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

Aboriginal health education hits a milestone, and gains momentum

The Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health receives two major gifts, just as the Faculty of Medicine hits its target for graduating Aboriginal MD students.

Two major gifts aim to grow ranks of aboriginal health providers

The pair of $1 million donations, from Lindsay and Elizabeth Gordon and the North family, will support UBC's Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health.

Aboriginal MD program meets graduation goal ahead of schedule

In 2002, UBC's Aboriginal MD Admissions program set an unofficial goal of graduating 50 more Aboriginal MDs by 2020. Now, the ambitious goal has been reached five years early.

Advocating for Aboriginal health

Discover how UBC family medicine residents are working alongside First Nations communities to affect change.

Contributing to the health of Aboriginal communities

Luke Hughson and his supervisor Dr. Robert Olson undertook a comprehensive retrospective chart review of all cancer cases diagnosed in Haida Gwaii.

A road less travelled

To build a more diverse medical workforce, UBC has been encouraging youths in Aboriginal, rural and remote communities to consider careers in health.

UBC creates Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health

Among other goals, the centre will work to increase Aboriginal representation in the health professions.

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.