Indigenous Health

“sʔi:ɬqəy̓ qeqən (Double-Headed Serpent Post)” Brent Sparrow Jr., Musqueam

Helping to improve health and wellness for Indigenous populations and communities is a key priority for UBC and the Faculty of Medicine.

The Indigenous MD admissions program, Indigenous Family Medicine Residency Program, and certificate programs in Indigenous Public Health are just some of the ways the Faculty of Medicine is helping to increase the number, and retention of, Indigenous health professionals in B.C. and across Canada in response to the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

Our medical school is now training more Indigenous doctors than ever before, with more than 130 Indigenous medical student graduates since 2006 and a growing number completing residency training in communities across the province.

An increasing number of Indigenous learners are also training in our Health Professions programs, including Midwifery, Genetic Counseling, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Medical Laboratory Science.

Through their work in communities in B.C. and across the country, faculty, staff and learners are helping to build a health care system that is more accessible, inclusive, representative and equitable.

Stories

Walking the path of reconciliation together

UBC Medicine and the Australian National University sign historic agreement to collaborate on efforts to help improve the health and wellness of Indigenous populations.

Crossing the threshold

In a ceremony filled with culture and tradition, eight Indigenous medical students and two Indigenous midwifery students graduated from UBC’s Faculty of Medicine.

Strengthening STEM pathways for Indigenous youth

A look back at the early impacts of seed2STEM, an innovative UBC summer research program for Indigenous youth in B.C.

An Affliction of Our Stories: Contemplating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Reflections by Derek Thompson – Thlaapkiituup, Director, Indigenous Engagement, in commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Faculty of Medicine students create Lifegiver Box to improve sexual health care access for Indigenous women

The project aims to empower Indigenous people to have autonomy over their health care.

We raise our hands up to the UBC Indigenous medical graduates of 2023!

This week, nine new Indigenous medical students graduated from UBC’s medical school.

UBC researcher looks at the effect of leaving home to give birth

Lack of services means many Indigenous women in the Northwest Territories face maternal evacuation.

With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples around the province.

We respectfully acknowledge that the UBC Vancouver-Point Grey academic campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), and UBC operations in Vancouver more generally are also on the territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).

We respectfully acknowledge that the UBC Okanagan academic campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

We respectfully acknowledge that the University of Northern BC Prince George campus is located on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh, who are part of the Dakelh (Carrier) First Nations.

We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territories the University of Victoria is located and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.