Island Medical Program

Looking for a safe way to volunteer in your community? Want to make an impact on the #futureofBChealthcare? The IMP Patient Program needs more people to help virtually train our MD students over Zoom. We have multiple opportunities for individuals of all ages, genders, and levels of health. As a volunteer, you will help medical students develop many important skills, such as history-taking, connecting with patients in a respectful and empathetic manner, and much more. You wi...ll receive training, support, and an honorarium for your work, no matter which opportunity you choose. Learn more about the opportunities at imp.med.ubc.ca/patient-program-needs-virtual-volunteers-fo/ A huge thank you to everyone who has already volunteered with the IMP Patient Program; you are truly helping us make a difference in medical education! UVic Co-op and Career University of Victoria University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS) Volunteer Victoria Capital Regional District Island Health Belfry Theatre Theatre SKAM Intrepid Theatre

Congratulations to Arielle Roberts (IMP Class of 2021) on winning the 2020 College of Family Physicians of Canada Medical Student Scholarship on behalf of UBC! Arielle received the award for her interest in family medicine and leadership in the specialty. Learn more about her work at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/imp-student-wins-family-medicine-sc/

Do you want to make a difference in medical education? The Island Medical Program is seeking people with chronic health conditions to help train our future doctors to view the healthcare system from a patient perspective. As a First Patient volunteer, you will virtually share your health story with first-year students and, if possible, have them join you for a few of your virtual healthcare appointments. These experiences will teach your students about the reality of living w...ith an illness, helping them become more empathetic and effective physicians. And, as you help your students hone their communication skills, you may find them encouraging you to define and achieve your health goals in the process. The First Patient Program will be there to support you throughout your commitment to make sure your time as a volunteer is as easy, safe, comfortable, and fulfilling as possible. Also, all participants will receive a small honorarium. Check out bit.ly/FirstPatientIMP to learn more about how you can shape the healthcare system of tomorrow.

Want to help train our future physicians? The Island Medical Program is looking for healthy individuals to virtually act as practice patients while instructors teach and assess MD students. As a Standardized Patient, you will be trained to realistically portray patient symptoms and histories in the same way for multiple students. You will need to memorize scenarios, mimic physical symptoms, and convincingly portray a range of emotions. Individuals of all ages and genders are... encouraged to participate, and all Standardized Patient actors will receive an honorarium for their time. As mentioned, all work will be done virtually until further notice To learn more, visit https://imp.med.ubc.ca//patient-pro/standardized-patients/ or contact [email protected] University of Victoria Phoenix Theatre Belfry Theatre Intrepid Theatre Theatre SKAM Langham Court Theatre

Want to be a doctor? Want to attend medical school on Vancouver Island? If you answered "yes," then join us for a free virtual info session on September 23 to learn how you can achieve those goals at the Island Medical Program. Everyone is welcome to attend and seating is unlimited, but you must RSVP to attend: https://imp.med.ubc.ca/virtual-info-sessions/ Camosun College University of Victoria North Island College Vancouver Island University

#ScholarStrikeCanada is on now and will continue through tomorrow. Head to https://scholarstrikecanada.ca/ to learn about the movement, access resources, join the discussion, and see the full schedule of free digital teach-ins (with links to the sessions) #ScholarStrike

The start of school may look a little different this year, but the IMP Class of 2024 is ready to take on the challenge! Welcome, everyone!

It's back to school at the IMP! Faraz, Jessy, Jordyn, Ivy, Janae, Peter, and Simona are seven of the 32 new UBC MD students who started their medical education at UVic this week. You can learn more about them on our website at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/welcome-imp-class-of-2024/

Cai Long (IMP Class of 2021) returned to his engineering roots to work as a technical consultant for a new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance book on medical devices for cervical cancer. Learn more at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/imp-student-collaborates-on-who-gui/

Dr. Crawford was a natural teacher who loved nothing more than to be with a small group of medical students, sharing his knowledge while broadening theirs. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Bruce Crawford. Along with being instrumental in founding the Island Medical Program, he was an amazing researcher, teacher, mentor, and friend to many. We welcome you to read the following eloquent letter Kurt McBurney wrote in memory of Dr. Crawford on behalf of everyone who has passed through the IMP: imp.med.ubc.ca/remembering-dr-bruce-crawford/. We also welcome you to share your memories of Dr. Crawford here.

Congratulations Liz Burden (IMP Class of 2022) on winning the ImpactBC Scholarship in Health Care Research and Development! She won the scholarship for her work on PatientLink, an app that sends patient updates to loved ones on surgery day. https://bit.ly/BurdenScholarship #proud #scholarship #patientcare #medicaltechnology

Congratulations Rohit Singla (MD/PhD student, IMP Class of 2025) on being named a 2020 Vanier Scholar! To learn more about Rohit's work on using intelligent ultrasound to detect kidney disease, visit bit.ly/RohitVanier

The IMP Class of 2020

The UBC Faculty of Medicine, including the IMP, is committed to building a medical system that is more representative, inclusive, and equitable for everyone across Canada and beyond. Click the links below to take the #DifferentTogether pledge, access a list of resources, and learn how you can take action.

The IMP Class of 2020 will officially graduate this week! As everyone prepares for their next steps, we'd like to introduce you to four of these amazing 32 individuals. Visit https://bit.ly/MeetGrads2020 to learn more about Jocelyn, Nick, Vince, and Brianna's favourite memories at the IMP and where they're off to next.

This year, the IMP Class of 2020 chose Cool Aid as the recipient of their graduating Legacy Gift. We are so proud of this group of amazing human beings! #futureofBChealthcare #givingback #yyj

More than 60 IMP students are volunteering to help the Vancouver Island community during the COVID-19 outbreak. You can learn about some of their efforts in the story CHEK News ran last night: cheknews.ca/chek-upside-medical-students-helping-community/

Meet the IMP's Dr. Laura Ferrell and Waheeda Esmail. In honour of International Women's Day, they are featured on the UBC Faculty of Medicine's website alongside other outstanding women in the faculty who are transforming health for everyone. https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/international-womens-day-2020/

The IMP Class of 2020 celebrated CaRMS Match Day with family, friends, and IMP faculty and staff. For more photos, visit the IMP Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Thank you to everyone who attended the IMP Vision premiere on Monday night. What an amazing turnout! We hope you enjoyed the evening and that you left feeling connected and inspired. #futureofbchealthcare #ubcmed #ubcimp #itransformhealth @ University of Victoria

Deadline TODAY! The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow is recruiting healthcare students and recent grads to join one of four week-long trips to rural BC--including one on the Island--to showcase career options to high school students in May 2020. Visit https://imp.med.ubc.ca/volunteers-needed-for-2020-healthca/ for more info and a link to the online application. Deadline is Feb 24.

We are so #proud of Dr. Brent Jim (IMP Class of 2012), who is now the first - and only - Indigenous gynecologic oncologist in Canada. You can read more about his incredible achievement, and his goal of improving cervical cancer screening rates for Indigenous women, at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/imp-graduate-becomes-first-indigeno/

Don't forget to join us at the IMP info session tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in MSB 160. After the presentation, our admissions officer will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the program and your application. No RSVP needed. https://www.facebook.com/events/860956817684010/

Congrats to Jake Johnston (Class of 2022), who received a recognition award for this poster presentation at the 12th Annual Ottawa Conference: State of the Art Clinical Approaches to Smoking Cessation. His research focused on the impact of psychiatric disorder diagnosis on the motivation to quit smoking. "While the smoking cessation push has been one of the biggest success stories in global public health, certain groups tend to struggle more with quitting, including those with psychiatric disorders," Jake says. "I think it's important to address this health disparity. I got involved in this project to help build an understanding of why this is the case so that in the future, clinicians may be better equipped to help their patients with psychiatric disorders quit smoking."

Congrats to Rohit Singla on winning the 2019 BC MEDTECH Graduate Award in Biomedical Engineering. He is part of the seven-year MD/PhD program, which provides highly qualified students like Rohit with the opportunity to combine their medical school experience with intensive scientific training. You can learn more about Rohit's work and win at https://apsc.ubc.ca//biomed-student-wins-2019-bc-medtech-g

The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow is recruiting healthcare students and recent grads to join one of four week-long trips to rural BC to showcase career options to high school students in May 2020. Visit https://imp.med.ubc.ca/volunteers-needed-for-2020-healthca/ for more info and a link to the online application. Deadline is Feb 24.

After spending the first semester in Vancouver, the IMP Class of 2023 is officially home in Victoria!

A giant welcome to the IMP Class of 2023! We're so excited to finally have you at the University of Victoria for the second half of your first year.

The first IMP information session of 2020 will be next Thursday, Jan. 9 at 12:30 p.m. in MSB 160. Everyone is welcome.

We are #proud of the the Community Genetics Research Program (located at the IMP) and the Gitxsan Health Society! Together, these research partners won the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council Living with Illness 2020 Quality Award for their work on the impact Long QT Syndrome has on First Nations people of Northern BC. They are identifying people who are predisposed to the rare condition and helping them receive appropriate and effective care. Learn more at http://bit.ly/qualaward

The main IMP office on UVic campus will be closed Dec. 25 - Jan. 1. We'll be back on Jan. 2 to welcome the new year and get ready for our Year 1 students to join us for their first full semester in Victoria. See you then!

Congratulations to Angeline de Bruyns (IMP Class of 2020) on publishing her first-author paper in Clinical Oncology. Her retrospective study on desmoid-type fibramatosis, a rare tumor that forms in connective tissues, will inform clinicians which treatments have been most effective and which could be used in the future. bit.ly/AdeBruyns

Our very own Dr. Margaret Manville, Year 1&2 Family Medicine Director, Clinical Experiences, hit the airwaves on CBC's All Points West yesterday. Hear her conversation with Robyn Burns at https://www.cbc.ca//15745373-teaming-up-island-medical-stu

Will you help train tomorrow’s empathetic, patient-centred doctors? The IMP needs volunteers with chronic medical conditions to participate in our First Patient Program. Learn more at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/volunteers-needed-to-help-train-tom/

To avoid cancellation of the Gairdner Symposium live cast at UVic on Oct. 21, don't forget to RSVP ASAP! This is an excellent opportunity to listen to two dynamic and inspiring researchers. Check out event page for more information.

Dr. Fraser Black, IMP's Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, is part of the Palliative Outreach Resource Team (PORT), a new mobile care program in Victoria. He and registered nurse Katie Leahy bike and drive around town, providing medical and supportive care to people who are homeless and living in poverty. We are so proud of your work, Dr. Black! You can learn more about the program at the following links. CBC: bit.ly/2nxzxiF Vancouver Sun: bit.ly/2kTKpGW

If you can’t attend the Gairdner International Symposium in Vancouver on October 21, you can still listen to the two inspiring keynote speakers through this live video cast at UVic. However, you must RSVP early to avoid cancellation of this casting option. Find out more at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/rsvp-early-for-gairdner-symposium-v/

Drs. Samantha Stasiuk, Jonathan Tang, John Cooper, and Brad Williamson were recently recognized for their teaching contributions to the IMP. Congratulations! https://imp.med.ubc.ca/clinical-faculty-members-receive-20/

Four IMP clinical faculty and professors received awards from the UBC Faculty of Medicine last week. Congratulations to Drs. Alison Walzak, Sam Stewart, and Donna Doyle on their clinical faculty teaching awards, and to Dr. Laura Arbour on her distinguished achievement award! Find out more about the awards at https://imp.med.ubc.ca/about/news/

Sofía Zhang-Jiang (Class of 2022) was one of four IMP students who spent some of their summer tackling research projects through the UBC Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Program. Learn more about her project on central nervous system inflammation at https://bit.ly/2HMmdyv

One of the greatest parts of #backtoschool is getting to know our newest students and catching up with those in years 2, 3, and 4 and we'd like to share that experience with you! Allow us to introduce seven more of the amazing individuals who are the #futureofbchealthcare: Brittany, Shan, Kash, Lauren, Hamish, Valerie, and Ted. https://imp.med.ubc.ca/back-to-school-qas-part-2/

It's #BackToSchool time here at the #UBCIMP, and we wanted you to meet six of our incredible incoming and returning #medstudents. Follow the link to learn more about why Rohit, Erin, Levi, Lisa, Nathan, Lisa, and Anthony decided to pursue medicine and what's next on their BC bucket list. http://ow.ly/RIBd50vDsMz #futureofbchealthcare #freshfaces #medschool #yyj UBC Faculty of Medicine University of Victoria

UBC Faculty of Medicine featured Dr. Laura Arbour, a clinician-scientist and medical genetics professor at the IMP, in its online publication Pathways. Follow the link to learn more about Dr. Arbour and her role in the Silent Genomes project, which aims to reduce healthcare disparities and improve precision diagnosis for Indigenous children with genetic disease.

Happy #BCday from the staff and faculty of the Island Medical Program. We hope everyone has a fun, safe and healthy #longweekend! #summertime

We had so much fun hosting the students in the @universityofvictoria 2019 Indigenous Mini University today! After an admissions presentation by James Andrew, our program's Indigenous Student Initiatives Manager, grad students Juan and Penny introduced everyone to some basic brain and bone anatomy. Hopefully we see some of these talented students apply to @ubcmedicine MD Undergradute Program several years from now!... #futureofbchealthcare #indigenous #summerschool #science #medicine #ubcimp #medschool #yyj @ University of Victoria Medical Sciences Building

Happy Pride, Victoria! As we celebrate today, also remember there are many LGBTQ2 youth in our community who face higher physical and mental health risks than their heterosexual peers. To ensure these youth receive the support they need, please consider volunteering with QCHAT, a new non-profit, low-barrier referral and peer support program for LGBTQ2 youth in BC. Says co-founder and IMP student Conor Zeer-Wanklyn: [C]oming out, confusion about sexuality and gender identity,... relationships, and safety at home or elsewhere are topics that play an important role in the health and well-being of youth. We aim to be a low-barrier, non-judgemental, youth-positive service that youth in these situations can reach out to as a first point of contact and for ongoing peer support if they are dealing with ongoing problems or isolation. To learn more about QCHAT and how you can get involved, please visit https://bit.ly/2NK7xVE See more

Happy #CanadaDay from the staff and faculty of the Island Medical Program. We hope everyone has a safe and healthy long weekend no matter what you're doing!

We’re paving a new way to do research and deliver genetic healthcare - Brittany Morgan (Nuu-chah-nulth & Secwepemc), Community Engagement Coordinator at Silent Genomes, a four-year project addressing equity by improving precision diagnosis for Indigenous peoples. Find out what they've accomplished in the first year: https://bit.ly/31Qy0E3 #NIPD2019

Kick off your summer with the Alumni & Friends Summer BBQ Social in Victoria on July 9! Whether you're a healthcare provider, postgrad resident, IMP student or clinical faculty member, this is your chance to catch up with old friends and make new connections while enjoying a burger and a beverage. Please RSVP by July 2. https://bit.ly/2XbXmwC

#UBCIMP alumnus Dr. Stuart Gray (pictured) and academic clinician / affiliate professor Dr. Laura Arbour were featured in the latest issue of Pathways - the UBC Faculty of Medicine digital magazine, which has won a gold award for Best Online Publication at the @ccaecanada Prix d'Excellence Awards. You can find them in the Snapshots section: https://bit.ly/2KAcvRV

Incoming #UBCIMP student, cancer researcher and rural healthcare advocate, Celine Edwards, just won the top student award at UBCO, where she completed her undergrad. Congratulations, Celine; we can't wait for you to join us and your new classmates in Victoria. https://bit.ly/2QPrp7S

The Class of 2019 celebrated their graduation with loved ones, friends, and mentors on Friday. #futureofbchealthcare #proud #yyj

#tbt In the spirit of graduation, we thought it would fun to catch up with three IMP alumni. Follow the link below to discover what Drs. Lindsay Warder, Jack Shaw, and Andrew Kwasnica are up to, where they are currently practising, and what they remember about the IMP. https://imp.med.ubc.ca/meet-some-of-the-imp-alumni/

Everyone, meet Charles, Keely, Serenity, & Stuart. They are four of the 31 talented individuals who will graduate in the IMP Class of 2019. We sat down with them before they headed over to Vancouver for congregation to learn about their experiences at the IMP, where they're headed, and what inspires them. https://imp.med.ubc.ca/meet-four-graduates-from-the-class-/

Before the Class of 2019 officially graduates in Vancouver next week, we're celebrating the students' achievements with family, friends, and mentors in Victoria today. Congratulations everyone! We are all so proud of you! #IMPgrad2019 #futureofbchealthcare

The Healthcare Travelling Roadshow's first Vancouver Island trip. Between May 5-11, 2019, IMP students led a team of healthcare students from across BC on visits to high schools in Campbell River, Port Hardy, and Port McNeill. Together, the students showcased their chosen careers with the goal of inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals in rural communities.

Thank you to everyone who came to the high school info session last night. You and your fantastic questions made the night a huge success! Don't worry if you missed last night's session. Our regular info sessions will start up again in September. Our admissions officer is also available throughout the summer to answer your questions in person or via email/phone.

CORRECTION: Our high school info session is tomorrow night! (May 7) Come to MSB at 6:30 p.m. and find out how to earn your MD at UVic. Admission is free, and guardians/educators are welcome.

The Island Healthcare Roadshow starts today! We can't wait to post highlights of what our team gets up to as they promote healthcare careers to high school students in Campbell River, Port Hardy & Port McNeill from May 5-11 #VIHCRS19 #HCRS19 #futureofBChealthcare