Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia offers a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons accredited one year clinical fellowship in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. This is offered at Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia's provincial Level 1 Trauma Centre. The fellowship is designed to prepare general surgeons for imaginative and dynamic careers dedicated to caring for patients with acutely life-threatening surgical conditions.
Clinical Excellence
Promoting a diverse and intense clinical experience is a central priority of the fellowship program. The fellowship provides a high volume operative experience in trauma and acute care surgery. Trauma/ACS fellows serve as clinical and administrative chiefs on dedicated Trauma and ACS services, and are responsible for directing patient management, teaching, participating in and leading surveillance and quality improvement initiatives. In addition to the trauma and acute care surgery blocks, fellows will rotate through highly relevant surgical subspecialties, including Thoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic and Transplant Surgery. There may also be an option of participating in a 6-8 week clinical and research exchange in a high-volume academic trauma center. Fellows will participate and teach in structured educational curricula, including the ATLS and ATLS Instructors' Courses, ultrasound training, REBOA training, and the Definitive Surgical Trauma Care Course.
Academic Excellence
The fellowship has a rigorous educational curriculum, with structured reading, journal article reviews, video sessions, and formal rounds, which promote both breadth and depth of knowledge. All fellows will also develop academic agendas in 1-2 areas based on their personal interest and career ambitions. These projects may span numerous disciplines but could include work in clinical research, quality improvement, innovation, health informatics, health policy, public and global health, surgical education, and leadership.
Leadership
Fellows will be training at a Level 1 Academic Trauma Centre, which is the referral center for all complex trauma patients within British Columbia and the Yukon. They will have exposure to all administrative and quality processes in an integrated, surgeon led system of trauma care. Fellows will be encouraged and supported to view injury control as a public health issue that requires broad, innovative, and interdisciplinary approaches.
For More Information
We encourage any Canadian General Surgery Residents in their third or fourth year who have an interest in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery to contact the academic program assistant at vghtrauma@vch.ca to arrange a Trauma elective with our service. As a visiting resident you will receive a comprehensive orientation at the beginning of the academic block as well as opportunities to participate in various educational activities such as in-situ simulations and planned academic rounds. This would also be an opportunity to meet with our team of dynamic and engaged care providers who all have a passion for trauma care. We require one letter of endorsement from your academic supervisor and encourage you to seek this opportunity early in the academic year as space is limited.
Apply Now
We are offering 1-2 funded one-year position(s) for the August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 term. Applicants should have completed a full General Surgery residency. If you are a non-Canadian applicant, you must be eligible for an Educational License with the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons. If you are a Canadian applicant, you must apply for a Full License with the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Please submit your CV, personal statement and 3 letters of reference. Your personal statement must include your motivations for pursing a career in Trauma Surgery, why you are interested in the UBC Fellowship Program and how you plan to use this Fellowship in your future career. Your letters of reference must be dated and signed, and must not date more than one year pre-application. The letters of reference must describe your aptitudes as a surgeon in the following fields: professionalism, clinical judgement, technical skills and research aptitudes.
Applications are accepted until April 30, 2025
All application material and inquiries should be sent to:
Sandra Santander
Academic Program Assistant
Trauma Services – Vancouver General Hospital
Phone 604.875.5292 / Fax 604.875.5348
vghtrauma@vch.ca
Fellowship Program Director
Emilie Joos, MDCM, FRCSC
emilie.joos@vch.ca
Associate Fellowship Program Director
David Evans, AB, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS
david.evans@vch.ca
