Northern Routes

Recognising Heritage and Legacy

CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of residential schools and colonial impacts. In this year of social justice and climate change at NOSM, what impresses me most is how people have rallied together for a common purpose and to achieve a higher purpose. Part of being a good citizen is acknowledging and observing history, heritage and our interconnected legacies in Canada. It is recognition of the past and the present, a conduit for healthy dialogue, and recognition of the legacy of our ancestors. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation On September 30—a day previously known as Orange Shirt Day—we will observe the newly introduce...

A fresh year filled with optimism and new opportunity.

This week marks the start of a new academic year for many, including the MD, dietetics, and Master of Medical Studies (MMS) programs. Education is an adventure filled with opportunity and experiences that you build on and take with you throughout your lifetime. Welcome to our learners, faculty and staff who are on campus this week and those who are participating in activities virtually. It’s a fresh new year and I hope you will approach it with much optimism. Although it feels like the beginning of a chapter for some, our resident doctors started their training on July 1, 2021; residents don’t have time off over the summer. At the...

What’s in a tweet? Thoughts about social media.

Social media plays a major role in today’s world—instant communications, opportunities for engagement and the creation of networks of communities that one could never reach in conventional ways. I have made friends with people through common values and thoughts that were shared on Twitter and Instagram, yet I have never met some of them in person. Being online 24/7 has its advantages, but for me, a judicious presence is important to my well-being. I have observed behaviours on social media that have been informative and poignant, but I have also seen racism, nastiness, and unfettered behaviours that worry me. Over the past 18 m...