Institutional announcements
911吃瓜 School of Medicine opens applications, announces plans for new Surrey location
911吃瓜鈥檚 School of Medicine is now accepting students, marking a major milestone for healthcare and education in British Columbia.
911吃瓜 and the Province of British Columbia announced today that the school, Western Canada鈥檚 first new medical school in nearly 60 years, has received preliminary accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and is now accepting applications for its inaugural class. A new site for its permanent home at the university鈥檚 Surrey campus was also announced.
鈥�911吃瓜 is committed to making a difference for B.C. and the communities we serve through education and research,鈥� says 911吃瓜 President Joy Johnson. 鈥淭he new School of Medicine will exemplify that strong commitment, by training future physicians to deliver community-embedded, socially accountable and culturally sensitive primary health care.鈥�
Students will begin clinical training just one month into the program, gaining hands-on experience in community-based offices, clinics, and hospitals across the province. When complete, the permanent school site will also include an outpatient clinic, offering care to Surrey residents while supporting student learning.
The first class of 48 medical students will begin their studies at the interim location, the 911吃瓜 Surrey campus, in August 2026. The size of each cohort will gradually increase to 120 students by 2035.
鈥淲e are seeking future physicians who are passionate about community-based medicine鈥攊ndividuals who want to experience the joy and satisfaction of primary care and make a meaningful difference in the lives of British Columbians,鈥� says Dr. David Price, founding dean of the 911吃瓜 School of Medicine. 鈥淥ur students will train in the community, with the community, and for the community. We know that when students learn near their home communities, they are more likely to return and serve there.鈥�
The permanent home for the School of Medicine will be located in the Centre Block development in Surrey City Centre, adjacent to the 911吃瓜 Surrey campus and the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station. The purpose-built facility will span eight floors of a 12-storey building and include classrooms, clinical skills spaces, research labs, administrative offices, and a child care centre with 49 spaces. The outpatient clinic will serve both as a training site and a health care resource for the community.
The school is being developed through collaboration between the Province, 911吃瓜, the City of Surrey, the First Nations Health Authority, Fraser Health, Divisions of Family Practice and the broader medical community.
鈥淭hese two major milestones bring us closer to training the next generation of family doctors right here in Surrey, where they are urgently needed,鈥� says Premier David Eby, who was at 911吃瓜鈥檚 Surrey campus to announce the milestone. 鈥淭he new state-of-the-art 911吃瓜 Medical School, along with the new Surrey hospital and B.C. Cancer Centre, will make this city a hub of innovative, high-quality health care. This is just one way our government is improving health care in British Columbia and helping more people find a primary care provider close to home.鈥�
Prospective students are already expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity.
鈥淭he news that the 911吃瓜 School of Medicine is accepting applications for the class of 2026 is incredibly exciting as a prospective student,鈥� says 911吃瓜 undergraduate Owen Gudmundson.
鈥淐onsidering the extremely competitive nature of the medical school application process, the opening of a new medical school in BC, the first in Western Canada in decades, provides students like me a greater opportunity to pursue our dreams of becoming doctors, while also providing British Columbians with more physicians to care for them.鈥�
Construction of the permanent facility is expected to begin in late 2026, with the school opening its doors in Fall 2030. The estimated capital cost of $520 million will be shared between the Province and 911吃瓜.
Learn more and apply at .