During her summer break, NMP student Madison Landry worked on surveys that synthesized participant discussion on how to move forward on the next phase of the DTI project. Her research was supported through the UBC Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Program, with an extra week supported through the UNBC Division of Medical Sciences Summer Research Studentship.

Can you briefly explain your research?

The Drone Transport Initiative (DTI) is a partnership between the Stellat’en First Nation, the Village of Fraser Lake, UBC Faculty of Medicine, and other partners, established to address healthcare access issues by using drone technology to transport medical supplies in rural and Indigenous communities in BC. Meaningful engagement of involved communities and other health system partners in the co-development process is foundational to ensure the health innovation is relevant, culturally safe, and meaningful to those who can benefit from it. 

To facilitate community engagement, an in-person event was organized to co-create a vision for the next phase of the project and how drones can be used to improve healthcare access in rural and Indigenous communities. The aim of my project was to synthesize attendees’ thoughts, perceptions, and opinions on the in-person DTI Roundtable event through a pre- and post-event survey. 

These findings will be used to inform the next phases of the DTI and can contribute to improving guidance on how to meaningfully engage an interdisciplinary team in drone technology health research with rural and Indigenous communities.

What inspired or prompted you to become part of this research project?

Health equity has always been important to me. I have lived in the north my whole life and over the years I have seen the beauty in living in a small town but also the many challenges that community members face to access equitable health care. 

I first heard about the Drone Transport Initiative (DTI) on our NMP class Indigenous site visit to Stellat’en First Nation; innovative technology using drones for health care delivery while increasing health care accessibility in northern communities seemed like the perfect fit for me.

Who did you work with on this project?

The DTI has an incredibly supportive team which I was so thankful to be a part of. The researchers and health care providers I was working the most closely with throughout this project were my supervisors Dr. Anurag Singh, who is a Nephrologist and researcher with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia, Northern Medical Program, and Dr. Femke Hoekstra, a researcher at the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, and Division of Social Medicine at UBC.

How did this project help further your learning as a medical student?

One of the most valuable learning opportunities I got from this project was the chance to work in an interdisciplinary team. The project was guided by the Rural Coordination Centre of BC’s Partnership Pentagram Plus model, which is an identified tool - specifically for addressing rural and Indigenous health inequities in Canada - for policy makers, health administrators, health professionals, academics, community members, and linked sectors such as industry and not-for-profits. I am hoping to take this knowledge into my future years of medical school as well as my career as a physician.

Interested in learning more about the Drone Transport Initiative? Check out the DTI website, which includes videos and more information about the beginning phases of the project as well as future directions for the use of drones in B.C.