Postgraduate training in Community Medicine consists of five years in an accredited community medicine training program. One year consists of an academic year in the School of Population and Public Health, where the resident becomes familiar with the sciences basic to Community Medicine, such as epidemiology, biostatistics, community health, and occupational and environmental hygiene. The resident may use this year to complete a Master of Health Sciences degree or as partial fulfillment of a Master of Public Health degree. Most residents spend years two and three of the program in clinical training in family medicine, although the option for completing one year of basic clinical training is also available. Years four and five consist of increasing responsibility in the areas of public health practice, clinical epidemiology, occupational and environmental health, First Nations and Inuit health, basic research, or health planning. Research is encouraged as a component of the program. Rotations are conducted in public health agencies of regional health authorities, the BC Ministry of Health, or with agencies of the Government of Canada. Academic half days are held each Friday on campus. Resident attendance at the academic half day is mandatory. A minimum of nine months of elective rotations are tailored to the resident's specific interests.
The program is part of the matching process, nevertheless applications from practitioners are encouraged.