2020 Indigenous MD Pre-Admissions Workshop

Faculty, staff, and students participate in the 2020 workshop via Zoom.

The Southern Medical Program hosted the 17th annual Indigenous Pre-Admissions Workshop virtually this past July. With public health measures still in place, organizers revamped their format to offer the programming remotely.

18 students participated in the three-day workshop which helps prepare prospective Indigenous medical students for the MD admissions process and learn more about the education and training offered by the Faculty of Medicine across the province.

Highlights from the event included presentations from the MD Admissions Office, SMP Student Affairs team, and Dr. Sarah Brears, Regional Associate Dean, Interior. Musqueam Elder Doris Fox provided the opening and closing remarks for the workshop. Additionally, Indigenous medical students and graduates shared their own personal stories and words of wisdom to the participants.

“The programming was highly interactive and provided an in-depth look at rewards and challenges of medical school,” says Carri Folk, Admissions & Student Affairs Coordinator. “It was also deeply inspiring to hear our students and graduates talk about their own journeys into medicine.”

“The workshop is modelled after the University of North Dakota’s INMED (Indians into Medicine) Program, Preadmissions Workshop,” says James Andrew, Indigenous Student Initiatives Manager. “The faculty, staff and students really enjoyed this year’s event and special kudos to Carri Folk and Meghan MacGillivray for doing a wonderful job organizing.”