A four-week placement in a Cree community gave one McGill medical student a deeper understanding of culturally responsive care and showed how trust, relationships and community are central to better health.
When Aiman Hadif Bin Abdul Razak travelled 1,000 kilometres north of Montreal for a family medicine placement in Waskaganish in Eeyou Istchee as part of McGill’s Distributed Medical Education (DME) Program, he expected to sharpen his clinical skills. Instead, the fourth-year medical student left with something just as valuable: a new understanding of how culture, trust and community shape healthcare.
“I was a little nervous at first because it was a completely new place and I didn’t know anyone,” admits Aiman, who is originally from Malaysia and has been living in Quebec since 2017. “But after a day or two, I felt like I was at home.”
Aiman in a boat on the Rupert River with his first fishing catch.
His placement coincided with National Indigenous History Month in June, allowing him a chance to take part in local celebrations and traditions. He attended a traditional Cree walking-out ceremony for young children, an event that celebrates a child’s first steps and their lifelong connection to their culture, community, and the land. He also sampled local foods and spent evenings on the Rupert River. One memorable afternoon, he was invited aboard a fishing boat and was taught how to fish. He remembers that day fondly because the generosity he encountered affirmed his sense of belonging within the community.
Clinically, the rotation exposed Aiman to an unusually broad scope of practice. He worked in family medicine clinics, emergency care, obstetrics, newborn care, wellness clinics and home visits alongside physicians, nurses, dieticians and other healthcare professionals.
“The training exceeded my expectations,” he says. “The supervisors give you independence, but they’re there to help you when you need it.”
The experience also reinforced that effective healthcare extends beyond diagnosis and treatment. Through conversations with patients and families, Aiman learned that treatment plans must align with their realities, traditions and community values.
Learning Beyond the Clinic
David Cheechoo, co-founder of the Wiichihiiwewin Centre in Waskaganish, spoke to residents and medical students during a presentation organized by the clinic’s Psychiatry Department. He shared insights on resilience and pathways to healing, particularly for community members living with addiction.
A member of the Moose Cree First Nation in Ontario, Cheechoo has lived in Waskaganish for more than 30 years. In 2017, he and his wife, Greta Cheechoo-Whiskeychan, who serves as Chief of Waskaganish, founded the Wiichihiiwewin Centre to support individuals and families affected by trauma, grief, addiction and mental health challenges.
The Centre offers culturally grounded programming, including counselling, land-based healing camps, cultural activities and workshops, that encourage participants to reconnect with their culture, families and the land. Programs are offered in both Cree and English, recognizing the important role language plays in healing.
A seating area facing the Rupert River in Waskaganish.
Through his experience in Waskaganish, Aiman gained a deeper understanding of the importance of trust in healthcare relationships. In Indigenous communities, trust can take time to establish, particularly given the legacy of colonial policies and the healthcare system’s historical role in causing harm to Indigenous peoples. “It takes time to build trust,” he says. “That’s one of the most important things I learned.”
That lesson was reinforced by community leaders such as Cheechoo, who believes rural and remote placements benefit both learners and communities by fostering mutual understanding and creating meaningful social impact. “Don’t ever think you’re not welcome,” Cheechoo says. “You are a valuable resource and can be part of the healing of our Indigenous communities.”
Building Physicians Through Community
For Aiman, Waskaganish offered a striking contrast to his previous family medicine rotation in Montreal. In the smaller, close-knit community, he had more opportunities to spend time with patients, build relationships and better understand their lives beyond the exam room.
“By the end of the month, people recognized me around town,” he recalls. “Someone stopped me and said, ‘You’re the person who saw my baby.’ That sense of connection was really special.”
Aiman plans to pursue a career in palliative care through family medicine. His collaboration with Justin Sanders, MD, Director of Palliative Care at McGill, combined with his placement in Waskaganish, has deepened his appreciation for the unique role family physicians play in supporting patients and their families at every stage of life. When asked what he would tell other medical students considering a rural or remote placement, his response is immediate.
“I strongly recommend everyone go up north,” he says. “The clinical learning is excellent, the community is welcoming and you learn things there that you simply can’t learn anywhere else.”
To learn more about McGill’s Distributed Medical Education (DME) Program, please visit:
https://www.mcgill.ca/med-dme/
Aiman posing next to a Welcome sign in Waskaganish
