SASKATOON — The University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine is proud to celebrate Cameron Bird, Sheila Naytowhow, and Terri Thunder, who were honoured with USask Indigenous Achievement Week (IAW) Awards.
These awards recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Indigenous students at USask and were celebrated at the awards ceremony on March 13.
To further highlight their achievements, we asked Cameron, Sheila and Terri a few questions about their award and to provide words of advice to other Indigenous students pursuing similar fields of study.
Cameron Bird (he/him)
Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan
Master of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Science – year 2
Award: Resiliency - for an upper-year student, who is on track to graduate, who has overcome significant personal challenges to succeed in their studies.
Cameron (Cam) Bird grew up in Prince Albert and moved to Saskatoon in August of 2017 to begin his university journey where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in nutrition. After finishing his first degree, he was accepted and completed one year of the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition program at USask before switching to the Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) program.
Why did you decide to pursue the Master of Physical Therapy program?
I decided to pursue physical therapy because it is one of the most enjoyable jobs you could have. I have always loved science, and health related sciences specifically. I love that physios are educators, motivators, work in a wide range of settings and with people from all aspects of life who have all sorts of health conditions.
You received the award for Resiliency, are you able to provide more details on challenges that you have overcome either during your time at USask or even before becoming a USask student?
My life has been full of hardships. Somedays I feel like the worst of my tragedies occurred before I was a student. I grew up without a father, and my mother was the world to me, but she got sick and died when I was 15. I grew up in foster care which comes with its own hardships and shortly after my mother died, so did one of my foster parents. That period of my life was so intensely sad. It is so hard to not have parents to turn to when you need guidance with your life.
As a student, the biggest challenges were simply loneliness and not having someone with experience to lean on. I had my friends who could help me apply for university, or tell me some of the things they cook, but it doesn't replace what's missing which is the relationship and support one has with their parents.
Despite all the struggles, I am on my way to graduating with a master's degree, and I feel a mix of happiness, pride, and a bit of sadness. I am the first in my family to accomplish this that I am aware of which is a pretty cool feeling. I have had to overcome so many barriers to finish this program, and I am excited to start my journey as a physiotherapist in private practice in Saskatoon.
What advice can you provide for other Indigenous students pursuing the Master of Physical Therapy program?
Admission information including required courses is laid out well on the School of Rehabilitation Science website so make sure you are planning to take the correct courses during your degree. When completing additional interview or written admissions requirements, answer truthfully and be authentic to yourself. Although I did not attend program information sessions, they are a great way to learn and ask direct questions about the MPT program. As a kinesiology student, I had many friends who were also interested in applying to the program so lean on and support your student colleagues whenever you can. All and all, I got into both programs due to decent grades and a good CASPer score. No magic, no special sauce, just a chill guy who shot an arrow and hit the bullseye…twice (nutrition and physical therapy programs)!
Sheila Naytowhow (she/her)
Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan
MSc, Health Sciences, College of Medicine – year 2
Award: Community Engagement - for students who have made significant contributions to an Indigenous or non-Indigenous community.
Sheila Naytowhow is a graduate student in the College of Medicine's Health Sciences program and has completed the Graduate Certificate in Leadership program and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree at USask. As a research assistant, she has worked on various community-engaged research projects funded by agencies such as the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), with a focus on housing and health for those living on-reserve in Saskatchewan. Sheila is also a member of the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NIEHR) at USask. Her current research explores how the subjective experiences of being a First Nations leader impact health and wellness. She presented her research in British Columbia in the fall of 2024 and will present in Oklahoma this summer.
Why did you decide to pursue the Health Sciences Graduate program?
It all started in 2015 when I moved to Saskatoon to attend USask. During my first year, my partner and I found out that we were expecting our first child and although this came as a surprise, I became more determined than ever to complete my education. As two 22-year-old soon to be parents, it was not easy navigating through different emotions everyday but during this process I made the decision to pursue a degree in psychology. During my undergraduate, I furthered my knowledge on positive psychology, changing negative mindsets and building positive relationships with different people. These topics are very effective for those in leadership roles and made me reflect personally on the leaders in my family that helped raise me.
First was my late grandfather, Roy Henry Bird, who was a former Chief of Montreal Lake Cree Nation and 3rd Vice Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. He was a humble and hard-working man that achieved many accomplishments that positively impacted our family and members of our community. Second, my grandmother, Joyce McLeod, who is the current chief and the strongest woman I know. Initially, due to her giving nature, I was worried about her taking on this role and being taken advantage of, but she has surpassed all my assumptions by showing me how much she truly is capable of.
First Nations leaders take on extensive roles and responsibilities and is not simply a 9-5 job. I have seen the effects these roles have had on the leaders in my life. Upon finishing my degree and completing the Graduate Certificate in Leadership program, I made the decision to pursue the Health Sciences graduate program to pursue my goal to support Indigenous leaders and their health and well-being. I still have a lot of work to do, but I am greatly thankful that the program and my supervisors have given me the space and encouragement to answer my questions.
You received the award for Community Engagement, are you able to provide more details on recent community engagements that you were a part of or lead? How impactful has your engagement efforts been to those communities?
The community engaged-research projects I have led and been involved in provided me the opportunity to travel to different communities and speak with personnel and experts about their roles in housing. I also travelled to Edmonton, Alberta to participate in the First Nations Housing Professionals Association to network with experienced housing professionals to generate common themes that would help us organize our activities for the symposium. I brought in and designed different strengths-based activities for housing managers, communities and organizations that work with First Nations communities to learn more about best practices and how we could build off those strengths to create more opportunities. The outcomes of the projects were amazing and are currently helping us with our next steps on how to continue to support First Nations housing and infrastructure.
What advice can you provide for other Indigenous students pursuing the Health Sciences Graduate program?
Keep an open mind and try to understand others’ perspectives and ideologies. Try different things and pay attention to what feels right for you. If you’re passionate about something, present it to your instructors or supervisors so they can help you navigate your ideas. Current available research methods are amazing and effective in helping answer important questions, but if you’re in a position like me, and you recognize that there is a gap that needs to be filled, don’t be afraid to take that leap and find a way to fill it.
Terri Thunder (she/her)
Thunderchild First Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan
Doctor of Medicine – year 2
Award: Leadership - for students who have made significant contributions to an Indigenous or non-Indigenous community.
Terri Thunder is a second-year medical student who has taken on many leadership roles within Indigenous and non-Indigenous medical student groups. In 2024, she completed a Dean’s Summer Research Project with Drs. Ben Leis (MD) and Cara Spence (PhD), focusing on using 'story' to enhance wrap-around support for patients with infective endocarditis. Terri is taking action to change the narrative and is trying to find potential solutions to improve Indigenous health care experiences for current and future patients and is committed to enhancing health outcomes and strengthening the relationships between Indigenous patients and the health-care system.
What inspired you to become a physician?
It was a dream I had as a little kid growing up in Thunderchild and life just happened. I moved to Saskatoon for university and struggled being in a new city without family. I never thought I would be competitive enough for medicine.
In the end, I pursued a career as an educator, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be part of the learning journey of so many people. It greatly warms my heart when past students come up and say hi and share what they’re doing now!
I loved seeing decolonization of learning and classroom spaces in the College of Education, and the incorporation of two-eyed seeing into science and math classes. I grew up close to culture, ceremony and the land. The spirit name I received in the sweat lodge when I was little grew into a powerful framework for me. I wanted to be worthy of that name and of the stories of the matriarch healers in my family by pursuing a helping profession. I am grateful to have teachings guide me through life and I feel blessed to pass those on to my son.
Throughout the years the thought of medicine would come back to me. I thought about medicine every time I heard my own family share their stories of mistreatment and racism in our health-care system. I thought about medicine every time I read articles or heard the news about another Indigenous person facing similar or worse treatment.
When the COVID-19 pandemic happened and gaps in health care started to become chasms, I thought about medicine. A couple years after the pandemic started, I figured there was no harm in applying and seeing what happens. If this was the path I was meant to be on, then my grandfathers and the Creator would guide me.
You received the award for Leadership. Could you share someone who you consider to be a good leader and what qualities you believe make them effective?
I have so much respect for Dr. Janet Tootoosis. She is a strong, compassionate n膿hiyaw (Cree) leader. It’s great to see that she is the Vice Dean, Indigenous Health in the College of Medicine. Her focus on strength-based representation of Indigenous health issues is so important for supporting decolonization of education within health care.
She genuinely cares about hearing and understanding other people’s perspectives, and to me that encompasses so many of the teachings, such as w膩hkohtowin (relations and relatedness) and tap膩ht膿yimowin (humility).
What advice can you provide for other Indigenous students who are interested in pursuing medical school?
I don’t have any physicians in my family, and when I was in undergrad, I didn’t have friends in medicine. Not having those mentors was one barrier I faced in pursuing medicine. You definitely should reach out to the College of Medicine to see what events or programs are available.
