U of M works towards tranining more aboriginal health-care professionals
New centre opens to support aboriginal students
JENELLE PETRINCHUK STAFF
The Centre is located at the U of M’s Bannatyne Campus and was created to aid and support aboriginal students currently enrolled in healthrelated degree programs.
“This new home for students [of aboriginal origin] in health professions is an essential element of a comprehensive program designed to assure education for aboriginal health,” said Dean Sandham, dean of the faculty of medicine, in a U of M press release.
According to Kimberley Corneillie, public affairs officer for the faculty of medicine, the Centre was furnished and provided with computers with help from donations from various donors and organizations, including the U of M’s division of extended education. The rest of the money came from a partnership between the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and science; schools of medical rehabilitation and dental hygiene; and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
One of the Centre’s primary goals is to aid First Nations students pursuing careers in health care, in order to train more health-care workers interested in working in aboriginal communities, which may be lacking in available health care.
The U of M is seeing a continued growth in admissions of self-declared aboriginal students. While 1,401 Aboriginal People were enrolled in the 2003-04 academic year, that number grew to 1,605 in 2004-05 and then to 1,647 in 2005- 06. This represents approximately six per cent of university students; according to the 2001 census, 14 per cent of Manitoba’s population is of aboriginal descent.
Although the number of aboriginal students is on the rise, the percentages of their enrolment in health-related faculties is neither dramatically increasing nor decreasing.
In 2003-04, one per cent of students in the faculty of medicine (or 14 students) reported being of aboriginal descent. In 2004-06 the percentage stayed the same, with 17 students enrolled in medicine.
In nursing and pharmacy, percentages of enrolment have also been quite consistent. In 2003-04, aboriginal students represented 10.1 per cent of nursing students (or 141 students) compared to 9.7 per cent in 2005-06. Pharmacy has gone from 0.6 per cent to 0.5 per cent in the same two academic years.
The Centre for Aboriginal Health Education will now be available to support aboriginal students at the U of M as well as provide “ongoing professional development and enhanced networking opportunities for future career opportunities,” according to the press release.
Other support programs and organizations available for the aboriginal students at the U of M include the Aboriginal Student Centre, the University of Manitoba Aboriginal Students’ Association and Aboriginal Focus Programs. All of these programs are designed to aid and support aboriginal students currently working on a degree at the University of Manitoba.
The university is also in the planning stages of constructing a new building to house the Aboriginal Student Centre on the Fort Garry campus.
