IMDSA History

Welcome to the Indigenous Medical and Dental Students' Association (IMDSA)! Please take the time to learn about our organization and all the great work we have been doing! Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the land upon which the University of Alberta is situated. Treaty 6 territory is a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Metis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community. We are grateful to be able to study on Treaty 6 territory and recognize the impact colonization has had on our Indigenous people of these territories.

Who We Are

The IMDSA is a group of Indigenous students at the University of Alberta in the faculty of medicine and dentistry programs from a variety of backgrounds who are passionate about our culture and Indigenous health. The IMDSA was founded in 2018 and is the first of its kind in Canada. All Indigenous medical and dental students accepted to the University of Alberta are automatically members of the IMDSA and hold the responsibilities associated with membership.

Mission

Our mission is to represent, encourage, and advocate for future Indigenous health care providers while staying grounded in our traditions and teachings. Through a positive narrative, we will promote an Indigenous presence in health professions through mentorship and support with career transitions.

History

On October 31, 2018, a small group of Indigenous MD students and Elders met to establish a sense of community amongst our Indigenous peers with the guidance and support of Tibetha Kimble - then Director of University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's Indigenous Health Program (now Wâpanachakos).

From this and many more meetings, we brainstormed that advocacy and a sense of community was important within a western medical and education institutions. We discussed some of the challenges we had faced, witnessed, and experienced in medical school. Our intent was to represent ourselves, increase representation of Indigenous applicants, support each other during major transition points (admissions, transition to clerkship, and transition to residency).  We sought to maintain our ways of knowing in our governance structure creating a consensus model under the first IMDSA board with original members of the IMDSA: Andrew Volk (Chair), Nicolas Gibson (Vice-Chair), Brittany Schroeder (Secretary), Christian Hazell (Treasurer), Nicole Labine (honorary Past Chair), Sean McKenzie (Preclerkship), Reina Shewakramani (Dentistry), Lauren Cormier (Clerkship), Greg ZoBell (Dentistry), Rebecca Benn (Medicine), Cole Boettger (Medicine), Gabriel Painchaud (Medicine), Jennifer Weekes (Medicine), and others. 

Establishing the IMDSA with the Faculty

There were several barriers to forming an indigenous students association. The Students Union policies at that time did not allow exclusion of undergraduate students to student groups as a requirement of registration. The University Calendar recognized the medical students association as the sole student body representing medical students. When forming, there were only around a dozen indigenous medical students in all years of medical school. This allowed a consensus model, but also created a lot of work for indigenous medical students.

With legal advice, we drafted a constitution for IMDSA which referenced our constitutional rights to self-representation. The MSA and Faculty were supportive of IMDSA forming and invited IMDSA to join the undergraduate educational committees. In subsequent years, the positions within the curriculum and admissions committees were cemented into permanent, voting positions they are today. IMDSA worked closely with MSA to represent student interests and solidified their partnership as equals with a Memorandium of Understanding. 

IHP (now Wâpanachakos) created space and learning for a three year plan. In 2021 under Auriele Volk, IMDSA implemented changes to the constitution to allow more recognizable positions amongst other organizations they were working with and further expanded positions to include wellness and culture. A futher 3 year plan was implemented. A new MOU was created as a tri-partnership agreement as IMDSA supports the inclusion of the Black Medical Students Association with the MSA.

2019 Membership

Andrew Volk (Chair), Nicolas Gibson (Vice-Chair), Brittany Schroeder (Secretary), Christian Hazell (Treasurer), Nicole Labine (honorary Past Chair), Sean McKenzie (Preclerkship), Reina Shewakramani (Dentistry), Lauren Cormier (Clerkship), Greg ZoBell (Dentistry), Rebecca Benn (Medicine), Cole Boettger (Medicine), Gabriel Painchaud (Medicine), Jennifer Weekes (Medicine), and others. 

2020 Membership

Liz Hillier (Chair), Cara Gallo (Vice-Chair), Treasurer/Secretary (Emma Hillier), Past Chair (Andrew Volk) and others. 

2021 Membership

President: Auriele Volk

VP Finance: John Bereti-Moody

VP Education: Lauren Garby

VP Culture and Wellness: Hailea Purcell

VP Outreach and External Relations: Jesse Lafontaine

Clerkship Representative: Kate Beggs

Past Chair: Andrew Volk

2022 Membership

President: Abbey Norris

VP Finance (Treasurer): Christine Coslovich

VP Education: Courtney Hebert

VP Culture and Wellness: Elenna LaPlante

Jr. VP Culture and Wellness: David Robertson  

VP Outreach and External Relations: Kirsten Webster

Jr. VP Outreach and External Relations: Dominic Bohemier 

Alumni Representative: Andrew Volk

2023 Membership

President: Ashley Turner

VP Finance (Treasurer): David Robertson

VP Education: Jess Britton, Antaya Mikeale

VP Culture and Wellness: Elenna LaPlante

VP Advocacy and External Relations: Alex Beke

Alumni Representative: Andrew Volk