To become familiar with our student placements options, we encourage you to learn about our different programs and services in the Our Services and Our Research sections of our website.

Unless otherwise indicated, placement opportunities will be coordinated through your learning institution. Please contact your placement coordinator directly, who will act as the liaison between you and the program or service at which you hope to do your placement.

Medical residency

We offer residencies and periodic fellowship opportunities to qualified applicants in a variety of areas.

For medical residency opportunities, please contact the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.

Clinical psychology

Every year, through our clinical forensic psychology residency program, we offer two full-time internship positions to prepare students for professional practice in clinical and forensic mental health care.

Over the course of the internship year, students have the opportunity to engage in supervised clinical practice at two or more different settings:

• The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital
  
• The Surrey and Vancouver Forensic Regional Clinics
• The Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction

Details about the program, including the philosophy, residency rotations, and stipend and benefits, are outlined in the internship brochure.

How to apply

Submit your application online through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centres portal. Visit their website for more information about the application process. You can also email our director of training, Dr. Shauna Darcangelo, for more details.

Our psychology department also offers practicum, fellowship, and trainee placements for psychology students in several program areas, including the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, Regional Forensic Clinics, and Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction. We encourage interested students to enquire locally regarding opportunities.

Other clinical disciplines

We welcome clinical placements in a wide variety of other disciplines including, but not limited to, the following:

Nursing and nursing unit assistants

In the past, students have completed their placements at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, the Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, the Heartwood Centre for Women, and B.C.'s provincial correctional centres, and other settings. 

These placements are typically coordinated through the Health Sciences Placement Network of BC (HSPnet). Schools seek placements on behalf of students, via HSPnet.

Non-clinical disciplines: Research and project-based placements

For research opportunities, visit our Research Opportunities for Students page.

We also offer project-based placements, where students have the opportunity to support staff members on a specific project or various projects. The length of time required will depend on the nature of the project and its learning outcomes.

Project-based placements are typically coordinated through your learning institution. Speak with your placement coordinator or faculty advisor for more information or visit Health Sciences Placement Network to view opportunities.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Email us your questions.

All project-based placements are coordinated through the Health Sciences Placement Network of BC (HSPnet). HSPnet is an online practice education management system to coordinate student placements across Canada.

Submit placement requests through the online HSPnet portal, as we do not accept requests directly from students.

Schools without an active HSPnet account should email the network for a guest link. 

Need more information?

Read BC Practice Education Guidelines for more information about placement expectations within the province.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Email us your questions.