Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry graduate William Dunlop was given a special honour ceremony on May 13, organized by Schulich Indigenous Admissions and Student Affairs Committee and Indigenous Services. Dunlop is the first Aboriginal graduate of the Doctor of Medicine program since 2006.
An honour ceremony was held last week for William Dunlop, the first aboriginal graduate in several years from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario.
Prior to the convocation ceremony on May 15, the Schulich Indigenous Admissions and Student Affairs Committee and Indigenous Services held the ceremony to recognize the achievement.
Dunlop, a Métis student from Forest who has roots in Whitefish River, Ont., graduated with Doctor of Medicine from Schulich School. He begins training in the Family Medicine Aboriginal Residency program in Victoria, British Columbia this summer.
“I’ve always had an interest in Aboriginal health, knowing my background,” he says.
Dunlop completed his undergraduate degree at Western as a Scholars Elective student in the Faculty of Science.
During clinical rotations at Schulich, Dunlop had the opportunity to work on aboriginal reserves.
“From those experiences there I saw how much I could share and how much the community worked together. I felt I could do something to help,” he says.
Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, one of whom was a medicine man, Dunlop plans to practice medicine in a community in southern Ontario.
“There is a shortage of physicians in Ontario and particularly a shortage of indigenous physicians for aboriginal communities,” says Debbie Dolson, Indigenous Liaison Counsellor at Schulich.
As well, there are significant health disparities among aboriginal peoples in comparison with the general population in Canada, which is why Schulich has made a commitment to help aboriginal communities with health and human services, she adds.
Each year, Schulich reserves three spaces for aboriginal students. However, Dolsen says these often go unfilled.
However, Dunlop’s graduation offers “a message of hope to the communities that we are having indigenous physicians graduate,” she says.
Dunlop has served as a mentor for other indigenous medical students and participated with the Schulich Indigenous Admissions and Student Affairs Committee.
“Bill has been an integral part of our committee, mentoring future students,” says Dr. Marjorie Johnson, co-chair of the Indigenous Admissions and Student Affairs Committee.
“He is a much respected member of the graduating class. He is going to create a huge void.”
During the ceremony conducted by Myeengun Henry of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Dunlop was given an eagle feather, a high honour in aboriginal culture.
Vivian Peters, coordinator, Indigenous Services, saw the gesture as fitting, with the first eagle feather from an honour ceremony at Western given to a Schulich graduate.
“He comes from a strong background of Indian medicine and it shows it is still strong in our family,” says Peters, who shares a common ancestor with Dunlop.
The Eagle Flight Singers also performed during the ceremony and faculty, students and staff, as well as Dunlop’s family, attended the event held in Conron Hall, University College.