Royal College celebrates the accomplishments of Indigenous physicians and health care workers
In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Royal College is celebrating the achievements and contributions of Indigenous physicians and health care workers, including Marcia Anderson, MD, MPH, FRCPC, this year’s recipient of the Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award.
Dr. Dignan, who passed away in January 2021, was a formidable champion for Indigenous health and a long-time co-chair of the Royal College’s Indigenous Health Committee. The Dr. Thomas Dignan Indigenous Health Award was founded in 2014 in recognition of his tireless advocacy for eradicating disparities in health outcomes and inequities in the quality of health care facing Indigenous Peoples.
Dr. Dignan became an important mentor for Dr. Anderson, who is Cree-Anishinaabe and, after she graduated in 2002, he continued in that role over many years.
Dr. Anderson’s decision to focus her career on system-level work and transformation was in large part due to the influence of Dr. Dignan. Read more about Dr. Anderson’s accomplishments, including establishing Canada’s first faculty-approved anti-racism policy.
Indigenous health resources
The Royal College is committed to deepening our knowledge about Indigenous health. We will continue to work with our Indigenous partners and stakeholders to reform Indigenous medical education and contribute to the delivery of culturally safe care across all residency training programs and throughout professional practice.
We invite you to learn, reflect and engage with the Indigenous health resources developed by the Indigenous Health Committee at the Royal College and the Indigenous Health in Specialty PGME Steering Committee.
Resources include case studies and historical information on Indigenous health, content to support Indigenous health curricula, and tips on treating Indigenous patients with COVID-19. Access all of our Indigenous health resources.
