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New program helps students gain a better understanding of Indigenous people, culture, and communities

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New resource: honouring the sacred fire report
The FNCEP is an innovative humanities-informed Indigenous cultural immersion program which emphasizes experiential learning.

The First Nations Community Education Program (FNCEP) is a partnered initiative designed to foster the development of cultural humility and cultural safety in medical students. The program was developed and implemented as a collaborative project between the Northern Medical Program, the First Nations Health Authority, and Northern Health. It gives students the opportunity to visit Northern First Nations communities for a weekend of cultural exchange teachings on holistic health and wellness.

The FNCEP is an innovative humanities-informed Indigenous cultural immersion program which emphasizes experiential learning. Its goals are to promote opportunities for medical students to:

  • Learn in a place-based way about Northern First Nations people and communities
  • Understand these from a strengths-based perspective
  • Enhance their own social accountability and responsibility

The recent publication Educating Medical Students' “Hearts and Minds”: A Humanities-Informed Cultural Immersion Program in Indigenous Experiential Community Learning describes the development and implementation of the FNCEP. You can access the full article through the International Journal of Indigenous Health.