Indigenous Pharmacy Student Collegium (IPSC)
The IPSC is a student-founded and student-led social club from UPROOT that provides support and outreach for self-identified Indigenous students within the Entry-to-Practice PharmD Program. The IPSC aims to provide self-identified Indigenous students across all four years of the Entry-to-Practice PharmD Program a safe place to engage with others and partake in exclusive Indigenous student-only events as well as host cultural engagement activities available to all students within the faculty.
To learn more about IPSC or to get involved, email ipscubc@gmail.com.
Awards
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences has established awards and funding programs for Indigenous students.
Diane Hales Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences for Indigenous Students
This award was established as a gift from Diane Hales, BSc (Pharm)’52. It is the Faculty’s first endowed award in support of undergraduate First Nations, Inuit and Métis students.
Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPSc) Program
Awards totaling $40,000, valued at up to $10,000 each, have been made available annually by the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences for students entering the BPSc program. The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences recommends the award recipients, and if possible, two of the recipients will be from a rural community or be First Nations, Inuit or Métis.
Indigenous Undergraduate SSRP (IU-SSRP) Funding Program
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to complete a paid work term during the summer terms conducting research with faculty supervision. Over the course of the program, students will work within a research team and present a poster of their activities at the SSRP Poster Competition, held at the start of a new academic year. Through the IU-SSRP, project supervisors can receive funding to hire eligible Indigenous undergraduate students to work on their research projects. This year, funding is available to support two (2) eligible students at the BC minimum wage for up to 16 weeks on a full-time basis.
First Nations House of Learning Longhouse (FNHL)
The FNHL, based in the First Nations Longhouse, was created in 1984 and officially opened its doors in 1987. Their mandate is to make the University’s vast resources more accessible to First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and to improve its ability to meet their needs. FNHA organizes and maintains Longhouse student services and spaces, overseeing public and academic programming at the Longhouse, leading and supporting strategic planning, and communications on Indigenous engagement initiatives, providing a point of contact for Indigenous communities.
Indigenous students in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program are invited to attend weekly lunch sessions every Tuesday, providing a free meal and an opportunity to learn about available resources and support services. Additionally, cultural events will be held at the Longhouse throughout the term, offering Indigenous students meaningful engagement and participation.
UBC Library – Indigenous Resources
The UBC Library contains a wealth of online Indigenous resources. This comprehensive hub acts both as a support to Indigenous students in the pharmaceutical sciences, and also as a means for students and health care professionals to deepen their understanding of Indigenous perspectives in pharmacy. Delve into thought-provoking initiatives, explore culturally sensitive health care practices, and gain insights into the various approaches being used to support anti-racism and decolonization in the pharmaceutical sciences.