b'INDSPIRE YOUTH LAUREATEYou mention mentorshipexactlyWhat lies ahead for you?As well, Im hoping to start working how important do you feel thatWhats your next step on yourtowards more systemic change, mentorship is for Indigenousprofessional journey?specifically within the emergency medical students? Im currently working throughdepartment. Emergency depart-Extremely important. And honestly,the Calgary Emergency Medicinements are one of the first access its one of my favourite parts aboutResidency Program. Im in mypoints for many people, specifically what I do. Actually, right now, onesecond year of a five-year program.for Indigenous people, and it of the students I used to mentor isAfter that, Im hoping to incorporatedoesnt always feel like a safe applying for medical school and itsmore specialized training in ruralenvironment for them. I would the most exciting thing to be able toand remote or low-resourcelike to figure out ways in which support her in this and give her tipsmedicine because, ideally, I wouldwe can improve outcomes and and make sure she has connectionslike to be able to fly up to Northernmake Indigenous people feel safer and the support she needs. Justcommunities and serve them inwhen they are accessing health-seeing people succeed in a similaremergency medicine in that way. care services.way to you is amazing. Medicine is one of those fields that is very hard to learn about if you dont have immediate family connections or [know] the right people. Being able to offer that to people and give them advice and support is so important. Its been exciting to act in that role now that Ive finished medical school and have a bit of a perspective on how it all works. Did you have a mentor?At the University of Manitoba, theres an Indigenous health program called Ongomiizwin (clearing a path for generations to come). When you get an interview to go to medical school, they invite you to join this workshop where you meet Indigenous physicians and Indigenous medical students. Through that, they give you the opportunity to meet with people and get tips and learn things. Throughout medical school, I was able to meet more amazing Indigenous physicians such as Dr. Sara Goulet, who was also very supportive in the founding of IMSAC and someone who has offered formal and informal mentorship to me. That was very meaningful, especially during the tough times of the journey when she helped me see that things can work out and that an amazing career awaits you at the end of the road.2024indspiration27'