Vancouver Island - Psychiatry

University of British ColumbiaVancouver Island, British ColumbiaCMG stream

Program websiteWebsite CANPREPPCANPREPP

Open on carms.ca

CaRMS program description, 2026 match, last approved 25 Aug 2025

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

Positions (approx. quota): 2 positions
Length: 5 years
Stream: CMG
Discipline: Psychiatry
Applications per year: 51–200
Applicants offered interviews: 51–75%
Accreditation: Accredited
CaRMS program ID: 29436

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

Summary

The UBC Psychiatry Residency Program offers a distributed model of postgraduate training across British Columbia, with the Vancouver Island track providing a personalized, intimate learning experience. Located in Victoria, this program offers residents a full range of training options in a smaller, close-knit environment with three residents per year.

Training

Research

Residents are required to engage in scholarly activities, with two dedicated Research Track positions offering one day per week of protected research time.

Training setting

Training primarily occurs at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, with additional community sites across Vancouver Island including Duncan, Nanaimo, and Comox. The program offers a mix of urban and community-based psychiatric training.

Teaching approach

The program follows a Competency By Design approach, focusing on progressive skill development through four stages: Transition to Discipline, Foundations, Core, and Transition to Practice.

Setting types

Academic medical center
Community hospital
Specialized psychiatric facilities

Focus areas

General Psychiatry
Adult Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Geriatric Psychiatry
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Emergency Psychiatry
Addiction Psychiatry

Patient populations

Adult psychiatric patients
Child and adolescent patients
Geriatric patients
Patients with addiction disorders
Emergency psychiatric patients
First Nations patients

Highlights

Competency By Design curriculum
Distributed training model
Protected research time
Annual Research Day
Virtual psychiatric care opportunities
Interprovincial and international elective options

Strengths

Comprehensive psychotherapy training
Diverse clinical exposure
Strong research opportunities
Multicultural training environment
Flexible elective options

Enhanced skills

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship
Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship

By year

PGY-1

Selectives2 blocks
Additional Psychiatry2 blocks
Transition to DisciplinePsychiatry setting1 month
Internal Medicine1 block
Family Medicine1 block
Pediatrics1 block
Neurology1 block
Emergency Medicine1 block
Addictions1 block
Emergency Psychiatry1 block
Elective1 block

PGY-2

Adult Inpatient Psychiatry6 months
Adult Outpatient Psychiatry6 months

PGY-3

Child & Adolescent PsychiatryBC Children's Hospital6 months
Geriatric Psychiatry6 months

PGY-4

Chronic Care Psychiatry6 months
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry3 months
Addiction Psychiatry6 weeks
Emergency Psychiatry6 weeks
Elective1 block

PGY-5

Selectives6 months
Electives6 months

From the program's rotation list.

Selection

What the program looks at

Diversity of experience
Personal motivation
Academic track record
Interpersonal skills
Psychiatry performance
Professional attributes

Applications per year

51–200

Applicants offered interviews

51–75%

Interviews

Dates (2026 match): 20, 27 and 28 Jan 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
PGY-3	$86,655 / year
PGY-4	$93,230 / year
PGY-5	$100,215 / year

One provincial scale for British Columbia, set by the resident agreement, so every program there pays the same. Showing the 5 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

Royal Jubilee Hospital
Victoria General Hospital
Queen Alexandra Hospital
Saanich Peninsula Hospital
Homewood Ravensview

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.

Royal Jubilee Hospital

Matched to Royal Jubilee Hospital (Victoria) in the province’s hospital list.

Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26: 14,532 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: 3,973 One quarter (April to June), interim figures, all procedure groups. Scheduled surgery only.

Victoria General Hospital

Matched to Victoria General Hospital (Victoria) in the province’s hospital list.

Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26: 8,131 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: 2,108 One quarter (April to June), interim figures, all procedure groups. Scheduled surgery only.

Saanich Peninsula Hospital

Matched to Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Saanichton) in the province’s hospital list.

Elective surgeries completed, 2025/26: 4,128 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: 1,104 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

Vancouver Island, 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.