Resources for rural students

• Diversifying Health Professions Education (D’HoPE): A week long healthcare careers program held at both UBC Vancouver and Okanagan each August for high school students who identify as rural, first-generation university students, Disabled, Indigenous, Black and people of colour, economically disadvantaged, and 2SLGBTQIAP+.
• UNBC’s Spark Discovery Program: Week-long summer internship for grades 10-12 in a science, technology, engineering or math research lab at the University of Northern BC in Prince George.
• Mini-Med School: Learn about what med school is like, hear from scientists and health professions experts, and participate in hands-on activities. In-person in Vancouver, Yukon and online.
• Shad Program for Youth in BC: A month-long immersive program for high school students in BC, offering positions for both rural and urban youth. Participants collaborate on real-world projects, engage with experts, and develop leadership, teamwork, and innovation skills, while exploring career pathways and building a foundation for future success.
• UBC Physics Circle: invites high school students (grades 10–12) to listen to a physics lecture and then ask questions.
• Going Rural – Opportunities in Rural Healthcare: ReMBC and UBC Health’s annual online event for high school and undergraduate students interested in rural healthcare careers. Hear what it’s like to work in different rural healthcare careers, get tips from rural students, and meet admissions representatives from health professions college and university programs

• Virtual Healthcare Roadshow: healthcare career snapshots and videos.
• Let’s Talk Science: A national initiative connecting youth across Canada with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals through interactive sessions offered both virtually and in person.
  • Symposiums: Bring together youth from Grades 9-12 and expert speakers on a variety of STEM topics that are relevant to high school students today.
  • STEM Explained and Backgrounders: current science topics, explained in language that normal people can understand!
  • Career Profiles and Career Videos: this searchable database lets you hear from real people about what they do in their career, how they got there, and their advice to students.

KAST (Kootenay Association for Science and Technology): Tech, business and science opportunities in the Kootenay area.
Volunteer with your local health authority
Interior Health: Available for high school students, undergraduates and grads can in the Central, North and South Okanagan regions, as well as Kootenay and Thompson Cariboo Shuswap areas.
Volunteer in a community care, hospital, long-term care, public health, or substance use services setting. Learn more
Career exploration (job shadow): Observe and learn about healthcare career paths, experience healthcare settings and receive supportive mentorship from Interior Health teams. Learn more
Northern Health: Volunteers of any age are accepted! Volunteer in community care, hospital, long-term care, public health, or substance use services setting. Learn more
Island Health
Step-Up Youth Program: Ages 15-18. Volunteer at a hospital or long-term care home. Attend weekly shifts and participate in monthly Guest Speaker Series. Learn more
Volunteer programs (vary by location): Ages 18+. Volunteer in Long Term Care Homes, Acute Care Hospitals, Public Health Units and other unique sites such as Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health. Learn more

• UBC Medicine: Reserves seats for rural or rural intending applicants.
• UBC Pharmaceutical Sciences: Applicants from BC rural communities and Indigenous applicants are given interview priority and special consideration for admission. 
• Pre-health and rural pre-health programs: Complete your pre-requisites close to home through these programs that specifically prepare you for a health professions program.
  • Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine in Castlegar: The program combines academic excellence with mentoring and community service, supporting applications to fields such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, physical therapy, and more. Students gain skills in leadership, resilience, communication, and collaboration, making them strong candidates for professional health programs that prioritize rural experience.
  • Island Pre-Health Sciences at North Island College in Comox Valley: A three-year program designed to prepare students for professional health science programs or further academic studies in related fields.
  • Northern Lights College Pre-Medicine Certificate in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John: A one-year Pre-Medicine Certificate, awarded to students who complete a planned selection of first- and second-year courses. This certificate prepares students for further studies in professional programs such as Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, Optometry, and Chiropractic, providing a solid foundation for transferring to universities or university-colleges.
  • Northern Lights College Associate of Arts Degree (Health Studies) in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John: A two-year program designed to prepare students for health-related degree programs, with a focus on seamless transfer to UNBC’s Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program. The curriculum covers arts and sciences, nursing fundamentals, and prerequisites such as social sciences, English, Indigenous studies, anatomy, microbiology, psychology, and statistics.
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, virtual: A virtual four-year program designed for healthcare diploma students or graduates to expand their education, skills, and career opportunities.
  • Pre-Health Science Certificate, Thompson Rivers University, virtual: A one-year program designed to prepare students for healthcare programs across Canada. It provides laddering credentials in academic, professional, technical, and trades areas, with core subjects including anatomy, English composition, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and psychology, supporting progression toward a degree or professional career credential.
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences, University of Northern BC, Prince George: Offers a multidisciplinary education in natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, preparing students for advanced studies in fields like medicine, community health, and speech pathology.
  • College of New Caledonia Medical Sciences Diploma Pathways: A two-year program that is designed to prepare students for further education in medical or health-related fields, offering foundational knowledge in sciences necessary for advanced studies. It focuses on creating a pathway to health professional programs, combining academic coursework with a supportive learning environment.
    • Medical Pathway, Veterinary Pathway, Pharmacy Pathway, Dental Pathway
  • College of New Caledonia Pathway Certificates: Complete your pre-requisites for
    • Nursing: Helps you complete your first year of post-secondary education while easing into your studies with a reduced course load. This flexible approach gives you extra time to explore your interests and plan your future before applying to a nursing program.
    • Physical Therapy Bridging Certificate: This one-year certificate program provides a pathway to complete the prerequisite courses required for admission to a Master’s of Physical Therapy program along side a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Pre-Health Care Pathway, Coast Mountain College: An upgrading program that gives you pre-requisites for some of the healthcare programs at Coast Mountain College. Length varies depending on upgrading required. Provides you with a statement of completion.
  • Biology and Medicine Pre-Major, College of the Rockies- Cranbrook: Provides the foundational courses needed for the first two years of a Biology degree. It also fulfills prerequisites for applying to the UBC School of Medicine, covering two of the three required years before medical school.