Program Goals

The education of our residents is the main goal of the UBC Thoracic Surgery Residency Training Program. Faculty throughout the province participate in teaching and research. Residents rotate through various hospitals in the province and have elective rotations. Residents are given graduated responsibilities throughout their residency to reach the ultimate goal of becoming a competent Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Thoracic Surgeon.

The goal of our training program is to produce fully trained and competent General Surgeons who are able to:

• Successfully pass the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada specialty examination in Thoracic Surgery
• Able to practice at a consultant level in Thoracic Surgery
• Have a superior knowledge of Thoracic Surgery and other related disciplines
• Obtain exceptional clinical knowledge and operative skills
• Obtain proficiency in Thoracic Surgery procedures
• Become a medical expert and scholar. To act in a professional manner with excellent collaborator, health-advocate and communicator skills
• Exhibit excellent leadership skills
• Have an excellent understanding of research methodology

Clinical Rotations

The Thoracic Surgery Residency Program has access to busy and high-acuity surgical services at hospitals across British Columbia. A truly distributed program, our residents have a province-wide presence and must rotate through rotations around the province.

List specialty services your residents rotate through:

• 3 blocks of Cardiac Surgery
• 1 block of Advanced GI Interventional Endoscopy
• 2 blocks of Electives

Innovative Rotations and Longitudinal Experiences

• ECMO workshops
• UBC Wally Chung Surgical Research Day where residents are expected to submit research for presentation
• Morbidity & Mortality rounds
• Site-specific educational activities

Training Sites

Lower Mainland Hospitals

• Surrey Memorial Hospital
• St. Paul’s Hospital

Provincial Hospitals

• Kelowna General Hospital
• Royal Jubilee Hospital (Victoria)

Program Highlights

The Division of Thoracic Surgery at UBC is proud to have a Royal College Thoracic Surgery Training Program. Our training sites include Surrey Memorial Hospital (Fraser Health), Kelowna General Hospital (Interior Health), Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria (Island Health), and St. Paul’s Hospital (Providence Health Care).

Our goal at UBC is to create a top-notch training program in Thoracic Surgery, utilizing all of the resources available in our vast network of Health Systems and University. Together, we provide comprehensive and multidisciplinary management of thoracic and foregut disorders. Specifically, we are experts in minimally invasive surgery of the chest and abdomen, for cancer and benign conditions. We provide state-of-the-art multidisciplinary cancer therapy for our patients through our strong partnership with the BC Cancer Agency.

Our close affiliation with Trauma Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Respirology, and Gastroenterology allows us to provide the highest level of comprehensive care for all thoracic and foregut disorders.

Royal College of Canada Thoracic Surgery Residency Program

The Royal College Subspecialty Training Program is 24 months in duration with 3 months of electives. We have a Bridge-to-Practice rotation in the final 2 months of the program. We select ONE Canadian trainee every 2 years, so we can focus entirely on them. 

The resident will be intricately involved in all aspects of patient care. As part of a multidisciplinary team, they will work with staff to provide the highest level of quality care. Teaching revolves around clinical and surgical experience as well as weekly seminars, journal clubs, grand rounds, conferences, and research projects.

At UBC, we foster a safe and healthy learning environment. Our training program strongly encourages personal and professional well-roundedness, in the most livable city, in the most beautiful province, and in the best country in the world.

Our graduate will be an expert in Thoracic Surgery. They will have the required knowledge, skills, and attitude for effective patient-centred care and service to a diverse population. In all aspects of specialist practice, the graduate will address issues of gender, age, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity, and ethics in a professional manner. Our graduate will obtain surgical and CanMEDS competencies and excel as a medical expert, communicator, collaborator, manager, health advocate, scholar, and professional. They will be a leader in the field of Thoracic Surgery.

Canadian Medical Graduates

Applicants to the UBC Thoracic Surgery Residency Program must be in their final year of training in an accredited Canadian General Surgery or Cardiac Surgery Residency Program or have successfully completed their General Surgery Residency Training and are eligible to take the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Fellowship in General Surgery exams or have already obtained their Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada General Surgery certification. Interested candidates must apply through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). Details on how to apply through CaRMS can be found on the CaRMS website.

Internationally Sponsored Trainees

The UBC Division of Thoracic Surgery offers two to three positions annually for a 12-month program of advanced training in minimally invasive thoracic surgery each year. The program is available for International or Canadian applicants, who have successfully completed their Thoracic Surgery or Cardiac Surgery Residency Training. One to two positions are available for Vancouver General Hospital and one position is available at Surrey Memorial Hospital. For further information on details of funding and advanced thoracic surgery objectives, please contact the respective Fellowship Director.

For more information on Postgraduate Medical Education at UBC, please visit: https://postgrad.med.ubc.ca/prospective-trainees/postgraduate-fellows/ An internationally-sponsored medical trainee is a physician who is not a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident and whose tuition and salary are funded by a sponsoring agency in their home country. A postgraduate training agreement must be in place between UBC and the international sponsoring agency before PGME can process an application. Details on how to apply can be found on the PGME website.

Academic Half Day

We have a protected Academic Half Day that offers didactic and interactive teaching sessions including mock exams that cover the span of The Royal College goals and objectives of training. The AHD is divided into themes to allow for more focused and concentrated learning. We include local as well as guest speakers to present at the AHD to allow our residents access to various thought leaders in their respective fields. Core teaching includes the Royal College curriculum as well as journal clubs, grand rounds, weekly rounds, etc. 

Events

Various local and international conferences throughout the year along with the Annual UBC Chung Day, Resident Welcome BBQ, and Resident Grad evening.

PGY6-7/Stage of Training Outline

This residency program is for 2 years.

Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

The Royal College of Canada Thoracic Surgery Subspecialty Training Program is 24 months in duration consisting of a series of rotations offering graded responsibility and is designed to cover all clinical aspects of Thoracic Surgery as well as research techniques. Each year consists of thirteen (13) four-week blocks, including 3 blocks of electives. We have a Bridge-to-Practice rotation in the final 2 months of the program. We select ONE trainee every 2 years, so we can focus entirely on them.

CBME (Competency-Based Medical Education) will commence across Canada for all Thoracic Surgery Programs on July 1, 2025.  Full details regarding CBME are available at the following Royal College website

Every discipline transitioning to Competence by Design (CBD) has developed a Pathway to Competence consisting of 4 stages of training. For thoracic Surgery subspecialty programs, these stages include Transition to Discipline, Foundations of Discipline, Core of Discipline, and Transition to Practice. The pathway presents the CanMEDS milestones (observable markers) that the resident must acquire in order to attain the exit competencies outlined in the Discipline Competencies.

Although CBME is no longer time-based, it is projected that the majority of residents will complete Thoracic Surgery training in a 2-year period. The program curriculum as noted below continues to be broken down into the PGY 6 and PGY 7 years although it is recognized that the completion of EPAs (Entrustable Professional Activities) and milestones is not time-based.

PGY6

• Competence by Design: Transition to Thoracic Surgery: 1 Block
• Competence by Design: Foundations of Thoracic Surgery (Cardiac Surgery): 3 Blocks
• Competence by Design: Foundations of Thoracic Surgery (Advanced GI Endoscopy Rotation): 1 Block
• Competence by Design: Foundations of Thoracic Surgery: 5 Blocks
• Competence by Design: Core: 3 blocks

PGY7

• Competence by Design: Core: 8 Blocks
• Competence by Design: Core (Electives): 3 Blocks
• Competence by Design: Bridge to Practice: 2 Blocks

PGY7: Dr. Linda Chang Qu (General Surgery Residency: Western University, Master of Surgery: Western University, MD: Queen’s University)

Trainees are expected to become involved in a number of research projects during their training in Thoracic Surgery. There are opportunities for research in basic science as well as a broad range of clinical research.

Residents are encouraged to submit their research to national and international meetings and are supported to travel to meetings if their research is accepted for presentation. All residents are expected to submit research to the Wally Chung Surgical Research Day at UBC, usually held in the fall.

The Thoracic Surgery Residency Program is a community of learners, faculty and staff who share responsibility for creating and maintaining a positive, inclusive, learning and work environment where all participants are valued and treated with respect. There is a a Resident Counselling and Peer Support Office committed to ensuring resident wellbeing as well as resources to report Learner Mistreatment. 

Resources

• Inclusivity in the Learning Environment
• Gender Bias in the Learning Environment
• Student Mistreatment Video
• Building Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

• PGME Policies & Procedures
• Resident Resources
• Resident Insider
• Resident as Teachers
• Transition into Practice Program
• Resident Management System
• Competency-Based Medical Education
• Entrada
• One45
• Mistreatment Help
• Resident Reimbursements
  

Program Policies & Guidelines

• Thoracic Surgery Resident Safety Policy
• Thoracic Surgery Supervision Policy
• Thoracic Surgery Adopted PGME Resident Wellness Policy

The Royal College examination in Thoracic Surgery takes place in the PGY7 year during the Fall and consists of a written and an applied component.

• Co-Creating Mutual Goals
• Direct Observation and Feedback in a Clinical Setting
• Probing Clinical Reasoning through Collaborative Questioning
• Reflection and Feedback Conversations
• Competency by Design (CBD): Resident Training & Assessment
• Direct Observation Videos for AssessmentBuilding Safe and Supportive Learning Environments

Out of Province Residents

All postgraduate electives arranged for any training location within the province of British Columbia by Out of Province Medical Residents must be processed through the UBC PGME Dean’s Office.

Eligibility

• Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents currently enrolled in a recognized Family Practice or Specialty (Royal College) training program in Canada, OR
• Canadian Citizens currently enrolled in a recognized Family Practice or Specialty training program in the USA.

Process and Application

• Applicants must arrange their own postgraduate resident electives directly with an individual faculty member. Please check the Thoracic SurgeryDivision faculty list
• Once the elective dates have been confirmed by the faculty, applicants will need to work with the PGME Dean’s Office on the application and licensing. Please check Postgraduate Visiting Electives for information on the application process and timeline, required documents and administrative fee.

International Postgraduate Trainees

Currently, postgraduate electives by International Postgraduate Trainees are offered only to the potential applicants to the program under the Internationally Sponsored Trainee stream. All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Eligibility

• Citizens of other countries enrolled in a recognized Family Practice or Specialty training who are pursuing further clinical or research training in their own specialty, but who have not yet completed sufficient training that would allow them to be listed (registered) as a specialist in their home country.

Process and Application Please check International Postgraduate Trainee for information on the process and timeline, administrative fee, credentials verification, English language proficiency requirements, immigration/work permit documentation and more.