Vancouver - Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
University of British ColumbiaVancouver, British ColumbiaCMG stream
At a glance
- Approx. quota
- 2
- Length
- 5
- Applications per year
- 51–200
- Offered interviews
- 26–50%
CMG stream · open to Canadian medical graduates
Info session
details info sessions of this programFri 13 Nov 2026,5:00–7:00 pm PSTvia CANPREPP source (opens in a new tab)
Interviews
1 date, 21 Jan 2027
Vancouver, 4 teaching sites · optional rural rotation
What stands out about this program
Single provincial OHNS program for British Columbia, with community rotations in Surrey, Kelowna and Victoria.
From “Program highlights” on the CaRMS page
Program typically funds travel to key courses each year, from PGY-1 bootcamp to PGY-5 AAO-HNS meeting.
From “Program curriculum” on the CaRMS page
- This is a 5-year Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency, the provincial training program for British Columbia, based at major teaching hospitals in Vancouver.
- Residents also complete community hospital rotations in Surrey, Victoria, and Kelowna, with optional rural and outreach rotations.
- Residents are expected to engage in research, and senior years include research blocks with faculty mentorship.
What training looks like
- Setting
- Academic / tertiary hospital
- Urban community
- Regional community
- Rural exposure
- Optional rural rotation
- Research
- Required · research project · protected time
- Getting around
- A car is required
By year
Not stated on CaRMS page
Other rotations
- General Surgery (PGY 1 & 2)
- Plastic Surgery (PGY 1 & 2)
- Neurosurgery (PGY 1 & 2)
- Trauma Surgery (PGY 1 & 2)
- Intensive Care (PGY 1 & 2)
- Anesthesia (PGY 1 & 2)
- Adult Emergency Medicine (PGY 1 & 2)
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PGY 1 & 2)
- Internal Medicine (PGY 1 & 2)
- Surgical Dermatology (PGY 1 & 2)
- Crash Program (PGY 1 & 2 · one-month)
- Head & Neck Surgical Oncology and Reconstruction (PGY-3 to 5)
- Otology and Neuro-otology (PGY-3 to 5)
- Rhinology and Skull-Base Surgery (PGY-3 to 5)
- Laryngology (PGY-3 to 5)
- Pediatric Otolaryngology (PGY-3 to 5)
- Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PGY-3 to 5)
Where you train
Vancouver, British Columbia: 4 teaching sites; optional rural rotation. A car is required.
- Vancouver General Hospital
- St. Paul’s Hospital
- BC Children’s Hospital
- BC Cancer Agency
Record systems at the listed sites: Oracle Health (Cerner) at 3 of 4; no published record for 1.
Hospital facts
Public figures for hospitals named above, each with its source and reference period. They describe the hospital, not the program. We match names to the sources by name, so check each source before you rely on it.
Vancouver General Hospital
- Clinical record
- CST Cerner, fully electronic record since Nov 2022
- Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26
- 13,790
- Elective surgeries completed, 2026/27 Q1
- 3,855
St. Paul’s Hospital
- Clinical record
- CST Cerner, fully electronic record since Nov 2019
- Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26
- 8,691
- Elective surgeries completed, 2026/27 Q1
- 2,240
BC Children’s Hospital
- Clinical record
- CST Cerner, fully electronic record since Feb 2022
- Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26
- 7,396
- Elective surgeries completed, 2026/27 Q1
- 1,910
About Vancouver
People
662,248residents, 2021 Census
Housing
3.7%rental vacancy rate
Winter and summer
5.3 °CJanuary mean19.0 °CJuly mean
Job outlook
Goodfor the specialty here, 2025–2027
How they choose
- Application file components
- CV
- Electives
- Examinations
- Extra-curricular
- Leadership skills
- MSPRs
- Personal letters
- Reference documents
- Research/Publications
- Transcripts
- Return of service
- Not stated on CaRMS page. Check the provincial return-of-service rules.
Interviews and info sessions
- Interview dates (2027 match)
- 21 Jan 2027
- Format
- Panel
Info sessions
Fri 13 Nov 2026
5:00–7:00 pm PST
Info session · VirtualCANPREPP source (opens in a new tab)
Pay and call
| Level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $71,390 / year |
| PGY-2 | $79,571 / year |
| PGY-3 | $86,655 / year |
| PGY-4 | $93,230 / year |
| PGY-5 | $100,215 / year |
Call
- Call (as the program states it)
- Home call
- Call (provincial max)
- 1 in 4 in-house
- Post-call rule (provincial)
- Relieved within 2 hours of the call ending, or by 10:00 if earlier, when a resident on a 24-hour or longer shift could not get 6 uninterrupted hours of rest
Benefits
- Annual vacation
- 4 weeks
- CMPA dues paid
- Yes. Mandatory
- Dental plan
- 100% Premiums Paid
- Educational leave
- Yes
- Extended health insurance
- 100% Premiums Paid
- 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
Past matches
No repeated vacancies in CaRMS’s lists of open positions, 2019–2026.
What this means
- A position can go unfilled because of where the site is, because it is open to IMGs only or to another restricted stream, or because the quota changed late.
- It says nothing about the quality of the training or how heavy the workload is.
- A site’s numbers are shown when it had positions open after round 1 in at least 2 of 8 years or at least 3 in one year.
Year by year
2027 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 2 | 5 years | 1 date, 21 Jan 2027 | Nothing noted |
2026 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 2 | 5 years | 1 date, 21 Jan 2026 |
The 2026 page of the CMG stream: our summary of its CaRMS description
- The University of British Columbia's Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery residency program offers comprehensive training across five years, emphasizing competency-based medical education.
- Located in Vancouver, the program provides unique opportunities through affiliations with major teaching hospitals, ensuring high-volume clinical and surgical experiences with faculty leaders in various subspecialties.
- Research
- Residents are expected to engage in research throughout training, with support for multi-year projects and conference presentations.
- Training setting
- Primary training in Vancouver's major teaching hospitals, including tertiary and quaternary centers, a level 1 trauma center, and a dedicated pediatric hospital. Community rotations available in Surrey, Victoria, and Kelowna.
- Teaching approach
- Follows Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) model, focusing on progressive skill development and competency achievement rather than strictly time-based progression.
- Enhanced skills
- Not stated on CaRMS page
- What the program looked at
- Academic achievement
- Leadership skills
- Reference letters
- Research productivity
- Medical Student Performance Record
- Interview performance
Contacts and links
- Program director
Dr. Harman ParharPostgraduate Program Director
- Program office
Senior Program Administrator
Per CaRMS. Staff change during the cycle, so check the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab) before emailing.
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery elsewhere
Nearest to Vancouver
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