Residency Training

Program Highlights

The strengths of the UBC Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Training Program are:

  • Broad clinical exposure: training takes place in the British Columbia Provincial Medical Genetics Programme ensuring a wide variety of clinical experiences in all areas of clinical genetics.
  • A dedicated “Resident Clinic”  for Core of Discipline and Transition to Practice residents allowing trainees to see patients from initial consultation through ongoing stages of investigation and follow-up.
  • Training in a centre with an exceptional genetic counselling and genetics lab scientists training programs and thus an opportunity to learn not only from residents but also from cohorts of genetic counselling students and lab fellows. 
  • Exposure to cutting edge clinical application and research in genomics.
  • Strong biochemical training: biochemical genetic rotations include three months with the clinical Biochemical Disease Service at the BC Children’s Hospital and 1 month of Adult Biochemical Genetics at the Vancouver General Hospital.
  • Committed instructors: training with a range of Medical Geneticists committed to resident education, with expertise in different areas of clinical genetics and strong support and teaching from Laboratory Specialists in molecular, cytogenetics and biochemical genetics labs.
  • A national leader in adopting and translating genomics into clinical care.
  • Research: strong academic department providing diverse opportunities for research.
  • Balance: an appropriate balance between education, research and service.

The UBC Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program is within a busy, provincial service that sees approximately 3000 families per year as outpatient, inpatient and outreach consultations. Our service is centralized at the BC Children’s Hospital and Women’ Health Centre (C234 – 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1). Provincial Medical Genetics Clinic provides the following:

  • Evaluation and diagnosis of congenital anomalies and genetic diseases in fetuses, children, and adults
  • Genetic counselling regarding the risks of occurrence or recurrence of congenital anomalies, mental retardation and genetic disease;
  • Inpatient, outpatient and outreach consultations about congenital anomalies, genetic diseases, and teratogen exposures; and
  • Education about medical genetics for the public, for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students, as well as for health professionals in B.C.
  • Research

BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre (BCW) is the only facility in British Columbia devoted primarily to the health of women, newborns and families. It provides a broad range of specialized women’s health services that address the health needs of women of all ages and backgrounds. BC Women’s is one of the largest maternity facilities in Canada, with over 7,000 births a year, and is both the major primary and secondary maternity services provider in the Lower Mainland and the cornerstone of the provincial tertiary care system. As an academic health centre, BCW’s mandate includes providing strong leadership in research and the education and professional development of health care professionals in areas related to the health of the populations we serve.

Program Curriculum

The Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Training Programs launched Competence by Design in July 2022.

The training follows the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada guidelines. The program is a five-year program.

Our residents have a curricular blueprint organized around the competencies related to:

  • wellness/community building,
  • as designated by the Royal College training document, and
  • around managing select presentations.

In years 1 and 2, the residents are mainly “off-service” and complete rotations in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM), and Reproductive Psychiatry with the remaining months for electives.

In years 3 – 5, the resident will complete rotations in clinical genetics, 6 months of laboratory genetics and graduate-level course work. There is also time dedicated to research and electives. Core of Discipline and Transition to Practice MGG residents will hold Medical Genetics Resident clinics, during which a resident sees 3 – 5 new patients per clinic, and is solely responsible for preparing and doing the all the follow-up for the cases selected for the clinic.   

Research 

Each resident will complete a scholarly project (clinical or laboratory). The topic will be chosen by the middle of year 3 and completed during years 3, 4 & 5. The resident will be able to access world-renowned laboratories and clinical research groups to define and complete the projects.

Educational Activities

Residents are offered protected learning/research time, which includes weekly participation in the Academic Half Day (AHD) activities, which run Fridays from 12-4. Medical Genetics AHD includes weekly patient reviews, monthly journal club, and weekly tailored learning sessions which have resident/fellow-led learning and learning with a faculty member, who will lead discussions of specific competencies/topics in the field of clinical genetics, discussions and analysis of the select cases etc. This curriculum provides a wide variety of learning opportunities addressing all of the CanMeds roles. PGY1’s attend pediatric AHDs instead but are welcome when service requirements allow to attend Medical Genetics half days.

The residents are also informed about and welcome to attend rounds of other services highly relevant to Medical Genetics (Fetal Diagnosis Service Rounds, Combined Perinatal Rounds, Pediatrics Grand Rounds, DSD rounds, Biochemical Diseases Clinical Service Rounds, Autopsy Rounds).

Coursework and Seminars

In their third year, the residents participate in two graduate level genetic courses. In addition, they are involved in dedicated weekly academic half-days throughout their five years of training, which are geared towards preparation for their career and Royal College Examination.

In addition, Objective Standardized Clinical Encounters (OSCE) and practice written examinations are held twice a year. OSCE’s are multi-station exams designed to be similar to the Royal College examination format. Each resident also is offered funding to write the ABMGG practice exam once during the residency, most likely in a senior year. 

Residents also participate in Telehealth for Genetic Residents and Fellows (TeleGRAF) sessions; across Canada monthly teaching seminar series delivered via videoconference.

Training Sites

The pediatric, internal medicine, MFM and other basic training in the Medical Genetics and Genomics Residency Program is interdisciplinary. Residents train at a number of tertiary level academic teaching hospitals and laboratories in Greater Vancouver, all with large patient loads derived from the entire province.  Sites include, but are not limited to:

  • BC Children’s Hospital, 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V4
  • BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre, 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1
  • Vancouver General Hospital, 899 12th Avenue W, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 1M9
  • BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Centre, 600 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4E6
  • Saint Paul’s Hospital, 1081 Burrard St. Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 1Y6
  • Royal Columbian Hospital, 330 E Columbia St, New Westminster, BC V3L 3W7
  • UBC Hospital, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5

The core Medical Genetics clinical training is within a busy, provincial service that sees approximately 3000 families per year as outpatient, inpatient and outreach consultations.  Our service is centralized at the BC Children’s Hospital and Women’ Health Centre (C234 – 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC  V6H 3N1).  Residents have the opportunity to take part in Genetic Outreach clinic in underserviced areas in British Columbia and to attend dedicated clinics at the BC Cancer Hereditary Cancer Program. Patients demonstrate a wide variety of prenatal, pediatric, and adult conditions. There is close affiliation with both diagnostic and research laboratories.  

Our program emphasizes learning and integration of basic genetics with clinical genetics, with our residents completing upper level course work within the UBC Medical Genetics Graduate Program. 

Additional Quick Facts:

  • The ratio of residents to faculty is 1:2.
  • The dedicated “Resident Clinic” allows senior residents the opportunity for continuity of care and follow-up of their own patients.
  • There are opportunities to serve rural communities via videoconference.
  • Our institution provides residents with access to electronic medical resources.
  • There are opportunities for interprovincial and international electives.
  • Research electives can be tailor-fit to the residents’ interests, designed to focus on future goals.