Getting to Know Dr. Alexandra King - Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness - GIM - Saskatoon 

Background
I’m a citizen of Nipissing First Nation and I’m an Internal Medicine Specialist with a focus on HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis. I’m the inaugural Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at USask. I co-lead pewaseskwan, or the Indigenous Wellness Research Group. We work with Indigenous communities and relevant stakeholders to understand the health and wellness needs of First Nations and Métis peoples and the structural changes that are needed for improved Indigenous health outcomes.

Area of Research
My research interests include Indigenous health and wellness as well as Indigenous research ethics and methodologies. I have the pleasure of working with Indigenous community and researchers; together, we are visioning an Indigenous version of community-driven research centred on Indigenous ancestral wisdom and lived/living experience, and the related Indigenous research philosophies and methodologies. I co-create intervention research grounded in Indigenous epistemology, culture and wellness. Much of it focuses on HIV, HCV and land- and culture-based healing.

“Big” Research Moment
I’ve been involved with many important studies and one that I’m particularly excited to share the Sask. Stories project. Through a PHAC-grant, our team created a website and online database of all the programs, projects and initiatives targeted to people living with HIV and/or HCV in Saskatchewan. The project was guided by a Community Advisory Board comprised of clinicians, community-based organizations, Indigenous leaders and people with lived and living experience of HIV/HCV. The target audiences include Indigenous communities, people living with HIV/HCV, their family-kinship networks, and the organizations that support and care for them. We’re really excited to have such a wonderful tool and looking forward to what will follow.

Messages for Early-Career Clinicians or junior researchers
Apply to participate in research through programs like the Dean’s Summer Research Project and don’t hesitate to reach out to researchers or clinicians whose work interests you. Take chances on research areas that are unfamiliar. Learn how to do community-based and culturally safe research

Future Aspirations for Research
I hope the work pewaseskwan does will inform other clinical researchers to undertake research with Indigenous communities in culturally safe and relevant ways. There is much to be learned from our Elders, Knowledge Holders and community members that can complement Western approaches to research.