On April 30, the University of Alberta’s Black Medical Students’ Association (BMSA) held their second annual health fair at the Castle Downs Family YMCA in Edmonton. The free fair featured booths with health and wellness information, mainly focusing on preventative medicine for the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities.
The booths covered topics such as public health, women’s health, mental health, obesity and pediatrics. The fair also featured food trucks, bouncy castles, henna artists, face painting and sponsor booths. The event turnout was amazing, and the BMSA is thrilled to continue to hold health fairs in the future.
At the event, the BMSA also presented itself as a resource for ACB youth pursuing medicine. BMSA members were able to mentor ACB youth who wish to pursue a medical career. The BMSA is dedicated to this subject due to the importance of ACB representation in health care.
We want to let other ACB youth know that there’s not just one path or journey to becoming a physician; there’s a variety of options. We also want to empower others to embark on and define their journey in medicine. We hope to continually align with the community and serve as a voice for ACB people in the health care system.