From the SMSS

This past year has been full of different opportunities and we as students have kept busy not only in classrooms and on the wards, but also throughout the community. 

We kicked off the beginning of the new school year with our 11th annual Healthcare Classic where students and alumni came together for a charity slo-pitch tournament, followed by our 20th annual Miles for Smiles charity walk/run, with proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House Charities and SaskAbilities, respectively. We also had the privilege of welcoming the Class of 2027 at the first White Coat Ceremony ever held in Regina, and presented awards to many deserving upper year medical students at our Fall Formal. 

SMSS leadership have also had the privilege to participate in several conferences, including the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) Annual General Meeting, where medical students from across Canada met to share ideas and solutions for issues related to governance, curriculum and how to improve the medical student experience. We were able to further many of these discussions at the Western Deans Conference (WDC) which was held here in Saskatoon this year. The WDC is a chance for medical students attending western Canada to discuss innovative ways to improve medical education with medical faculty and administration. Most recently, student representatives travelled to Ottawa for the CFMS National Day of Action, where they spoke to members of Parliament about food insecurity across Canada. 

Locally, many SMSS-ratified student interest groups have worked to bring additional educational experiences to medical students over the past year. Collaborations with organizations such as STARS, Prairie Harm Reduction and Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, as well as many medical health professionals in the community, have enriched and supplemented our education. These experiences are instrumental to helping us develop into well rounded, empathetic and community-focused future physicians. We are extremely grateful for all of the time and resources that these organizations and individuals have given us. 

With gratitude and passion, many student groups have made efforts to give back to the community. One such group I would like to highlight is Students for Harm Reduction and Informed Policy (SHRIP), which held a Casino Royale Fundraiser last spring, raising over $8,000 for the New Yotina Friendship Center and Prairie Harm Reduction.  

The spirit of advocacy is alive and well in our student body, with many student-led initiatives taking to the Saskatchewan Legislature. A team of medical students passionate about women’s health and equitable access to health care resources founded Universal Access to Contraception Saskatchewan (UACSask), advocating for full coverage for contraception by the Government of Saskatchewan. They have met with the Minister of Health multiple times this year, and launched a letter writing campaign to enact change throughout the province. The student group SHRIP has also taken to the Saskatchewan legislature to advocate for intranasal naloxone funding. Further, the Gender Representation in Medicine and Surgery (GRMS) student group has organized a Call Day against the new Parents’ Bill of Rights.

Through the rest of the year, the SMSS will continue to strive to create and support opportunities to enhance the student experience here at the USask College of Medicine. We have many exciting events coming in the new year, such as our Integration Weekend, the First-Year Fundraiser, and the Annual Alumni-Student Hockey Game, and we hope to see many of you there! 

If you have any questions about events, or are interested in partnering with the SMSS, please contact our Vice-President External at vpexternal.smss@gmail.com, and see our calendar at saskmedstudents.com.