Footsteps Along the Red Road: A Resident's Journey

• Main Author: Stogryn, Krista
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: UBC Journal of Family Practice Research and Scholarship 2015
• Subjects: Aboriginal; resident; narrative; inequities; experience; First Nations
• Online Access: http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/familypractice/article/view/187202

Over the course of the last two years, I have been living and working with the First Nations of British Columbia, in both inner-city and rural communities. As a Family Medicine resident, many remarkable cross-cultural experiences have transformed me, both personally and professionally. Using an arts-based research approach, I reflect on my experiences working with the First Nations to examine the elements that have inspired me greatly, as well as those that have been a challenge for me. The result of this reflection is ‘my story’ and layered within it are the voices, ideas and stories of the many individuals who have shared their lives with me. The Aboriginal experience has historically been transmitted in oral traditions and as such, the telling of stories is paramount. In an attempt to stay true to the Aboriginal way, my experiences are forged in the traditions of a non-linear world. Woven within a local First Nations myth, ‘my story’ is presented as a compilation of photographs, poems, journal entries, and narrative writings. These pieces are predominantly my own, however also included, are select items created by other individuals who have been influential in my growth and understanding along the way. At present, it seems a growing number of physicians are seeking cross-cultural medical experiences overseas, despite significant health inequities among Aboriginal people close to home. In telling my story, I hope to raise deeper questions around why we may feel reluctant to work in First Nations communities. Furthermore, it is my hope that this work may help to inspire and challenge physicians, residents and medical students, to take an interest in working with the First Nations of BC, and seek the rich rewards of venturing a few footsteps along the Red Road.