A partnership with U of Ottawa’s med school aims to train more Inuit doctors – University Affairs
AUG 30 2022
The collaboration between the university and the Government of Nunavut highlights the importance of culturally safe care.
Officials from Nunavut and the University of Ottawa are teaming up in response to the need for more Inuit physicians, who have long been under-represented in the field. In fall 2023, two admission spots at the U of Ottawa medical school will open to Inuit students from the territory, funded by the Nunavut government and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), the group that upholds treaty rights for Inuit there.
The school’s Indigenous program, which supports Indigenous students, has been key in building the partnership’s strategy. “We’re not only looking at students that are ready to apply to medical school, we’re looking for those who are getting ready,” said Darlene Kitty, a Cree physician, professor and director of the Indigenous program. The partnership extends beyond admission spots, by providing targeted science courses through Nunavut Arctic College, and mentoring Inuit students through the application process. “It starts even with giving them the idea of, ‘I can be a physician,’” said Dr. Kitty.
