More family doctors will be trained faster as the new medical school as SFU's School of Medicine moves forward with funding for space and operations, as well as a proposed three-year curriculum model and a founding dean.
British Columbia is closer to training more family doctors faster as the future medical school at Simon Fraser University confirms foundational pieces of space, operations, a three-year curriculum model and a founding dean.
On July 9, 2024, B.C. Premier David Eby announced $33.7 million in capital funding for the interim space at SFU's Surrey campus, alongside $27 million in operational funding through Budget 2024. This builds on a previous $14 million in start-up and planning funding. SFU will design, renovate and equip these spaces to accommodate classrooms, labs, and faculty and staff office space to deliver the new program.
In May 2024, SFU's Senate and Board of Governors formally approved the establishment of a School of Medicine.
"We're training a new generation of doctors with a focus on family medicine to provide the services we need in our communities," says Premier David Eby. "This investment in the first entirely new medical school in Western Canada in 55 years will mean more family doctors graduating each year to provide care for people."
The school is currently working towards candidate status with the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), with the goal of preliminary accreditation by fall 2025 and recruitment of its first class for summer 2026 to train future family doctors and other primary care physicians.
The medical program at SFU is proposed as a three-year program with a focus on preparing physicians to provide team-based community care, working towards building physician capacity province-wide to meet the current and future needs of a growing and diverse population.
The three-year program mirrors the core content found in four-year programs but accelerates completion by running through the summer. Forty-eight students are anticipated to be in the inaugural class, growing to approximately 120 students over the next decade.
"I'm thrilled to celebrate this milestone for the School of Medicine and look forward to all it will accomplish for SFU, Surrey and our province," said Joy Johnson, President and Vice-Chancellor, Simon Fraser University. "Everyone deserves health care that is effective, accessible, inclusive and culturally safe. We are working hard to build a School of Medicine that will educate the next generation of physicians and make a difference for British Columbians in communities across the province. I cannot wait to see it come to life."
