Information is provided from the BC Centre for Disease Control
- People with symptoms of COVID-19 should: Stay home as much as possible to reduce any potential spread of illness. Remain isolated until symptoms have improved, the fever is gone, and they are able to participate in their usual activities.
- Testing for COVID-19 is recommended only when: A positive or negative result will inform decisions about treatment or care. It pertains to individuals who are eligible for treatment and those who are hospitalized.
For more details and guidelines, please refer to:
The Faculty of Medicine and PGME Office continue to monitor all Public Health Orders as related to COVID-19, and respond as required. It is the expectation of PGME that all residents follow and abide by current PHO guidelines.
The safety and wellness of our residents remains our top priority.
You are invited to visit the University’s Communicable Disease Prevention Framework for information on how both UBC and individuals can work together to prevent the spread of communicable disease.
Other COVID-19 Information
The sections below address some of the most common concerns for residents and postgraduate trainees regarding COVID-19. Please email us at postgrad@postgrad.med.ubc.ca if you have questions which are not addressed here.
How does the Lower Mainland Provincial Public Health Restrictions affect residency training?
Resident travel for rotations
The Provincial Health Orders exclude worksites and educational activities. Hence resident travel for rotations into and out of the lower mainland is permitted. It is expected residents will minimize contact and use precautions (wearing a mask, monitoring daily symptoms) if they are going from the lower mainland to a lower risk community, as well as continuing to adhere to the local hospital/clinic safety guidelines.
Resident travel for academic sessions
Programs are to continue with the current process of approval within the Faculty of Medicine.
Residents with symptoms
What steps should Residents showing symptoms of sickness take?
Residents with flu-like symptoms should not be at work, but should recuperate at home on sick leave. This approach not only allows ill residents to get well, but also protects staff and patients.
A sick resident who completes a period of self-isolation directed by public health authorities will be provided with documentation clearing them to return to work, when they are recovered and no longer infectious. Sick residents who have not been directed to self-isolate should return to work when symptoms cease.
If you are concerned that you are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your regional health officer:
- Fraser Health – 1-604-527-4806
- Interior Health – 1-866-457-5648
- Northern Health – 1-250-565-2000
- Vancouver Coastal Health – 1-604-527-4893
- Island Health – 1-800-204-6166
Current BCCDC guidelines applicable to residents are available at:
Residents working with COVID-19 patients
What precautions should residents take when working with suspected, probable or confirmed cases?
Residents are healthcare workers and learners. Hence, they are expected to care for patients according to the guidelines and recommendations provided by Public Health and the Health Authority in which they are working. Updated guidelines can be found here, and residents should familiarize themselves with these guidelines:
The Collective Agreement continues to govern the terms of residents’ employment.
Caring for a patient with COVID-19 or want to learn more?
The following resource is one (of several) which is being used by our teams:
Questions concerning access to PPE?
Doctors of BC have a resource listing contacts in each health authority region in BC for questions about supply and distribution of PPE.
If a resident has a workplace exposure to COVID-19 that is confirmed positive, they are to follow the procedures at the link below and contact the HA Workplace Call Centre to report the exposure.
Residents concerned about exposure
What should a resident who believes he/she has had exposure irrespective of travel do?
Residents who are asymptomatic and have not recently returned from designated COVID-19 affected regions, but believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should be directed to contact 8-1-1, their primary care provider, or local public health office, and follow direction given to them by those sources.
If a resident is instructed by a qualified medical practitioner to self-isolate at home, such a period of self-isolation should be treated as a paid general leave of absence for the duration of the recommended isolation period, except in circumstances where it is feasible for an asymptomatic resident to work from home during self-isolation (see below under the heading: Under what circumstances should and can a resident work from home).
If the Health Authority where the resident is working has the ability to refer its employees, including residents, directly to a Medical Health Officer for assessment, residents with community exposure concerns may be directed to seek assessment by a Medical Health Officer in order to be eligible for paid general leave.
Residents should be directed to keep their Residency Program updated regarding the status of any medical assessment or direction they receive from a qualified medical practitioner. Residents awaiting medical direction or COVID-19 test results should be placed on a paid general leave of absence, provided they are being responsive to the Residency Program’s requests. If a resident is not responsive or if there is concern about the need for self-isolation, Residency Programs should contact the PGME, who will liaise with HEABC for advice.
If a resident has been advised by public health or a medical practitioner to self-isolate or modify duties due to COVID-19 risk (not exposure), they would need to contact their Program Director to discuss their options, which could include working from home.
If a resident feels they are at an increased risk for serious complications with COVID-19 exposure, they are to contact their Program Director and/or the Postgraduate Deans (Dr. Sonia Butterworth and Dr. Ravi Sidhu) to discuss.
Please see the BCCDC guidelines below which includes criteria to assess risk for health care workers exposed to COVID-19 patients as well as information about returning to work after exposure or illness.
Do I attend work if I have concerns?
If I am concerned do I have to attend work?
Although concerns about potential exposure in the community are understandable, Residents who do not have symptoms of illness or who are not actively seeking direction from a qualified medical practitioner are expected to attend work as usual.
Residents, as Registrants of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and employees of HEABC have a duty to provide care consistent with their licensing and status as a health care provider. If a resident is absent from clinical duties without leave, the Program is to report this information to the PGME Office.
How was this protocol developed?
How did the PGME develop these procedures (related to leave) and response to COVID-19?
The UBC Faculty of Medicine worked with HEABC to ensure that the answers set out above are consistent with the Resident Doctors’ Collective Agreement and with the approaches being applied by health authorities with respect to other health care workers.
