Hey everyone, Hope you’re all doing well and are having a great start to the new school year! Through the work of the EDI Indigenous Health Working group, the Indigenous Medical Students Association (IMSA) has been established and is now accepting applications for its inaugural 2026 council! IMSA was created by and for Indigenous medical students to build a safe, empowering, and culturally grounded community within medicine. The mandate of the group is focused on:

* Supporting and uplifting Indigenous medical students through mentorship, wellness, and community building. * Advocating for Indigenous learners at the college, faculty, provincial, and national levels. * Collaborating with faculty and community partners on Indigenous health initiatives, including in areas of outreach, research, and wellness. * Amplifying Indigenous voices and working toward systemic change.

Getting Involved with IMSA: The application to join the council is now live! Please see below for a list of available positions. These roles are available for medical students who self-identify as Indigenous. The General Member position is available to all students. For more information, I have attached the IMSA Bylaws document.

* VP External Jr. * VP Internal * VP Finance * Communications Officer * M1 Class Representative * Committee Leads * Committee Members * General Member

Whether you’re excited about advocacy, leadership, or just want to build community with learners and staff, we would love to have you involved! 📌 Apply here: https://forms.gle/j2CdRWdxJL8dFAiy9 🗓️ Deadline: Friday, September 11th, 2026 at 11:59PM If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email to uofmimsa@gmail.com. Kindly,

Patricia Machekera (she/her)

MD Candidate | Class of 2028 VS Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Sr.

Max Rady College of Medicine

University of Manitoba