Tell us a bit about yourself and your work as the Faculty Lead for Resident Affairs.
I am an Obstetrician Gynecologist by training and work at the Royal Columbian Hospital mainly looking after high-risk pregnancies. I have been the Faculty lead for Resident Affairs since 2022. My primary role is to assist residents, faculty and program directors in matters relating to transfer requests either internally to other programs or nationally. I also act as a resident supporter for those that need PGME help in coordination with RCAPS.
What have you learned in this role ?
Requesting a transfer can be a daunting process but I want to reassure residents that help is out there through my office resident.affairs@ubc.ca. The 2 most common scenarios that residents see me for are i) a difficult choice at CaRMS between 2 specialties and settling on one that in the end was not the right choice and ii) a resident from another province currently at UBC who wants to go back to their original province.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received on the job?
Listen with no bias and place yourself in the shoes of the resident. This will help the process and may open more doors than the resident anticipates, options that have not been considered.
What impact do you hope to have on residents?
In the end residents should pursue the specialty that will give them fulfillment and a specialty they can see themselves practicing into the future. Although this change can be difficult to discuss with your home Program Director, in the end the PDs want what is best for the resident and wants the resident to be successful.
Anything else you want to add or want people to know?
I am available for consultation with residents and faculty including program directors, so please do not hesitate to reach out. Once again the email address is resident.affairs@ubc.ca
