Resident Electives

UBC Respirology offers two elective types:

  • General Respirology (at SPH or VGH sites)
  • Specialized electives (at various sites, depending on your preceptor)

For a General Respirology Elective:

If you are interested in applying to do an elective with the UBC Respiratory Medicine Department please submit the Proposal Postgraduate Resident Elective form below.

If you would like to pursue an elective at VGH please email your proposal to:

  • elly.tjin@vch.ca

For electives at SPH please email the form to:

  • RespiratorySecretary@providencehealth.bc.ca

***PLEASE READ THE COVID-19 UPDATE REGARDING POLICIES AND CHANGES***

Our program is now accepting resident electives. For the most up to date information please refer to the PGME Office website.

Block 12 elective spots are now full for the VGH site. 

OPE – COVID Statement_Jan 2022

2024/01/15-OOP-Application-2 – Last update January, 2024

When completing your application please take note of the dates for our program blocks. This can be found here.

Application Process 

Click here to review the steps of applying for a resident elective


  1. If your proposal is accepted, you will receive a confirmation letter verifying the dates of your elective, your preceptor and your job site.
  2. Please complete the UBC Application for Post Graduate Electives found here :
  3. If your application is approved by the PGME Office you will require an educational license from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) in the postgraduate (Resident Elective) class. It is the applicant’s responsibility to apply for the license and meet the CPSBC criteria for licensure.

Click here for more information about the application:

The below outlines the application components:

  • Letter from your Program Director stating agreement to this elective with contact information.
  •  Letter from your preceptor stating agreement to this elective with contact information. Applications submitted without preceptor contact information will not be approved.
  • Online Payment of the $100.00 non-refundable administration fee. Payment must be received prior to your application being processed. Please submit a copy of your receipt with your application.
  • You can contact the Postgraduate Training Program at pgme.electivesandfellows@ubc.ca

The college should contact you regarding next steps to acquire your license. More information can be found here: https://www.cpsbc.ca/for-physicians/registration-licensing/applying/postgraduate/trainees

Upon receipt of that email, the College will mail the resident-elective an application package with further instructions. The package includes:

  • application form
  • consent to a criminal record check form
  • Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC) form
    checklist
  • Certificate of professional conduct information sheet
  • English language proficiency requirements information sheet

Once all the above steps have been completed, the resident-elective must contact the College. They may be eligible for expedited processing but if not, they must arrange an appointment.

All original documents (passport, medical degree, etc.) must be brought to this appointment. Registration will be granted at that time and must be done prior to your elective start date.

Alternatively, you may be able to send these documents with a notarization by way of registered mail, prior to your arrival in Vancouver.

For information regarding educational licensing, please contact The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia:

ph: 604.733.7758, ext. 2267, or visit their website: www.cpsbc.ca.

For a Specialized Respirology Elective:

The University of British Columbia offers a variety of specialized training opportunites for residents. Below is the list of specialized clinics we offer at VGH and SPH.

VGH

https://www.thelungcentre.ca/

SPH

http://pacificlung.ca/specialty-clinics

Pulmonary transplantation Cystic Fibrosis
Pulmonary hypertension Difficult asthma
Chronic home ventilation program Pulmonary complications of scleroderma
Occupational lung diseases Pulmonary rehabilitation
Tuberculosis Sarcoid
COPD COPD
Asthma Asthma
Interstitial lung disease Interstitial lung diseases
Lung cancer Allergy and Immunology
Pleural diseases including interventional bronchoscopy Immunodeficiency-related lung disease
Lung cancer / pleural disease

Students hoping to do a specialized elective are asked to take the initiative to find a supervising preceptor.

Physicians and their specialties can be found on the clinic websites embedded in the chart above.  If you wish to do a specialized elective in a particular area of interest, please contact your potential preceptor directly. Once you receive confirmation from your preceptor please fill out the Elective Proposal Form found above in this webpage.

UBCO electives (Kelowna):

Residents interested in completing electives in Kelowna through Interior Health should contact the program directly at pgme.interior@ubc.ca.  You can direct your email to Julie Zakus who is the current Program Assistant. Her contact information can be found below:

Julie Zakus
Program Assistant, PGME Interior
Faculty of Medicine | Postgraduate Medical Education
The University of British Columbia | Clinical Academic Campus
2312 Pandosy Street | Kelowna BC | V1Y 1T3 Canada
Phone 250 980 1342 | Fax 250 862-4012
pgme.interior@ubc.ca