Kootenay Boundary - Family Medicine

University of British ColumbiaKootenay Boundary, British ColumbiaIMG stream

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Open on carms.ca

CaRMS program description, 2026 match, last approved 11 Sep 2025

From the 2026 match (R-1 2026). See the 2027 version

Positions (approx. quota): 1 position
Length: 2 years
Stream: IMG
Discipline: Family Medicine
Applications per year: 201–400
Applicants offered interviews: 51–75%
Accreditation: Accredited
CaRMS program ID: 29806

Bands are 5-year averages the program reports to CaRMS. They describe past cycles, not your odds.

Summary

The Kootenay Boundary Family Medicine residency program is ideal for highly motivated, independent residents comfortable with rural, isolated medical practice. Located 630 km from Vancouver, the program offers unique training in remote mountain communities with premier outdoor recreational opportunities and a focus on comprehensive rural family medicine.

Training

Research

Residents complete a quality improvement project in the first year and a scholar project to be presented at Scholarship Day.

Training setting

Training occurs in rural mountain communities across the Kootenay Boundary region, including Trail, Nelson, Grand Forks, and Nakusp. Residents work in four hospitals and multiple community health centers, experiencing diverse rural healthcare environments.

Teaching approach

Emphasizes experiential, self-directed learning with progressive independence, community-based training, and fostering residents' skills to function effectively in rural practice settings.

Setting types

Rural community hospitals
Regional referral hospital
Community health centers
Emergency departments

Focus areas

Rural Family Medicine
Full-service Family Practice
Rural Emergency Medicine
Community-based Healthcare
Rural Obstetrics
Inpatient Care

Patient populations

Rural community patients
Emergency department patients
Inpatient care patients
Obstetric patients
Pediatric patients
Mental health patients
Chronic disease patients

Highlights

Mandatory 2-month rural rotation
Flexible elective time
One month interprovincial or international electives
Quality improvement project in first year
Scholarship project presentation
Academic days with case discussions and workshops

Strengths

Extensive ER exposure
Minimal competition with other learners
Strong support from local Divisions of Family Practice
Dedicated medical staff
Comprehensive rural medical training

Enhanced skills

Emergency Medicine
Care of the Elderly
Anesthesia
Palliative Medicine
Sports and Exercise Medicine
Clinician Scholars program

By year

Not stated on CaRMS page

Selection

What the program looks at

File review (50%)
MMI interview (45%)
FMProC score (5%)

Applications per year

201–400

Applicants offered interviews

51–75%

Interviews

Dates (2026 match): 17, 17–27, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27 and 28 Jan 2026; 8 Feb 2026

Programs can change interview dates. Confirm on carms.ca.

Pay

Provincial scale, last updated 2 Sep 2026 · check the current agreement(opens in a new tab)

Salaries from April 2027.

Annual salary by PGY level, British Columbia
Level	Annual salary
PGY-1	$71,390 / year
PGY-2	$79,571 / year

One provincial scale for British Columbia, set by the resident agreement, so every program there pays the same. Showing the 2 levels this program covers.

Benefits

Benefits as listed by CaRMS in 2022–2024; check the current agreement(opens in a new tab)

Annual vacation: 4 weeks
CMPA dues paid: Yes. Mandatory
Dental plan: 100% Premiums Paid
Educational leave: Yes
Extended health insurance: 100% Premiums Paid
Frequency of calls: 1 in 4 onsite/1 in 3 offsite
Life insurance: 100% Premium Paid
Long-term disability insurance: Yes 100% Premiums Paid
Maternity leave: 17 weeks, plus up to 78 weeks Parental Leave
Meal allowance: No
Provincial dues (% of salary): 1.5%
Provincial health insurance: 100% Premiums Paid
Sick leave: Yes
Statutory holidays: 2 x pay plus extra day with pay

Call

Call (provincial max): 1 in 4 in-house

The union agreement’s cap for all residents in the province; your program’s actual call schedule may be lighter. Check with the program.

RDBC agreement, 1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2029.

Teaching sites

Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital
Kootenay Lake General Hospital
Boundary & District Hospital
Arrows Lake Hospital
Castlegar Community Health Center

Hospital facts

Public figures for hospitals named above, each with its source and reference period. They describe the hospital, not the program, and are not a ranking. We match names to the province’s lists by name, so check each source before you rely on it.

Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital

Matched to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (Trail) in the province’s hospital list.

Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26: 2,497 All procedure groups, for the fiscal year (1 April to 31 March). Scheduled surgery only: emergency surgery is not in the file.
Elective surgeries completed, 2026/27 Q1: 640 One quarter (April to June), interim figures, all procedure groups. Scheduled surgery only.

Kootenay Lake General Hospital

Matched to Kootenay Lake Hospital (Nelson) in the province’s hospital list.

Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26: 2,499 All procedure groups, for the fiscal year (1 April to 31 March). Scheduled surgery only: emergency surgery is not in the file.
Elective surgeries completed, 2026/27 Q1: 594 One quarter (April to June), interim figures, all procedure groups. Scheduled surgery only.

Sources and licences

Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – British Columbia.

Contacts

Contacts weren't collected for the 2026 match.

The current program director and contacts are on the 2027 version of this program and on the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab).

Location

Kootenay Boundary, British Columbia

Independent. Not affiliated with CaRMS or the program. Programs edit their descriptions during the match; confirm on carms.ca (opens in a new tab) before you apply. Data last updated on CdnMD 5 Oct 2026.