Leading the way: Governor General’s gold medalist advocates for reconciliation in pharmacy education

Swidrovich has been named the Governor General’s gold medalist for the Fall 2024 term at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). This prestigious honour is given to the student who achieves the highest academic standing at the graduate level and one is awarded at each of the fall and spring convocation ceremonies.   

Born and raised in Saskatoon, Swidrovich is Saulteaux and Ukrainian, with family hailing from Yellow Quill First Nation in Treaty 4 territory. Growing up, Swidrovich had never considered a career as a pharmacist. But after completing two years in the College of Arts and Science at USask, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to apply to the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSP) program.  

Once accepted, Swidrovich jumped in headfirst, joining the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI). In time, he noticed aspects of his pharmacy education experience that left him feeling isolated.  

“I recall the instructor talking about gifting an Indigenous person tobacco, and all my classmates started laughing,” said Swidrovich. “I think that their perception was, here’s some cigarettes to smoke. They were probably thinking, 'We’re pharmacists, why are we giving people cigarettes?'. That was the first time I outed myself as an Indigenous person by clarifying what gifting tobacco meant and the importance of tobacco.” 

As a white-presenting Indigenous person, Swidrovich would often hear racist and misinformed comments about Indigenous Peoples and their traditions, and he would be faced with a choice: say nothing and protect himself or speak up and defend his community.  

“I had to wrestle with myself on how much I advocate and educate when I’m supposed to be the learner, and someone else is supposed to be teaching me.”  

Swidrovich experienced extreme isolation throughout his undergraduate studies. While other health-care disciplines have created national organizations and student groups to support Indigenous students, nothing similar existed for Indigenous pharmacy students.  

“There was no mechanism for Indigenous students to come together, no student groups, no national organizations, not even an awareness of how many Indigenous students there were,” said Swidrovich.  

It was these frustrating and isolating experiences as an Indigenous pharmacy student that inspired Swidrovich’s doctoral research. In his dissertation, he examined the experiences of Indigenous Peoples throughout their own professional degree in pharmacy and identified the ways white settler colonialism is tied to pharmacy education in Canada.  

In his research, Swidrovich discusses how Indigenous knowledges are often dismissed as ignorant and primitive. He said throughout their pharmacy education, students are taught to devalue non-Western approaches and traditional medicines, despite their consistent practice over the course of millennia.  

He also outlines opportunities for decolonization, Indigenization, and reconciliation in pharmacy programs. In particular, he discusses Action 18 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, which calls for all levels of government to acknowledge that the current state of Indigenous Peoples’ health is due to previous and current Canadian government policies.  

“We teach that one of the social determinants of health is Indigenous status. That’s wrong,” said Swidrovich. “The determinant of health is racism, of which being Indigenous makes you susceptible. Simply existing as an Indigenous person does not mean that you have worse health. Racism is what needs to be talked about.”  

Both before and after defending his thesis in May 2024, Swidrovich’s advocacy for Indigenized pharmacy education and supports for Indigenous students has been the catalyst for major changes across the country.  

Swidrovich’s PhD work informed the most recent update to the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), which sets the mandatory minimum accreditation standards for Canadian educational pharmacy programs leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. The new standards, which became effective as of July 2024, mark the first time Indigenous standards have been required for pharmacy programs to earn and maintain accreditation. 

In 2022, Swidrovich founded a national organization intended to support Indigenous pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants, known as the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (IPPC), which he created as a result of his PhD findings. Since then, the organization has disseminated hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for Indigenous students in pharmacy programs, as well as hosted two national gatherings.  

“It was difficult to get here. It was difficult to hear people’s stories of being Indigenous in pharmacy education, but they all resembled each other so closely,” said Swidrovich. “It gave us a sense of community, and I know that we’ve already made huge differences in Canada and will continue to do so as a collective.”  

For Swidrovich, this award is not only a monument to his own hard work, but the hard work and dedication of his late mother.  

As a 60’s Scoop survivor, Swidrovich’s mother, Cheryl (Sherri) Swidrovich (née Elder), spent her childhood moving between foster homes, until she ran away and was forced to temporarily live in a juvenile detention centre at the age of 12. Her experiences throughout her childhood left her determined to create a future with ample opportunities for her own children.  

Sherri was a stay-at-home mom throughout Swidrovich’s childhood, until she went on to study and, eventually, teach Indigenous Studies at USask.  

“This award is a massive testament to the strength, resilience, and determination of my mother and a recognition of her legacy of pursuing post-secondary education in Indigenous Studies,” said Swidrovich. “She mentored me in that space, and gave me the strength, confidence, knowledge, and competence to engage in this Indigenous space within the pharmacy context, to bring both these identities together. So I celebrate it with my mother.”  

In his work with IPPC and advocacy efforts, Swidrovich hopes to encourage Indigenous youth to pursue graduate studies.  

“Our world needs you. Whatever area of passion you hold, that’s your thesis. That’s your dissertation right there,” said Swidrovich. “Think about an area of work that you want to do and then find a person you can learn from, regardless of which faculty or university they might be from. When you have a topic and a mentor, it will happen.” 

For Indigenous students interested in disciplines related to health research, Swidrovich encourages students to join the Saskatchewan Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (SK-NEIHR), a group he’s been involved in for many years.  

“Become part of the SK-NEIHR. You’re given opportunities to share your work and be mentored by senior Indigenous students and Indigenous faculty. There’s a massive community of Indigenous graduate students and scholars who are ready, willing, and eager to work with you.”