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

Bursaries keep talent growing in Indigenous health

Young Indigneous people dying at much higher rate than peers

Overdose was the leading cause of death, followed by illness and suicide.

Future health professionals get crucial Indigenous culture training

UBC has launched a new Indigenous cultural safety learning experience for students in a wide range of health-related programs, including medicine and midwifery.

Indigenous medical graduates inspire future generations

This fall the UBC Faculty of Medicine is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Aboriginal MD Admissions program.

Aboriginal students explore a future in medicine

Northern Medical Program hosted the 14th annual Aboriginal Preadmissions Workshop this summer in Prince George.

Two life paths, one shared journey

Siblings and Métis doctors Ben and Alexandra Sheppard recount their shared journey through UBC’s medical school.

Aligning health, heritage and wellbeing

Clinical Assistant Professor and Coast Salish member of the Stz’uminus First Nation, Shannon Waters shares more on her work to improve First Nations health.

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.