Métis student helps develop the Indigenous Medical Students’ Association of Canada

Jamie Thompson, a second year Métis medical student from Manitouwadge and Ignace, is an inaugural member of the newly formed Indigenous Medical Students’ Association of Canada.

“I was asked to help with the initial development of the association alongside the founding medical students, Jesse LaFontaine from University of British Columbia and Jayelle Friesen-Enns from the University of Manitoba,” says Jamie. “We have been working on hosting talks about how elections would run, what leadership would look like, and the roles that are required to get it up and running.”

Elections for the new board took place on the heels of the announcement that Santanna Hernandez was elected the first Indigenous Medical Student to be elected President of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students, representing over 8,000 medical students across Canada.

Jamie is helping with social media, the IMSAC brand and has participated in discussions about plans for the new governing council circle to be formed this fall.

“I’ve applied for the advocacy role in the upcoming year. If I’m elected, I will be excited for the new leadership circle to be formed and come into fruition,” says Jamie. “Right now, we’re a skeleton team working on procuring funding and seeking advice from Elders on how to create the council and choose an Indigenous name.”

Once the governing council is formed, they plan to create a vision and adopt a constitution. Jamie is looking forward to the different advocacy opportunities and learning about the issues that are important to Indigenous medical students across the country.

“It’s definitely a passion. Advocacy is something I do throughout the year and this is an even bigger platform. I’m encouraging other Indigenous medical students from NOSM to become members and apply and/or participate in nominations,” says Jamie. “I’m hoping to see NOSM students in some of the other roles at the Indigenous Medical Students Association of Canada both this year and in the coming years.”

Jamie says the structure of the Association will be based on principles of Indigenous governance. “It was very fulfilling to have a conversation with fellow Indigenous medical students and talk about how we didn’t want it to be a hierarchical board. We envision all leadership positions sitting in a circle. Surrounding the inner circle are those overseeing the leadership, including the support of co-chairs, past presidents and honorary physician members. It’s exciting to design a way we can work together, in circle.”

To learn more about the Indigenous Medical Students’ Association of Canada, please visit imsac.ca or follow them on Instagram and Twitter @imsacindigenous.