Established in 2023 and guided by Indigenous leadership and community voices, the department is dedicated to advancing health and wellness for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples through education, research, mentorship, and authentic community engagement.

The department was established to provide a permanent academic home for Indigenous health within the College of Medicine. Its creation responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and aligns with the university’s ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan (Let’s Fly Up Together) Indigenous Strategy, and the College of Medicine’s strategic plan.

The term “wellness” is central to the department’s vision. It reflects an intentional shift away from deficit-based approaches to Indigenous health and toward strength-based, holistic understandings that integrate physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Our Goals

Address health inequities experienced by Indigenous Peoples
Support and expand Indigenous-led, strength-based research
Facilitate knowledge translation in and with communities
Foster decolonized approaches to health care and medical education
Promote safe, welcoming, and culturally grounded learning environments for learners, faculty, and staff

Undergraduate Medical Education

The department along with Undergraduate Graduate Medical Education supports the integration of Indigenous health across the undergraduate medical curriculum. Indigenous health electives are available for medical students, offering opportunities to engage in community-based learning, guided by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous practitioners. These electives emphasize relational accountability, cultural safety, and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems, while preparing learners to provide informed, equitable, and compassionate care.

Looking Ahead

As the department grows, it will expand educational programming, build research capacity, and deepen relationships with Indigenous communities and partners locally, provincially, and nationally. With a foundation rooted in Indigenous knowledges and ways of being, the Department of Indigenous Health and Wellness will serve as a leader in shaping medical education, research and health care in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

Electives in Indigenous Health

Indigenous Programming and Initiatives

Indigenous Programming and Initiatives is responsible for the recruitment, retention, and support of Indigenous students into Medicine, providing guidance throughout their medical education into practice.