Walking Together in Medicine: UBC’s Support for Indigenous Medical Students

Walking Together in Medicine: UBC’s Support for Indigenous Medical Students

For this feature, IPAC reached out to Meghan MacGillivray (Red River Métis), Indigenous Student Initiatives Manager for the UBC MD Program, who shared her reflections by email on how her team builds community, connection, and culturally grounded support for Indigenous medical students across British Columbia. UBC Vancouver is located on the unceded and occupied traditional and ancestral territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) People.

Support and Safety

UBC’s distributed MD Program spans four sites across the province, Prince George, Victoria, Kelowna, and Vancouver. Each site has a dedicated Indigenous student support staff member (Abby, Cici, Jackson, and Meghan) who work together to help learners stay connected and supported throughout their training.

Throughout the year, the team hosts cultural and community-building events that foster belonging and cultural safety, including:

  • Indigenous Year 1 Orientation, where an Elder leads a drum-making workshop for incoming students
  • Cultural activity nights that bring students together in community
  • The annual Indigenous Medical Education Gathering, held each spring, which unites Indigenous students, residents, and physicians for traditional healing, mentorship, and professional development

UBC also ensures priority clerkship placements and Indigenous electives for Indigenous learners, recognizing the importance of maintaining relationships and connections within community and on traditional territories.

Personal Reflection

“I’ve been with the UBC Faculty of Medicine for over six years, and it’s been incredible to see students I first met as applicants become physicians,” says Meghan. “Two of the best days of each year are letting Indigenous applicants know they’ve been accepted and celebrating their accomplishments at our Indigenous graduation ceremony. It’s inspiring to see the work our students and graduates are doing in and for community, and I feel humbled to walk alongside them on their journey in medicine.”

Read more about UBC’s Indigenous medical education initiatives here.