WSD students changing the face of health care

The Medical Careers Exploration Program (MCEP) is introducing Indigenous students in Winnipeg School Division to various careers in medicine and health care.  

Delivered in collaboration between WSD and Pan Am Clinic Foundation, MCEP provides high school students with hands-on practicum experiences in hospitals and other health care settings. 

“The goal of MCEP is to increase Indigenous representation in all health fields,” said Jana Kawiuk, MCEP coordinator.

“Indigenous representation within our health care systems will aid in identifying and meeting the needs within our communities. The Medical Careers Exploration Program is an innovative strategy that provides equitable opportunities to Indigenous youth, who we all know will help to create change in systems that very much need changing.” 

MCEP began in 2007 at Children of the Earth High School (COTE). In 2022, the program expanded throughout WSD, with 77 students participating currently. Indigenous Grade 9 students can apply for the program, which begins in Grade 10 and continues into Grades 11 and 12.

“In Grades 10 and 11, it’s about exposing them to as many health care careers as possible,” said Alexandra Carroll, Pan Am Clinical Program coordinator.

“In health care, we often think of doctors and nurses, maybe a surgeon or a dentist, but there are hundreds of careers. We show them all the opportunities, from the health care aides to the X-ray techs to the casting departments. The students get to do as much hands-on work as possible, from moving an X-ray machine to being in an operating room to watch a surgery.

“In Grade 12, we attempt a more customised practicum experience. If a student knows that they want to be a nurse, we’ll try and link them with nurses at as many of our centres as possible.”

The students visit 15 different medical and health care sites, including Health Sciences Centre, smaller hospitals like Grace, Victoria and Concordia, Pan Am Clinic, Dynacare, and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service training academy. 

In addition to in-school learning and on-site practicums, MCEP includes a cultural and celebratory component. Each year of the program begins and ends with a traditional pipe ceremony led by COTE teacher Connie West-Buck. Along the way, students learn about traditional medicines and get to meet Indigenous health care professionals. 

MCEP also includes post-secondary planning and support. Students earn a $1,000 bursary for every year they complete of the program, up to $3,000 if they complete all three years. 

On Feb. 22, MCEP students visited Ode’imin, formerly known as the Birth Centre. 

While Ethan Temmerman, a Grade 12 Anishinaabe student at Collège Churchill, has no plans to become a midwife, he did appreciate learning about what goes on at the Women’s Health Clinic facility.

“There are lots of things that I’ve learned that I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn about,” said Temmerman, who wants to become a veterinarian.

“I’ve learned about professions that I didn’t even know existed. I’ve gained an appreciation of what people in those professions do, even if it’s something I’m not interested in doing myself.”

Grade 12 students Pierre Pantel and Mary-Anne Mclean have enjoyed the up-close-and-personal perspectives they’ve gained through MCEP. 

“The first practicum was at Pan Am Clinic and I sat through a couple surgeries,” said Pantel, who is Métis. “They were small procedures, but it was still cool to see how they operate. I especially liked the anesthesiologist. He was interesting and kept me informed on what he was doing. It was engaging.”

“I really liked the surgeries. I’ve seen three now,” said Mclean, who is Ojibway and from Pinaymootang First Nation.

“We also did a dissection of a placenta. Just hands-on, getting to see the real deal. That was my favourite part of everything.”

Mel Isfeld is working to become a pediatrician. A Grade 12 student at St. John’s High School, Isfeld was recently accepted into the University of British Columbia and is well on her way to being the change she’d like to see. 

“I’ve never met an Indigenous doctor,” said Isfeld, who is Cree and Métis. “I’ve only met a few Indigenous people who work in medical settings.

“I didn’t grow up in the Indigenous culture because my dad was away and he’s my Indigenous parent. I want to be that representation for the younger generation when I’m older, because I never had that.”

Margaret Lavallee spoke to the MCEP students at Ode’imin. Lavallee is an elder-in-residence at Ongomiizwin, the Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing at the University of Manitoba. 

Lavallee said initiatives like MCEP are crucial to addressing Call to Action 23 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. It states, “increase the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health-care field.”

“Encourage and support, that’s what it is about,” Lavallee said. “I was talking to some young people in Sagkeeng First Nation, my reserve. We don’t have very many people from there applying to go into medicine. Why? The students that I spoke to in high school there said, ‘Come and get us.’

“That’s the key. We have some very brilliant young people who are interested, we just need to open the doors and cultivate their minds.”

MCEP is currently recruiting Grade 9 Indigenous students. For more information, contact Kawiuk at jkawiuk@wsd1.org.