The President’s Message

Welcome to the website of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. As a voluntary association of First Nations, Inuit and Métis medical students and physicians we hold the vision of healthy and vibrant Indigenous nations, communities, families and individuals. For the past seven years our work has centered on improving the care that First Nations, Inuit and Métis people receive by:

• Increasing the number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis doctors through partnerships with the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada and the faculties of medicine.

• Setting the standards for what medical students, residents, and practicing physicians should be taught about First Nations, Inuit and Métis health in partnership with the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

This year we have renewed our strategic plan and in addition to continuing the work mentioned above and planning for its sustainability, we hope to contribute our unique knowledge and skills to positively influence health policy as it impacts First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. We must continue to balance these activities with our primary objective of supporting each other in our personal and professional development through mentoring and networking opportunities. We are thankful to Dr. Bartlett and her colleagues for giving us the opportunity to explore this role more as part of the Resilient Indigenous Health Workforce Networks project. I would also like to thank First Nations and Inuit Health (Health Canada) for their financial support as it enables our activities.

I hope you enjoy exploring our website. If you would like more information about IPAC or the work that we do please contact us at info@ipac-amic.org.

Sincerely

Marcia Anderson DeCoteau, MD MPH FRCPC