Kiskenimisowin Nikaniwi prepares future Indigenous physicians

By Danica Hidalgo Cherewyk

Halle Cochrane, an incoming second-year medical student in the Max Rady College of Medicine, was inspired by her grandparents to pursue medicine.

“My parents always talk to me about their experience with the health-care system,” she said. “My grandparents went to residential school, but one thing they always emphasized was the importance of education.”

Her kookum (grandma) suffered from autoimmune hepatitis and other co-existing conditions.  

“My kookum often used traditional medicines along with care from a physician,” she said. “She and my mom were both nurses, and I was inspired by their work and care.”   

Cochrane, whose paternal family is from Fish River Cree Nation and maternal family is from Peguis First Nation, is one of six Indigenous medical students who participated in the inaugural Kiskenimisowin Nikaniwi (Finding Yourself and Leadership), a new four-week summer program.

Her grandparents, she said, had never seen an Indigenous physician for care. Cochrane had never met one until she shadowed Indigenous physicians through the program this summer. She said she wants to help change that by becoming a physician serving Indigenous communities. 

What is Kiskenimisowin Nikaniwi?

Knowledge Keeper George Muswaggon, Elder-in-residence at Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing, said the program’s Indigenous name reflects its purpose. He explained that kiskenimisowin means knowing oneself and nikaniwi means leadership in Ininew (Cree).  

Participants spend three weeks in clinical shadowing placements with Indigenous preceptors, primarily in Indigenous, northern or rural settings, followed by a week of cultural and leadership programming that includes engagement with Elders, traditional healing practices and wellness activities.

The initiative is delivered by Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, in partnership with the Health Care Retention & Recruitment Manitoba's Discover Health Careers Program. 

Learning from Indigenous physicians

“It's really special to see Indigenous physicians at work, shadow them and see how they incorporate culture and tradition into their practice,” Cochrane said.

The highlight of her experience was working with her preceptor, Dr. Lisa Monkman, at Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Health Centre.

“There's a true community there, and I hope to work there one day,” she said. “This program reinforces that this is where I'm needed and that I'm on the right path.”

Monkman said it was a wonderful experience that took them into rural communities.

“We connected with local people who are extremely appreciative of the services we provide,” she said. “It was good medicine, good exposure and also a really good way to gain skills they might not otherwise have had access to.” 

Building a culturally safe path

“Kiskenimisowin Nikaniwi is born out of the experiences of all the learners who have come before this group, including mine,” said Dr. Carly McLellan, a Cree and Métis fly-in family physician with Ongomiizwin Health Services who co-leads the program. She graduated from the Max Rady College of Medicine in 2020.

After her first year of medical school, she participated in a summer program in her home community in northern Manitoba.  

“I didn't have a culturally safe experience with some of my preceptors,” she said. “Unfortunately, a lot of our Indigenous learners experience that throughout medical school.”

Kiskenimisowin Nikaniwi participants, she said, had not experienced a discriminatory or racist encounter with a preceptor.  

“When I heard that, it made me so happy,” McLellan said. “It reaffirms that this work is so important and that we're protecting them. The system is changing.”

Chantal Daniels, director of Ongomiizwin – Education and program co-lead, said the cultural component was also critical.

“We've heard from Indigenous learners that they want opportunities to experience our traditional ways and medicines,” she said. “The week-long leadership camp provided those opportunities.”

In the coming years, Daniels said the Ongomiizwin team hopes to expand the program so more learners can participate and so it can be incorporated into other years of medical school. 

The power of Indigenous mentorship

Mikayla Trojan, who grew up in Winnipeg’s North End, is the first in her family to pursue a career in health care.  

The Red River Métis medical student is entering her third year in the Max Rady College of Medicine.  

She completed her placement in Lundar, Man., with her preceptor, Dr. Jade Young of Ongomiizwin Health Services. Young, a Métis physician, runs Prairie Sky Health and Wellness, practises at the Lake Manitoba First Nation Health Centre and serves as a fly-in family doctor in northern and remote communities. 

Having graduated from UM five years ago, Young said she felt isolated as an Indigenous medical student.  

“In the last couple years, having mentored students, I'm happy to see that students onboarded through the Indigenous stream are authentic and open about their identity, and that there's a real community,” she said.

Trojan said that, as an Indigenous student, concerns about whether placements will be safe are always present.

“Having that layer of worry taken away and knowing we’d be placed with safe providers was a huge weight off our shoulders,” she said. 

After medical school, Trojan said she hopes to practise family medicine in rural and remote communities.  

“I always see myself working primarily out of Manitoba. Manitoba is really special,” she said. “I'm so thankful for Ongomiizwin. There's a lot of us who wouldn't be able to do this without their support. Leaders in Indigenous health, wellness and education really drive programs like this so the next generation of Indigenous students can learn and have these chances.”