information and/or questions, please contact Dr. Janette McMillan, Associate Dean, Office of
Student Affairs at janette.mcmillan@ubc.ca.
IMP:
1. Give the triage nurse the name of your Family Physician or UVic Health Services (250-721-8492), if you do
not have a Family Physician, to ensure results of blood tests are appropriately forwarded and followed up.
2. Call Dr. Pamela Kibsey, Associate Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, VIHA at 250-519-

65

1626. Give your name, DOB and phone number as well as the NAME OF THE PATIENT and DOB, if possible.
3. For more information and/or questions, please contact Dr. Darlene Hammell, Assistant Dean, Student
Affairs, Island Medical Program at dhammell@uvic.ca or 250-472-5500.
NMP:
1. After the ER visit, call the Interior/Northern Health Employee Incident Report Line at 1-866-899-7999,
option 2. Report the incident to an occupational health nurse, provide your contact information, and give
the name of your Family Physician to ensure results of blood tests are appropriately forwarded. The nurse
will contact you about your incident, provide post exposure counselling, monitor baseline test results, and
provide you with recommendations for follow-up blood work or treatment as per BCCDC Guidelines.
2. For more information and/or questions, please contact Dr. Leigh Hunsigner, Assistant Dean, Student
Affairs, Northern Medical Program at leigh.hunsinger@unbc.ca or 250-960-5149.
SMP:
1. Give the triage nurse the name of your Family Physician or UBCO Health and Wellness Centre (250-8079270), if you do not have a Family Physician, to ensure results of blood tests are appropriately forwarded
and followed up.
2. After the ER visit, call the Interior/Northern Health Employee Incident Report Line at 1-866-899-7999,
option 2. Report the incident to an occupational health nurse, provide your contact information, and give
the name of your Family Physician to ensure results of blood tests are appropriately forwarded. The nurse
will contact you about your incident, provide post exposure counselling, monitor baseline test results, and
provide you with recommendations for follow-up blood work or treatment as per BCCDC Guidelines.
3. For more information and/or questions please contact Dr. Connie Hull, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs,
Southern Medical Program at connie.hull@ubc.ca, 250-807-8789 (office) or 250-317-4742 (cell).

SAFE WORK PROCEDURE

Handling and Disposing of Sharps
Purpose: To ensure students and faculty are able to handle and dispose of sharps safely.
Examples of Sharps:
Needles
Scalpel blades
Suture material with needles
Glass vials
Any other sharp objects that may have been in contact with blood and body fluids
Principles:
1. Always have hand washing facilities available-sink/soap/hand sanitizer.

2. Always choose single-use safety engineered syringes if possible.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Never Recap needles.

Do not separate needles and syringes-discar as a single unit.
Do not purposefully bend, break or remove a needle from the syringe.
If needle and syringe are inadvertently separated, use forceps to dispose of needle.
Never dispose of sharps in the regular garbage.
Do not use a sharps container that has been already locked closed unless it is brand new.

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9. Do not attempt to open a sharps container that has been locked closed.
Handling and Disposing of Sharps
1. Ensure you have a sharps container within easy reach.
2. Place all sharps at the upper end of the procedure tray, pointed away form you to avoid an accidental
injury.
3. When the procedure is completed, ensure that no one is between you and the sharps container.
4. Discard all used syringes (including single-use injector syringes) as a single unit.
5. Using forceps, remove the blade from a non-disposable scalpel handle without breaking the blade.
6. Place used sharps in the sharps container with the sharp end pointed away from you.
7. Do not insert fingers into the opening of the sharps container.
8. When finished, wash hands with soap and water or clean hands with a hand sanitizer.
9. Before leaving the work space, ensure that all sharps are disposed of correctly.
10. Before leaving the work space, ensure that all spills are appriately cleaned.

BASIC CLEAN-UP PROCEDURE

Management of Spills of Blood or Body Fluids
Blood or Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure:
Medical students and their supervisors must be aware that there are specific procedures which must be followed
in the case of a BBF spill. If there is a spill, the appropriate staff member must be notified so proper procedures
are followed.
Blood or body fluids that may contain blood-borne pathogens are considered to be serum, plasma, any fluid
containing visible blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and amniotic, pleural, peritoneal, synovial or cerebrospinal fluids.
Tears, saliva, urine, and faeces areNOT considered to transmit blood borne pathogens, with the exception of
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which may be transmitted via saliva. For more details, refer to UBC Blood and Body
Fluids: Exposure Control Plan.
Basic Biological Spill Clean-up Kit
1. Written spill clean-up procedure
2. Gloves, protective clothing (e.g. lab coat, booties), and safety goggles
3. Tape or marking pencil to mark off spill area
4. Appropriate chemical disinfectant (check expiry date and dilution) 5% Wescodyne or 5-10% sodium
hypochlorite (bleach) are most common
5. Absorbent material (paper towel, incontinent pads, cloth rags or absorbent carbon pads)
6.
7.

Disposal bags leak proof, autoclavable, and labeled (biohazard tags)

Sharps collector and forceps for picking up broken glass or sharps

Procedures
1. Check for contamination of clothing, footwear and skin.
2. Wear appropriate protective clothing.
3. Set up a disposal bag and sharps container to allow easy discarding of contaminated clean-up materials.
4. Using forceps remove any sharp materials and place in a sharps container.
5. Place absorbent material pre-soaked in appropriate decontaminant on the main spill area. Place gently so

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as not to produce any aerosols.

6. Then working out to in, cover the remaining contaminated area in decontaminant soaked absorbent
material. Once entire area is covered begin counting the contact time (usually 20-30 minutes depending
on decontaminant used).
7. Ensure that all tools used for clean-up are decontaminated.
8. Appropriately dispose of contaminated clean-up materials in a clearly marked disposal bag. Sharps are
disposed into approved sharps container.
9. Carefully remove gloves and other contaminated PPE and place them with other contaminated materials
in a clearly marked disposal bag.
10. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.

VISITING ELECTIVE STUDENTS

Blood and Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure
Instructions for Care & Follow Up
Visiting Students (VS) from Canadian and International Universities undertake clinical electives throughout the
province and within all health authorities. To ensure that students receive the necessary care, it is imperative that
all Visiting Students know how to manage a Blood and Body Fluid (BBF) exposure, such as a needle-stick, suturestick, scratch or splash. Please refer to the following link for helpful information:
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile97.stm
Upon confirmation of their elective, each Visiting Student receives an instruction sheet which summarizes the
steps for receiving care in the event of a BBF. Students may also receive a laminated card, which can be worn on
their person. All Health Authorities within BC have detailed protocols for managing critical exposures and visiting
students are expected to follow these protocols and the instructions enclosed in the following pages.
Within the Emergency Room and whilst in BC, Visiting Students will receive the same care as any other resident of
BC. However, as an out of province patient, it is important visiting students refer to their personal health coverage
and the services provided by their Home University in terms of covering out of province/out of country health
costs.
Denoted below is the first aid students should perform in the event of a BBF in any location within BC, followed by
the individual protocols for each Health Authority.
Cleanse
Mucous membrane or eye: Rinse well with water and/or normal saline.
Skin: Wash well with soap and water.
Allow injury/wound site to bleed freely, and then cover lightly.

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Do not promote bleeding of percutaneous injuries by cutting, scratching, squeezing, or puncturing the
skin. This may damage the tissues and increase uptake of any pathogen(s).
Do not apply bleach to the injury/wound or soak it in bleach.

Visiting Elective Students

VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY
Procedures for Blood/Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

1. Report the incident to the nurse in charge so baseline bloodwork on the source patient and risk assessment
can be done. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure. You may be able to do this at the time of the
exposure or sometime later.

2. GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT The NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure so that you can be assessed by a physician and complete
blood work. Inform the ER that you are a visiting elective student.
In the ER, complete a BC Ministry of Health Form (2339) which will collect information regarding the student
and the source. This will be sent to the lab, with the blood work. The Occupational Health Nursing
Program (OHNP) will access this to provide you your results. (See step #3)
Wherever possible, provide your local contact details and the name of your Family Physician in your home
community.

3. Visiting Students MUST report the BBF to an Occupational Health Nurse at the Workplace Health Call Centre:
1-866-922-9464.
Provide the source name and PHN or DOB.
Provide your name, DOB, phone number and mailing address so that the OHNP can follow up

4. The OHNP and the Visiting Student Electives Program Manager/Assistant in the UBC MD Undergraduate Deans
Office will collaborate in the event of a BBF exposure to guarantee the student can be contacted for
consultation and follow up.
OHNP: 1-866-922-9464 or ohnp@vch.ca
UBC Visiting Student Electives: 604-875-4500 or Program Manager - kelly.jacobs@ubc.ca

5. The OHNP will contact the VS with the lab results and any additional treatment that may be required. The
OHNP will mail a package to the VS which will include:
Letter for student with directions on how to proceed
Letter for student's own physician
Occupational Disease Exposure and follow-up information for student and GP
Students (exposed) and source blood work for follow up with own GP

6. Visiting Students are to contact their Universitys Student Health Services to confirm the process for reporting
the BBF and inquire about the compensation/insurance coverage of their University for out of province/out of
country health care.

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Visiting Elective Students

VANCOUVER ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY
Procedures for Blood/Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

1. Report the incident to the nurse in charge so baseline blood work on the source patient and risk assessment can
be done. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure.

2. GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure so that you can be assessed by a physician and
completed blood work. Inform the ER that you are a visiting elective student.
In the ER, complete a BC Ministry of Health Form (2339) which will collect information regarding the
student and the source. This will be sent to the lab, with the blood work. Infection Prevention and
Control will access this to provide you your results. (See step #3)
Wherever possible, ensure you provide your local contact details and your Family Physician in your
home community.

3. Visiting Students MUST report the BBF to VIHA Infection Prevention and Control

Call Dr. Pamela Kibsey, Associate Medical Director at 250-519-1626, or VIHA at 250-370-8699 and ask
for the Microbiologist on-call.
Provide the source name and PHN or DOB.
Provide your name, DOB, phone number and mailing address for follow up.

4. Visiting Students may also contact the UBC Visiting Student Electives Program Manager/Assistant for instructions:
604-875-4500 | Program Manager - kelly.jacobs@ubc.ca

5. Visiting Students must follow-up with Dr. Pamela Kibsey to obtain their blood work results, instructions for next
steps and ensure information is forwarded to the students family physician

6. Visiting Students are to contact their Universitys Student Health Services to verify the process for reporting the
BBF and inquire about the compensation/insurance coverage of their University for out of province/out of
country health care.

Visiting Elective Students

NORTHERN HEALTH AUTHORITY
Procedures for Blood/Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

1. Report the incident to the nurse in charge so baseline blood work on the source patient and risk assessment
can be done. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure.

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2. GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure so that you can be assessed by a physician and
completed blood work. Inform the ER that you are a visiting elective student.
In the ER, complete a BC Ministry of Health Form (2339) which will collect information regarding the
student and the source. This will be sent to the lab, with the blood work. The Occupation RN will
access this to provide you your results. (See step #3)
Wherever possible, ensure you provide your local contact details and your Family Physician.
3. Visiting Students MUST contact the Northern Health Incident Report Line to access an occupational RN who
will review their situation according to BCCDC guidelines. The RN will refer to their GP's with adequate info
regarding risk, blood tests, and follow up.
Northern Health Incident Report Line 1.866.899.7999
Provide the source name and PHN or DOB.
Provide your name, DOB, phone number and mailing address for follow up.
4. Visiting Students may also contact the UBC Visiting Student Electives Program Manager/Assistant for
instructions: 604-875-4500 | Program Manager - kelly.jacobs@ubc.ca
5. Follow-up with your Family Physician to ensure that the test results are properly reviewed and if necessary, a
treatment plan developed.
6. Visiting Students are to contact their Universitys Student Health Services to confirm the process for reporting
the BBF and inquire about the compensation/insurance coverage of their University for out of province/out of
country health care.

Visiting Elective Students

INTERIOR HEALTH AUTHORITY
Procedures for Blood/Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

1. Report the incident to the nurse in charge so baseline blood work on source patient and risk assessment can
be done. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure.
2. GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure so that you can be assessed by a physician and
completed blood work. Inform the ER that you are a visiting elective student.
In the ER, complete a BC Ministry of Health Form (2339) which will collect information regarding the
student and the source. This will be sent to the lab, with the blood work. The Occupational Health
Nurse will access this to provide you your results. (See step #3)
Wherever possible, ensure you provide your local contact details and your Family Physician
3. Visiting Students MUST report the BBF to the Interior Health Employee Incident Report Line 1-866-8997999, option 1.

71

Provide the source name and PHN or DOB.

Provide your name, DOB, phone number and mailing address for follow up.

4. The Occupational Health Nurse Specialist will contact you about your incident, provide post exposure
counseling, monitor baseline test results and provide you with recommendations for follow-up blood work or
treatment as per BCCDC Guidelines.
5. Follow-up with your own Family Physician to ensure that the test results are properly reviewed and if
necessary, a treatment plan developed.
6. Visiting Students may also contact the UBC Visiting Student Electives Program Manager/Assistant for
instructions: 604-875-4500 | Program Manager - kelly.jacobs@ubc.ca
7. Visiting Students are to contact their Universitys Student Health Services to confirm the process for reporting
the BBF and inquire about the compensation/insurance coverage of their University for out of province/out of
country health care.

Visiting Elective Students

FRASER HEALTH AUTHORITY
Procedures for Blood/Body Fluid (BBF) Exposure

1. Report incident to nurse in charge of the area who will arrange baseline blood work on source patient and do
risk assessment. Also, notify your preceptor of the exposure.
2. GO TO EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL within two hours of exposure THIS IS NOT
OPTIONAL. Advise the triage nurse of the BBF exposure so that you can be assessed by a physician and
completed blood work. Inform the ER that you are a visiting elective student.
In the ER, complete a Ministry of Health Form (2339) which will collect information regarding the
student and the source. This will be sent to the lab, with the blood work. Infection Prevention and
Control will access this to provide you your results. (See step #3)
Wherever possible, ensure you provide your local contact details and your Family Physician.
3. Visiting Students MUST report the BBF to FRASER HEALTH (FHA) / PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES
AUTHORITY (PHSA)
Call the Occupational Health Nursing Call Centre at 1-866-922-9464.
Indicate that the event occurred in FHA or PHSA to voice prompt.
If leaving a message, indicate your name and that you are a visiting medical student with a contact
number where you can be reached.
Provide the source name and PHN or DOB1.

Provide your name, DOB, phone number and mailing address for follow up.

Should the source name be unknown or refuse testing, the student will be given instructions as to how to arrange follow
up with their own GP.

72

4. Visiting Students may also contact the UBC Visiting Student Electives Program Manager/Assistant for
instructions: 604-875-4500 | Program Manager - kelly.jacobs@ubc.ca
5. The FHA / PHSA Occupational Health Nursing Unit will contact the student with instructions for next steps and
follow up procedures. The student should request that a copy of their results be mailed to them so that the
student can provide it to their family physician.
6. Visiting Students are to contact their Universitys Student Health Services to verify the process for reporting
the BBF and inquire about the compensation/insurance coverage of their University for out of province/out of
country health care.

APPENDIX 17: Appeals Process

Appeal Process for Appeals on Academic Standing for Undergraduate Medicine, Undergraduate
Medical Laboratory Sciences and Midwifery Programs in the Faculty of Medicine
This document establishes the appeal process for appeals on Academic Standing for students in undergraduate
medicine; undergraduate medical laboratory sciences; and midwifery programs in the Faculty of Medicine. Every
effort will be made to decide student appeals under this policy in a timely manner.

1. Initiating an Appeal
1.1. All appeals on academic standing for students in undergraduate medicine; undergraduate medical
laboratory sciences; and midwifery programs in the Faculty of Medicine are made to the Dean. The
student must forward a letter of appeal to the Dean identifying the decision under appeal and clearly
setting out the grounds of appeal in accordance with this Policy. The letter of appeal must include any
documents in support of the appeal that the student wishes to be considered. The students letter of
appeal must be received in the Deans office within 10 days of the decision the student wishes to
appeal.
1.2. The Dean, or delegate, will review the letter of appeal to determine whether the appeal is based on one
of the grounds of appeal set out in this Policy. If the Dean, or delegate, determines that the appeal is
not based on a ground of appeal set out in this policy then the Dean may dismiss the appeal.
1.3. If the Dean, or delegate, determines that the appeal is based on one of the permissible grounds of
appeal set out in this Policy then the Dean will refer the appeal to an advisory committee (Advisory
Committee) which will be chaired by the Executive Associate Dean Education (Chair) or designate.

2. Composition of Advisory Committee

1.4. In addition to the Chair the Advisory Committee will be composed of the following individuals:

73

(a)

The Associate Dean of Equity in the Faculty of Medicine or alternate appointed by the Chair;

(b)

A Department Head or School Director.

1.5. In the event an Advisory Committee composed of these individuals cannot be constituted in a timely
manner the Chair may appoint a senior faculty member as an alternative committee member.

3. Grounds for Appeal

A decision on academic standing reflects the assessment of faculty as to whether a student has met the
academic standards of his or her undergraduate program. It is a decision determined through the exercise of
academic judgment in the evaluation process utilized by the undergraduate program.
1.6. A student may appeal a decision on academic standing only on the following grounds:
(a)

The decision is inconsistent with the policies for evaluation and promotion adopted by the
undergraduate program;

(b)

The decision did not take into account all relevant evidence or relied on irrelevant evidence;

(c)

The decision is based on an arbitrary or discriminatory exercise of academic judgment by the

faculty or program.

1.7. In rare circumstances a student may appeal a decision on the basis of additional mitigating evidence
that was not known to the student, and not available to the decision maker, at the time the decision
was made.
1.8. A student may not appeal a decision solely on the basis that the student does not agree with the
application of an evaluation or promotions policy or with the academic judgment of faculty.

4. Terms of Reference of the Advisory Committee

1.9. The Advisory Committee is a committee of inquiry constituted to review student appeals on academic
standing referred by the Dean and to make recommendations to the Dean regarding the disposition of
the appeal. The Advisory Committee will review information relevant to the issues raised in the appeal
before making a recommendation to the Dean.
1.10. The Advisory Committee will confine itself solely to questions arising from the grounds of appeal set out
in this policy. The Advisory Committee may not substitute its academic judgment for that of the faculty
on the basis that, on the evidence, the Advisory Committee would have reached a different conclusion.

5. Advisory Committee Meeting

1.11. The Advisory Committee will notify the decision maker (eg Chair of promotions committee, head of
program or school) of the request for appeal and will provide the decision maker with a copy of the
letter of appeal. The decision maker may be asked to provide a written response to the matters raised

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in the appeal. A copy of any written response provided by the decision maker will be provided to the
student and the student will be allowed to respond either in writing or orally during the meeting with
the Advisory Committee.
1.12. The Advisory Committee will review all materials relevant to the decision under appeal and the grounds
of appeal including any applicable evaluation or promotions policies, the students academic record, any
applicable narrative assessments and any faculty committee minutes relevant to the decision under
appeal.
1.13. The Advisory Committee will schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the appeal and to attempt
to resolve the dispute. At the discretion of the Chair the decision maker may also be invited to attend
this meeting. Neither the student nor the decision maker will be represented by legal counsel at this
meeting. However, the student may be accompanied by a support person. This meeting could be
arranged through videoconferencing as appropriate.
1.14. Either before or during the meeting with the student the Advisory Committee may request additional
information, oral or written, related to the decision or the grounds of appeal. All such additional
information will be shared with the student and the decision maker and they will be given an
opportunity to respond to the additional information.
1.15. After consideration of all information relevant to the appeal the Advisory Committee will make a
recommendation to the Dean with respect to the disposition of the appeal based on a majority vote of
the committee members who reviewed the appeal,
1.16. The decision and recommendation of the Advisory Committee will be provided to the Dean in writing.
1.17. The Advisory Committee may recommend that the decision be overturned, modified with specific
directions or upheld as written.

6. Decision of the Dean

1.18. Upon receipt of the recommendation of the Advisory Committee the Dean may request additional
information from the student or the decision maker before making a final decision. Any additional
information provided in response to a request from the Dean will be provided to the student or faculty
and they will have an opportunity to respond to the information.
1.19. The Dean will make the final decision regarding the disposition of the appeal after consideration of the
Advisory Committees recommendation and of any additional information provided in response to the
Deans request under paragraph 6.1.
1.20. The Dean will notify the student of the final decision in writing at the earliest opportunity.
1.21. A student may appeal the decision of the Dean to the Senate Committee on Academic Standing.
Information on how to bring an appeal to the Senate Committee is available in the UBC calendar.

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APPENDIX 18: Elective Categories and CaRMS Disciplines

Elective Categories Class of 2015

*** Please note, you are responsible for checking the Elective Descriptions on One45 to confirm categorisation this list
provides a guide ***

Surgical / Procedural (must have 4 weeks minimum):

Anaesthesiology
Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Except OG-Pr-Daig-Van-BCWH which is Medical)
Orthopaedics
Ophthalmology
Surgery
Urology
Emergency Medicine

Medical (must have 4 weeks minimum):

Dermatology
Internal Medicine (ICU @ SPH & VGH may count as Surgical / Procedural)
Paediatrics
Pathology
Psychiatry
Radiation Oncology
Public Health (only some - Check One45)

Primary Care (must have 4 weeks minimum):

Emergency Medicine
Family Practice
Public Health (HIV-Van-SPH only)

Miscellaneous (non-clinical)

Research or Scholarly
Radiology
Anatomy
Public Heath
** Please also note that some Electives fall under more than one category, so please ensure you double check the Elective
Descriptions on One45 as they are written by Preceptors.

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Carms Entry Disciplines

Anatomical Pathology
Anaesthesiology
Cardiac Surgery
Dermatology
Diagnostic Radiology
Emergency Medicine
Family Medicine
General Pathology
General Surgery
Haematological Pathology
Internal Medicine
Laboratory Medicine
Medical Biochemistry
Medical Genetics
Medical Microbiology
Neurology
Neurology - Paediatric
Neuropathology
Neurosurgery
Nuclear Medicine
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Ophthalmology
Orthopaedic Surgery
Otolaryngology
Paediatrics
Physical Med & Rehab
Plastic Surgery
Psychiatry
Public Health & Preventative Medicine
Urology
Vascular Surgery

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Appendix 19 Class of 2015 Schedule

78