Shining a Light on Change

Medical Student Mikayla Barbosa’s Commitment to Indigenous Health and Wellness

Mikayla Barbosa’s journey into medicine was not a linear one. Mikayla, who is Métis, a proud citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation, with deep roots in the Red River Settlement, and settler ties to Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago, developed her passion for helping others during her work at the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, where she supported Indigenous women affected by substance use and the gaps in prenatal and postnatal care and support. These experiences led her to take on the challenging task of becoming a medical doctor. However, her first year of medical school left her feeling disconnected and out of place. 

“Med school just didn’t feel like it was built for me,” Mikayla shares. “I felt like my Indigenous values, my spirituality, and my advocacy were seen as weaknesses. It felt like I had to dim parts of who I am, just to fit in.” 

Mikayla experienced what she described as a dimming of her spirit. Her Indigenous identity, particularly her values of advocacy, emotional connection, and spirituality, was often undervalued or even dismissed in the Western academic setting. This reflects a wider systemic issue where traditional Indigenous ways of knowing and being are seen as secondary, less important, or even “unprofessional”. Mikayla received feedback from others to “dim down” her advocacy and emotional side, reflecting microaggressions that invalidated these parts of her identity. 

Mikayla recognized that the health-care system needs reform and began to question whether she truly belonged. Everything changed when she met Dr. Barry Lavallee and Dr. Sheila Peters at Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) in the summer of 2023 for mentorship opportunity. 

KIM is a northern First Nations-led health organization that works to transform health and wellness services and improve health outcomes for First Nations people. In this mentorship environment, she rediscovered her confidence, with Dr. Lavallee and Dr. Peters urging her to fully embrace her true self in her work. They didn’t just give her permission to be herself, they insisted on it.

“It was like a switch flipped,” she says. “Dr. Lavallee and Dr. Peters saw my strengths and really supported me. They didn’t just tell me to keep going—they gave me the tools to push forward in a way that felt authentic to me. I never thought I’d be able to do research, but with their mentorship, I created a framework for improving harm reduction and prenatal care in the communities I care about.” 

Her research became the foundation for her award-winning presentation at the 2024 PRIDoC conference in Australia. The presentation, titled Apihkatew Sipiy (Braided River); Harm Reduction in Pregnancy, was a challenging format: 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide. Mikayla, who was initially intimidated by the idea of presenting, found herself on stage with adrenaline pumping as she shared her work on a global platform. 

“It was wild. I was talking faster than I ever have before,” she recalls with a laugh. “But I never would have had the courage to do it if it wasn’t for Dr. Lavallee and Dr. Peters pushing me outside my comfort zone. They saw something in me I didn’t even see myself.” 

Mikayla’s research project centers on developing a holistic, culturally safe health-care model that is rooted in Indigenous practices and addresses the unique needs of Indigenous communities. Her work focuses on a “Wrap Around Care” approach which integrates various services into a single, accessible location. 

At the heart of her model is the use of traditional Indigenous spaces such as the medicine lodge, including the birthing lodge, sweat lodge, moon lodge, and restoration on the land. These spaces serve as healing centres where people can engage in both physical and spiritual care.

“I chose the term “Apihkatew Sipiy“, which means “Braided River” in Cree, because it shows how the knowledge systems can intertwine to create something beautiful, but that all the strands are needed to make it work.”

In essence, Mikayla’s research advocates for a health-care system that does more than just treat symptoms, it heals the whole person and community, bringing together traditional Indigenous healing practices with modern medical care. Through this “Wrap Around Care” model, Mikayla is working to transform the health-care system into one that better serves Indigenous people and promotes their well-being at every level. 

Also at the PRIDoC conference, two Indigenous female KIM mentorship medical students shared their work. Naomi Peters (a 4th-year medical student) presented a poster titled “Creating Wellness in the Workplace”, while Alanah Levandosky delivered an oral presentation titled “Breaking Waters: An Exploratory Review of Manitoba’s Forced Birth Evacuations”.

Mikayla’s success at the conference wasn’t just a personal achievement—it was a testament to what happens when Indigenous values and practices are given space in medicine. As she continues her journey through medical school, she’s determined to practice in a way that honours her traditions.

“I’m excited to practice medicine on my own terms,” she says. “I don’t want to just be another cog in the machine. I want to transform the system—to make it work for our people, for the people who have been left out for so long.” 

As for the future, Mikayla knows she’s not alone. With the mentorship and support of Dr. Lavallee, Dr. Peters, and the KIM team, she feels ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead. 

“There’s a team behind me,” she says. “I know they’ve got my back. And I’ve got theirs. We’re in this together.” 

Her story is a reminder that change is not only possible, it’s already happening. And for Indigenous students like Mikayla, who refuse to dim their light, the future of medicine is looking brighter.