New SFU medical school could provide primary care to 30,000 patients
![SFU Surrey Campus Simon Fraser University's Surrey campus is the future home of B.C.'s second medical school. (CTV News)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/12/sfu-surrey-campus-1-6845641-1712973799830.jpg)
Details of behind-the-scenes efforts to establish British Columbia's second medical school are increasingly becoming public, including the possibility of family doctor access for thousands of Surrey residents at the Simon Fraser University campus.
The information emerged through an exclusive one-on-one interview between CTV News and acting dean Dr. David Price at the Surrey Central complex. Price revealed that 48 spaces will be available for first-year medical students to begin their training in September 2026.
"We are very much on track, we've pulled out all the stops," he said, explaining that the university senate and board must formally approve the school, which is expected to happen by June. Price and his team expect to submit a detailed application to the Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Schools by August.
Students will be trained in longitudinal, primary care, as family doctors who are considered generalist physicians; the schooling and residency takes approximately eight years.
The analogy of building the plane while flying it applies in this case: for the first few years, students will take classes at the existing SFU Surrey campus while plans are finalized and construction begins on the permanent medical school – which could have students treating patients hands-on much sooner than the traditional training model.
"What I would really like to accomplish is to put a family medicine teaching clinic, which is inter-professional, team-based, right in the medical school," said Price. "(That would mean) 25,000 to 30,000 patients cared for by an inter-professional team, full-time faculty ... supervising the student physicians."
Mayor enthusiastic about plans
Surrey's mayor is enthusiastic about the prospect of the teaching clinic and revealed there have been numerous meetings about the school's makeup and its impact on the local community.
"We're absolutely thrilled about that," said Brenda Locke. "Surrey has some of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in the province and to have such a clinic here in Surrey is important."
The SFU campus is just south of Surrey City Hall and Locke said there's shared land between the two institutions where the school and clinic could be built.
"We're hopeful that it all stays in this area," she said. "The City of Surrey is going to do everything we can to support SFU, to support the school, as we always have."
Price believes the clinic, which is modelled on a similar facility in Ontario, can be open with student doctors and supervisors working to serve Surrey patients in as little as five years.
Health minister non-committal
CTV News asked the health minister if he supported the novel concept of a teaching clinic and he was non-committal.
"There's an outstanding team at SFU that's leading this project," said Adrian Dix. "We'll be briefing, like within the next two weeks and hearing detailed progress to date and we'll be bringing that forward."
The school was an election promise made by then-premier John Horgan in 2020, with an anticipated opening date of September 2023. Current Premier David Eby had to walk that back and commit to a more realistic timeline of 2026.
Both Price and Dix emphasized that expanding family medicine and establishing grassroots education and treatment options in Fraser Health are a big priority of the new school, saying they will be engaging with local doctors in the fall to discuss their role.
"We’ll be looking to local family physicians, physicians in specialties to train our students," said Price, who has practiced family medicine himself for more than three decades.
"We’re going to recruit students within our communities, train them in our communities, and really get them excited about being primary care physicians in our communities."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974402.1721752977!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Laws that could get Canadians in trouble in tourism hotspots
There are some laws in popular tourist destinations around the world that could land Canadian travellers in mild-to-serious trouble if they're not careful. Don't let these local laws land you in hot water during your next vacation abroad.
Jasper evacuees forced into B.C. to flee fires told to make U-turn to Alberta for aid
Thousands of wildfire evacuees forced from Jasper National Park into British Columbia along smoke-choked mountain roads Monday night were directed Tuesday to make a wide U-turn and head home if they needed a place to stay.
Polar bear at Calgary Zoo died by drowning following 'crushing' injury
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has revealed the cause of death for polar bear Baffin last week.
Clip resurfaces of Vance criticizing Harris for being 'childless,' testing Trump's new running mate
Comments Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance made in 2021 questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership because she did not have biological children have resurfaced, testing the young conservative senator in his early days campaigning as part of the Republicans' presidential ticket.
Pennsylvania state police commissioner reveals stunning details about Trump shooting
A local law enforcement commissioner revealed during a House Homeland Security hearing on Tuesday stunning new details about the security failures that led to the near assassination of Donald Trump, raising more questions for the embattled U.S. Secret Service.
Trudeau hand-picking candidate in Montreal byelection riles aspiring contenders
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to hand-pick a candidate for a riding in an upcoming Montreal byelection isn't being well-received by three aspiring contenders who spent months campaigning only to be shunted aside.
Edmonton gas station employee found guilty of terrorism charges in the U.K.
An Edmonton man has been convicted of multiple charges under the Terrorism Act in the United Kingdom.
Celine Dion lands in Paris amid reports of performance at the Olympics
Speculation is mounting that Celine Dion will make an appearance at the Paris Olympics after landing in the French capital days before the opening ceremony.
Quebec mom devastated after man who killed her daughter in hit-and-run gets out after 5 months
A Montreal-area mother is furious with Quebec's justice system because the man who killed her 25-year-old daughter in a 2022 hit-and-run was released from jail after only serving one-sixth of his sentence behind bars.