DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WELCOMES DR. KRISTINA BAIER TO KAWEHNO:KE MEDICAL CLINIC FOR SIX-WEEK TERM
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s Department of Health (DOH) would like to welcome Dr. Kristina Baier to the community of Akwesasne. Dr. Baier will be on a six-week term placement in the Kawehno:ke Medical Clinic (KMC), located in the District of Kawehno:ke. Dr. Baier will also assist with the Home Care/Home Support Program.
Dr. Baier is trained in Family Medicine. She completed both her medical degree and family medicine residency training at the University of Ottawa, located on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation. Following her family medicine residency, Dr. Baier completed enhanced skills training in Global Health through Queen’s University, which is situated on the traditional Anishinabe and Haudenosaunee Territory.
During her training, Dr. Baier had the opportunity to work in different communities with patients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, both nationally (Akwesasne and Moose Factory) and internationally (Bolivia and Benin). Throughout her training, she has strived to be an ally for Indigenous peoples. She actively sought additional educational opportunities and avenues for action to uplift the voices of Indigenous people.
As a medical student, Dr. Baier lobbied Federal Ministers and Senators of the Government of Canada to provide more funding for Indigenous-led programs for mental wellness. As a resident-physician, she sought to educate medical students and junior residents on the residential school system and the health ramifications of these institutions, as well as raise awareness about the systemic racism faced by many Indigenous patients seeking care in the health care system. She aspires to continue being an ally, through humility, embracing traditional knowledge and approaches, and remaining open to learning, educating herself and partnering with others.
The Department of Health is overjoyed that Dr. Baier has chosen the community of Akwesasne for a term placement. We look forward to the high-quality of care she will provide to our community members. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Baier to the Akwesasne community. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Baier, please contact the Kawehno:ke Medical Clinic at 613-932-5808.
