In 2005, the Faculty of Medicine established the Indigenous Program to develop awareness of Indigenous issues and increase the number of Indigenous students in the medical education program. This is achieved by introducing Indigenous-specific content and traditional healing methods into the curriculum and through a number of recruitment activities targeted to the Indigenous community. This includes two “mini-medical school” events that the Faculty of Medicine hosts annually for Indigenous candidates interested in entering medical school.

It is the goal of our program to produce Indigenous physicians who will, alongside with their colleagues, become proficient in Indigenous health care to serve urban, rural and remote First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

Seven seats are reserved per year in the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Program for candidates of Indigenous ancestry. Successful applicants may choose to study in either the English or French language stream.

The Indigenous Program supports all First Nations, Inuit and Métis students throughout their medical education and clinical training via group social activities, facilitating access to Elders, cultural supports and mentoring, assisting the student-led Indigenous Health Interest Group, and other activities. These supports are available to all Indigenous students, whether they have entered the program through the Indigenous admissions process or not. Students of Indigenous ancestry who have entered via another stream are welcome to self-identify to the Indigenous Program.

The Indigenous Program also serves as a resource and support to all students and faculty members. We ensure that Indigenous health and social issues, including their historical and social context, are an integral part of the UGME curriculum, starting with a mandatory Indigenous awareness day for all new students. We engage with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities to secure and promote Community Service Learning placements and elective opportunities for all students. This focus ensures that medical students will practice culturally safe care in serving Indigenous populations.

An advisory group consisting of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Elders, local and regional Indigenous community members working in the health and education sectors along with two medical student representatives, meets biannually to provide advice, guidance and support to the Indigenous Program. They also serve as important resources as the Program works to incorporate Indigenous content and activities into the curriculum.

As of the 2016-17 academic year, 69 Indigenous students are attending or have graduated from the Faculty of Medicine’s UGME program. It is our hope that these physicians and physicians-in-training become role models and leaders in their respective fields, working to improve the health of Indigenous patients, families and communities.

“As Director of the Indigenous Program, I am proud of the Faculty’s efforts in our support of students and our engagement with Indigenous Elders and community partners across Canada. We are making a difference together in bringing our knowledge and experience in Indigenous health to both Indigenous and mainstream health care settings.” - Dr. Darlene Kitty, Director, Indigenous Program.

Admission process for First Nation, Inuit or Métis candidates

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa has established a dedicated admission process for candidates of Indigenous ancestry as part of its mission to improve access to better health care for First Nation, Inuit or Métis peoples, and to better serve society’s needs.

First Nation, Inuit or Métis candidates who meet the stipulated admission eligibility requirements for the UGME program will compete for a designated number of admission positions. Currently, up to seven seats are reserved through this admission process. Admissions bursaries and other financial assistance may be available for successful applicants, depending on availability of funding.

We invite you to self-identify if you are First Nation, Inuit or Métis on your admission application.

Applicants who wish to be considered via this dedicated admission process must complete the full application at the Ontario Medical Schools Application Service (OMSAS), along with additional required documents.

Applicants of Indigenous ancestry may choose to study in the English or French language stream. Your choice of language of instruction must be indicated on your application. For more information, please visit the choice of language of instruction page.

First Nation, Inuit or Métis candidates who are invited to an interview are assessed by an Indigenous Admissions Subgroup. A composite score of the interview assessment, combined with the cGPA, is then calculated and a final selection is made for the offers of admission.

Required documents for First Nation, Inuit or Métis candidates

• Proof of Indigenous ancestry, as per the University of Ottawa’s policy on Eligibility for Focused Admissions, Scholarships and Bursaries for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people.

A letter that includes the following:

• A declaration of Indigenous ancestry with specific information about your First Nation, Treaty, community or organizational affiliation
• A request for consideration under the alternate admissions process
• Details on your academic and personal background
• An explanation of your reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician
• A letter of recommendation from your First Nation, Band Council, Tribal Council, Treaty organization, or your community or organizational affiliation.
• This additional documentation must be submitted directly to OMSAS, along with transcripts and academic documents by the OMSAS deadline.

Please note that some applications for proof of Indigenous Aboriginal ancestry may take 6 to 12 months or more to process. Contact the organization that applies to your situation and plan your application accordingly.

Checklist: Admission Process for First Nation, Inuit or Métis Candidates

• Verify that you will meet the admission eligibility requirements for the UGME program.
• Choose your preferred language of instruction.
• Collect all supporting documents for self-identified First Nations, Inuit or Métis applicants that are required to be included with your OMSAS application.
• Apply to OMSAS, with all supporting documents, by the deadline.
• Selected candidates are invited to an interview. Applicants who are being considered via the dedicated admissions process are interviewed by the Indigenous Admissions Subgroup.
• The Faculty of Medicine issues offers to successful candidates.
• The Indigenous Program contacts new students admitted via the dedicated admissions process to offer supports.

To learn more about our additional supports for Indigenous applicants, please contact the Indigenous Program Coordinator: [email protected]

Resources

Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada

Entrance Scholarship

Applicants who gain entrance to the Faculty of Medicine’s UGME program via the Indigenous admissions stream may be provided with an entrance scholarship. Successful applicants are contacted in August with information on how to access the scholarship, which may be applied to tuition.

William Commanda Indigenous Medical Scholarship

The William Commanda Indigenous Medical Scholarship is available for Indigenous students of all years from the Faculty of Medicine who are in the UGME Program.

The great, great grandson of the legendry Algonquin Chief, Pakinawatik, Algonquin Elder William Commanda from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Maniwaki, Quebec, was imbued with a sense of leadership from a very early age. Born under the morning star on November 11, 1913, his mother was inspired to call him Ojigkwanong. She chose well as Elder Commanda followed in Pakinawatik footsteps to become chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, a greatly revered leader in his own right and an honoured representative for all Aboriginal people. As a traditional guide, trapper and woodsman for much of his life, he was also passionate about promoting environmental stewardship and respect for Mother Earth. He worked with the elements of the earth as a birch bark canoe maker and craftsman of international renown. He built a canoe for Queen Margrethe of Denmark, helped Pierre Trudeau repair his famous birch bark canoe and has a special display dedicated to his work at the Canadian Canoe Museum of Peterborough. At the age of 90, his canoe making skills and philosophy are celebrated in Valerie Pouyanne’s documentary, Good Enough for Two.

Applicants to the William Commanda Indigenous Medical Scholarship must:

1. be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
2. be registered as a full-time student in the MD program at the Faculty of Medicine;
3. provide documented proof of Indigenous identity, in accordance with the requirements of the University of Ottawa Eligibility for Focused Admissions, Scholarships, and Bursaries for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis People administrative procedure; and
4. demonstrate financial need, as determined by the Financial Aid and Awards Service of the University of Ottawa.

Applications are made through the Online Scholarships and Bursaries tool, which can be accessed through uoZone.

The Indigenous Program and Faculty of Medicine encourage individuals, communities and organizations to contribute to the William Commanda scholarship’s Endowment Fund to ensure that the University of Ottawa can continue to offer financial support to Indigenous students as they train to become physicians.

For more information, please contact the University of Ottawa Development Office.

Dr. Arlington F. Dungy Scholarship for Students in the Faculty of Medicine's Indigenous Program

This scholarship was created in honour of Dr. Arlington F. Dungy on the occasion of his retirement as Associate Dean and Director of the Indigenous Program at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa. An annual scholarship is awarded to a deserving undergraduate student enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine’s Indigenous Program.

Detailed information about this scholarship is included in the University of Ottawa’s Online Scholarships and Bursaries tool.

External Scholarships

Information about other scholarships for medical students is available from the Financial Aid and Awards Service.

A list of scholarships specific to students of Indigenous ancestry may be obtained by contacting the Indigenous Program Coordinator: [email protected].

Come Walk in our Moccasins

Thinking about medicine as a career? Want to meet and talk with our current medical students and the Indigenous Program team? Join us for our next session of “Come Walk in our Moccasins,” our mini-medical school program. This program is open to students in grade 7 up to post-secondary who wish to explore a career in medicine or who simply want to see first-hand what medical school is like.

“Come Walk in our Moccasins” was initiated in 2010 as a recruiting strategy to encourage First Nations, Inuit and Métis people to apply to the Faculty’s MD program. We invite members of the Indigenous community to experience a day in medical school that is organized and presented primarily by our own Indigenous medical students.

“Come Walk in our Moccasins’’ has proven to be very successful in inspiring Indigenous youth and students to consider a career in medicine, through the experience of role-modeling of our Indigenous medical students, staff and community members. After attending a mini-med school, many participants felt better prepared to approach our Admissions Officer for advice on application criteria, prerequisites and other requirements needed for admission to the Faculty of Medicine.

Since its inception in January 2010, we have welcomed 300 Indigenous participants to the mini-med school sessions, from within the Ottawa area, nearby First Nations reserves, and as far as northern Quebec and Atlantic Canada. We are pleased to encourage everyone to pursue their dream of becoming a doctor.Visit our 2015Flickr photo album!

Join us for our next session of “Come Walk in our Moccasins” happening on Saturday, February 27th, 2021 from 10:00am – 1:30pm. This year we are offering it online via Zoom. Please sign up using our Event Brite link or email our Indigenous Program Coordinator: [email protected] to request more information, to register, or to be added to our mailing list.

The deadlines to register are as follows:

Please register by Wednesday, February 24th, 2021.

Indigenous Celebration and Welcome

Indigenous health is introduced to students in first year, so that all students will learn early in their medical education and training that, although Indigenous peoples have prevalent health and social problems, their holistic approach to health, cultures and traditions enable healing and resiliency. Communication strategies and therapeutic interactions with Indigenous patients, families and communities are emphasized.

The Indigenous Program relies on local and regional Indigenous community involvement to help us carry out our mandate in training Indigenous physicians and teaching Indigenous health in the medical curriculum. The Introductory Unit in the UGME program includes a full day dedicated to Indigenous health and social issues.

Starting with a lecture by a physician about Indigenous health, including a historical and social context, first-year MD students then meet an Elder or an Indigenous youth who will present their perspective on health and well-being as it impacts their personal life, family and community. Students then take part in an Indigenous Celebration at Victoria Island, traditional territory of the Algonquin people.

The Indigenous Celebration aims to present and celebrate the Indigenous Program, demonstrate the commitment and social accountability of the Faculty of Medicine and highlight the importance of Indigenous health and social issues in the medical curriculum. The afternoon also includes a traditional feast and a showcase of First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures and traditions through music and dance.

Overall, the day is an opportunity to experience how protocol, ceremony, feasting and artistic expression are an integral part of contemporary Indigenous culture and identity, and therefore of our healing journey. It is our hope that the Indigenous Celebration will impart to all first year students as they begin their medical career, an understanding, appreciation and respect for the history, traditions and culture of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

During the month of September, the Indigenous Program hosts a Welcome Feast for the new Indigenous students starting out in UGME. The University of Ottawa’s Elder in Residence is invited to say the opening prayer and share words of wisdom and encouragement. It is a time to establish support networks as new arrivals connect with returning upper year students and are introduced to the Aboriginal Resource Centre team. Our Program Director also leads a discussion on Indigenous student priorities for the academic year.

The Indigenous Program works with nearby First Nations, rural and urban Indigenous communities to organize elective opportunities for all medical students.

For up-to-date information regarding electives in Indigenous communities, please visit the Undergraduate Medical Education Electives website.

The Indigenous Health Interest Group (AHIG) was created by the students of the Faculty of Medicine’s Indigenous Program to promote interest in Indigenous health, culture and history. Its objectives are to provide the members of our group and our fellow medical students with information regarding the health issues faced by Indigenous populations, traditional methods of healing and a holistic approach to health care. We also aim to increase awareness of the importance of cultural competency in the field of medicine and an understanding of health care in Indigenous communities. Membership is open to all students.

Contact the IHIG at: ottawaahig AT gmail.com or visit the Faculty of Medicine Students’ Aesculapian Society webpage.

The Indigenous Health Interest Group has invited the following individuals to present and lead discussions on Indigenous health:

2011-2012

• Jonathan Ferrier, PhD, uOttawa and Grad Fellow, NYBG
• Andrée Cazabon, filmmaker
• Cindy Blackstock, First-Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
• Dr. Bert Lauwers, Deputy Chief Coroner
• Patrick Laflèche, MD 2013, uOttawa
• Renée Vachon, RN, MD 2014; Sabrina Squire, RN, MD2014

2012-2013

• Moccasin-making workshops
• Panel discussion with local Elders Thomas Louttit, Sally Webster and Senator Reta Gordon
• Wapikoni Mobile Film Selection Panel
• MP Charlie Angus
• “Opioid Addiction: Perspectives from an Ex-User”
• Sweat Lodge hosted by Elder Thomas Louttit
• Elder Annie St. Georges

2013-2014

• Dr. Sandra De La Ronde, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health
• Elder Annie Smith St-Georges
• Elaine Kicknosway, Minwaashin Lodge
• Simon Brascoupé
• Irene Barbeau, founding member of the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association
• Dr. Carolyn Bennett

2014-2015

• Moccasin-making workshop
• MP Charlie Angus
• Dr. Tobey Audcent​​​​​​, CHEO
• Dr. Amy Nakajima, Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health

2015-2016

• Elaine Kicknosway, Minwaashin Lodge
• Dr. Darlene Kitty and Dr. Steve Ballou
• RJ Jones, Two-Spirit Health
• Simon Brascoupé
• Dr. Darlene Kitty and Dr. Amy Nakajima, Indigenous women's health
• Elder Morning Star
• Dr. Treena Greene and Verna Stevens, Champlain Aboriginal Cancer Program
• Laurie Carr and Emily King, NIHB Navigators, Chiefs of Ontario

2016-2017

• Marie-Claude Charland
• Dr. Darlene Kitty and Dr. Steve Ballou
• Charlotte Qamaniq and Mika Bugnet, Throatsingers
• Elder Morning Star
• Dr. Ann Duggan, Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team
• Dr. Treena Greene and Verna Stevens, Champlain Aboriginal Cancer Program
• T. Sharp Dopler and Julie Paradis, Indigenous Sexual Health
• KAIROS Blanket Exercise

• University of Ottawa Library Aboriginal Health subject guide
• National Aboriginal Health Organization archive at uO Research, the University's institutional repository includes theses, articles, working papers, technical reports, conference papers, data sets in various digital formats.
• Aboriginal Health Needs - AFMC
• Aboriginal Health Research Networks Secretariat
• Canadian Aboriginal Aids Network
• Health Canada – First Nations and Inuit Health
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
• Indigenous health initiative - RCPSC

• Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health - Canadian Institutes of Health Research

• Healing winds: Aboriginal child and youth health in Canada. Paediatrics & Child Health – Journal of the Canadian Paediatric Society Volume 17 Issue 7 (2013).
• Healthy Futures: Defining best practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical students
• International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• International Journal of Indigenous Health
• Journal of Aboriginal Health
• Many Hands, One Dream
• Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments
• National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health
• National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation
• Native Youth Sexual Health Network
• Pimatisiwin – A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health
• Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative

• Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn (Golden Lake)
• Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
• Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

Aboriginal Community Organizations

• Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team
• Gignul Non-Profit Housing Corporation
• Kagita Mikam Aboriginal Training and Services
• Infinite Reach Métis Student Solidarity Network
• Makonsag Aboriginal Head Start
• Métis Nation of Ontario
• Minwaashin Lodge
• Odawa Native Friendship Centre
• Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre
• Tungasuvvingat Inuit
• Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health
   

National/Territorial Aboriginal Organizations

• Aboriginal Healing Foundation
• Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada
• Assembly of First Nations
• Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
• First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
• Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
• Indspire
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Legacy of Hope Foundation
• Métis National Council
• National Aboriginal Health Organization
• National Association of Friendship Centres
• Native Women’s Association of Canada
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
• Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

• Health research involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and their communities
• Indigenous health values and principles statement - Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada