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Indigenous students will soon have more opportunity to pursue their dream of becoming a doctor with the launch of an innovative program at �鶹��Ƶ’s Stephens Family School of Medicine.

The Indigenous Pathways Acceleration Hub will create culturally-grounded pathways for students interested in medicine and health careers by addressing barriers earlier and challenging traditional approaches to recruitment and admissions.

“Historical inequities have contributed to the underrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in the medical field,” says Dr. Rebekah Eatmon, associate dean, Indigenous health. “Our shared goal is to create pathways that affirm Indigenous cultures, knowledge and lived experiences as strengths, not barriers. We want Indigenous youth to see medicine as a place where they belong and can thrive, supported by systems that recognize and value the communities they come from.”

The launch of the hub is possible thanks to $100,000 from the Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity, which recognizes bold, potentially game-changing initiatives that challenge the status quo and address persistent systemic barriers in academia and the research ecosystem.

Indigenous Peoples make up nearly five per cent of Canada’s population, yet account for less than one per cent of physicians. Barriers to a medical career can begin well before university, including limited access to culturally grounded STEM education, mentorship, financial resources and early exposure to health careers.

Rather than asking Indigenous students to adapt to systems built around Western definitions of achievement, the hub supports a broader understanding of success that recognizes Indigenous-centered community, culture and relational accountability alongside academic achievement.

The initiative will include three core programs: a student ambassador program; culturally-safe STEM learning experiences for Indigenous secondary students; and admissions support for Indigenous students interested in medical school.

Central to the initiative is co-creation rather than consultation. Indigenous communities will help shape the design, implementation and evaluation of the hub through a stewardship board that includes Host Nation representatives, Indigenous students, community members and �鶹��Ƶpartners.

“Advancing Truth and Reconciliation requires more than commitment. It requires meaningful action and partnership,” says Dr. David Price, dean of the school of medicine. “This initiative is one way we are working alongside Indigenous communities to create lasting change.”

The initiative reflects the school of medicine’s commitment to embedding Indigenous knowledge systems in learning, research and practice and aligns with the principles of equity, belonging and reciprocity reflected in SFU’s Equity Compass.

In addition to the initiative, the school already offers an Indigenous admissions stream, designed to increase the number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis physicians. While academic and other eligibility standards remain the same as the open stream, the Indigenous admissions stream recognizes culturally-relevant strengths, experiences and ways of knowing. 

�鶹��Ƶhas received a Robbins-Ollivier Award in two consecutive years, highlighting its continued efforts to address systemic barriers and create more equitable and inclusive academic environments.

The Government of Canada also contributes to university research through the  (RSF). The RSF provides funding for staff, including in the Institutional Strategic Awards (ISA) office and faculty-based grant facilitators, who support the university and faculty successfully compete for the most significant and prestigious grants, prizes and awards available, and reduce the administrative burden for faculty members who receive funding.