The REAP British Columbia Rural Interest Award aims to support rural students in UBC Medical School by providing additional financial support during the years of training. It is known that students of rural origin or with strong rural connections and students who have repeated rural exposures during their training are more likely to consider rural locations for their medical practice. We hope that the Rural Interest Award will encourage these students to consider rural placements and allow ongoing contact with them as they progress through their training which will also enhance eventual rural recruitment.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet one or more of the following eligibility requirements:

• Living in a rural community at least five of the ten years prior to admission to medical school, with preference to those who graduated from high school in a rural community.
• Demonstration of other extensive rural connections.
• Demonstration of interest in rural medicine.

Applicants applying upon completion of their 3rd Year Rural Family Practice Clerkship, Integrated Community Clerkship or 4th Year Rural Electives must also have the:

• recommendation of rural physicians, in particular preceptors in the 3rd and 4th year.

Applicants applying upon completion of a 4th Year FLEX project must also have the:

• recommendation of their FLEX Advisor or Activity Supervisor.

Award Details

Students may apply at several points in their UBC medical school career:

• upon admittance to UBC Medical School
• upon completion of a 3rd Year Rural Family Practice Clerkship in a Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) community, with the recommendation of their preceptor
• upon completion of an Integrated Community Clerkship, with the recommendation of their preceptor
• upon completion of a minimum four-week 4th Year Rural Elective in a RSA community, with the recommendation of their preceptor
• upon completion of 3rd or 4th Year and a written explanation of what they have done in the current year to demonstrate an interest in rural medicine
• upon completion of a 4th year FLEX project related to rural medicine, with the recommendation of their FLEX Project Advisor or Activity Supervisor

Up to thirty awards are available each year. Each award is $5,000.

Application Deadlines

June 30 – For students applying upon completion of 3rd or 4th Year activities. Selection will be announced by September 30.

September 30 – For students applying upon admittance to UBC Medical School. Selection will be announced by January 15.

Applications will be accepted one month prior to the application deadline.