The Aboriginal Health Initiative (AHI) is a student run organization in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Our mandate is to promote Aboriginal health by increasing awareness amongst our colleagues about cultural competency and safety in health care, providing a means for medical students to establish mentorships with individuals who are actively involved in Aboriginal health, and developing access to resources to train and expose students to the provision of healthcare in Aboriginal communities.
We regularly host events that aim to prepare medical students for practice with Aboriginal patients. Please check back to see upcoming events and ways to get involved.
Coming Events:
March 3, 2011 7-9pm- We are pleased to welcome elder Gerry Oleman to lead us in a discussion about the Residential School System and its impacts on health. Medical Student & Alumni Centre 2750 Heather Street. All are welcome.
Ongoing- AHI Book Club. Please join us in reading Mary -Ellen Kelm’s book Colonizing Bodies: Aboriginal Health and Healing in British Columbia 1900-50. We meet every second Monday beginning Monday Feb 21, 2011 to discuss the book and how this history relates to our future practice. All health care students are welcome. Please contact apassmor@interchange.ubc.ca for more information.
I am both an activist and a community program developer in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver who is familiar with aboriginal medicines and would be interested in exploring whether there is a possibility of developing a traditional First Nations program in this neighbourhood.
I would appreciate the chance to open discussion with the Aboriginal Health Initiative.
I can be contacted through this e-mail address or by calling me at 778-232-4724.
All My Relations
Jim Leyden
Little Black Bear Warrior
Thanks for your commment, Jim. I’ve written you privately about your question.
Amy Passmore
I just found out about this grant but has UBC ever done a needs assessment within an aboriginal community? Mary our Health rep is requesting that i get one done but i thought i would check around especially if a aboriginal community has already done one maybe there would then be an existing template………survey?? not sure any info or direction would be greatly appreciated, thanks for yr time.