Students in the Northern Medical Program (NMP) located at the University of Northern British Columbia are starting a program to educate future health practitioners in the various aspects of Aboriginal health. The Aboriginal Health Initiative is hosting its inaugural dinner and forum on March 4 at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre (PGNFC).

“The purpose of the event is to get students together with local organizations to increase our awareness of Aboriginal health as well as the current practices and institutions which provide care for the Aboriginal community,” says 1st-year NMP student Rena Romain, one of the event’s organizers, who hails from Fort Fraser and is a UNBC graduate. “We think it is going to be a big first step in expanding our knowledge of existing services which is imperative for emerging physicians as we work with Aboriginal patients who may benefit from referrals to supportive programs.”

The evening is funded by the Northern Medical Programs Trust, while the Native Friendship Centre donated the use of the Power of Friendship Hall. Among the groups expected to attend the event are a number of Elders groups, Central Interior Native Health, and Carrier Sekani Child and Family Services.

“It’s a big first step towards connecting health care providers with the health resources available to the Aboriginal community,” says Sita Ollek, also a 1st year NMP student and event organizer who is from Nanaimo. “We hope this will be a means for students to establish mentorship with the Aboriginal community and our Elders. We also hope the community will help us discover ways we might work together to create better health care for northern Aboriginal people.”

The Aboriginal Health Initiative was started by the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program in 2008. The Northern Medical Program is part of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and is hosted by UNBC. Thirty-two medical students are welcomed into the NMP each year.