In 2022, 15 student-run initiatives were awarded funding from the AMA Committee on Student Affairs Sponsorship Program. The University of Alberta’s Accessibility and Inclusivity in Medicine (AIM) Club was one recipient of the sponsorship. The organization used the funding to run introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) courses.
The courses, one of which ran last fall and one this past winter, consisted of weekly ASL classes taught by certified instructors at the U of A. The courses were complemented by members of the deaf community who gave presentations on their lived experiences.
The ASL courses were capped off with a wrap-up event in collaboration with the Alberta Cultural Society of the Deaf (ACSD) and the Edmonton Association of the Deaf (EAD). ACSD and EAD generously hosted the events where students could test their newfound ASL skills by engaging directly with the deaf community.
Visit the AMA website to learn about all 2022 sponsorship recipients.