The GIF: Bringing medicine in French to life, practically, by Miguel Paquette, MD 2028
The month of March, dedicated to Francophonie, is the perfect time to showcase the work of the Groupe d’intérêt francophone (GIF)—a dynamic student initiative helping to promote and enhance medicine in French at the Faculty.
Spearheaded by four second-year students in the medical program’s French stream, GIF aims to create spaces where students can learn, practise and engage with each other in French, develop specific clinical skills, and strengthen their professional identity as Francophones. In a setting where education and practice often take place in bilingual or even predominantly English-speaking environments, GIF plays a key role in supporting the vitality and visibility of French in medicine.
Throughout the year, GIF hosts a variety of activities, including hands-on workshops (e.g., suturing) where students can hone their technical skills while strengthening their vocabulary of French medical terms. The group also hosts mini-presentations and sessions with Francophone physicians from various specialties, providing valuable opportunities for mentoring, networking and discussing the realities of practising medicine in French in Canada.
GIF also stands out for its partnerships with other interest groups, fostering an interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to enrich the student experience and strengthen ties within the Faculty of Medicine.
In this Mois de la Francophonie, GIF reminds us that the French language is much more than a communication tool: it is a vector of culture, identity and commitment to diverse Francophone communities. Through its initiatives, GIF is helping to train doctors who stand out for their competency, commitment and pride in practising medicine in French.
To learn more about GIF’s upcoming activities and keep up on student initiatives in French, follow GIF on Instagram at @francomed.ig.
Growing up in French, providing confident care, by Laurie Roussel, Rx 2028
Growing up as a Francophone in New Brunswick means living in a province that is officially bilingual, but where, on a daily basis, you are part of a minority. It means learning to navigate between two languages, translating for friends and family, and tailoring your vocabulary depending on who you are talking to.
“Language influences how we feel listened to, understood and safe—a crucial aspect of health care.”
Laurie Roussel
— Rx 2028
I can remember medical appointments where family members would have to search for words in English so they could explain a symptom. It was nothing dramatic, but something was always missing—a nuance, a detail, sometimes even a feeling. Those small, almost invisible moments had more of an impact on me than I realized at the time. They made me realize that language influences how we feel listened to, understood and safe—a crucial aspect of health care.
When it came to choosing a university to study pharmacy, I had a few options: study in English in Nova Scotia, in French in Quebec, or in French in Ottawa. I chose the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Ottawa because I wanted to study in French in an environment that understands the reality of Francophone minority communities. I was looking for a program that recognized that the Francophonie outside Quebec has its challenges, but also great strengths.
The program is based on active learning: learning through participation, analyzing case studies and developing your professional identity right from the start.
Studying in French—even more than 900 kilometres from home—gives me a sense of closeness to my family, my culture and my mother tongue. I’m very grateful to be able to pursue my studies in French, knowing especially that it will enable me, as a future pharmacist, to provide care in both of Canada’s official languages. For me, that ability is not just a professional asset: it’s a responsibility and a very tangible way of helping to make care more accessible.
Choosing this path meant choosing to remain true to who I am and committing myself to ensuring that language is never an obstacle for my future patients, and to providing them with a safe space.
A scientific career rooted in the Francophonie, by Jean-Paul Azzi, a fourth-year student in Translational and Molecular Medicine
My name is Jean-Paul Azzi, and I’m currently in my fourth year in the Translational and Molecular Medicine (TMM) program at the University of Ottawa. For me, choosing the French stream of the program was a natural and deeply meaningful decision. Given that I grew up in an entirely French-speaking environment, my decision to study in French means that I can remain faithful to my community while furthering my academic career.
Unlike the Anglophone stream, which has around 60 students, there are only 20 of us in the Francophone cohort. We know each other, we study together and, during the more demanding parts of the program, our mutual support network is truly indispensable. Our small cohort size also fosters close relationships with our professors, creating an atmosphere of mentorship and collaboration that greatly enriches learning. In addition, the TMM program places a strong emphasis on scientific communication, for example through courses such as TMM4950 – Communication scientifique. These experiences have taught me how to make complex scientific concepts understandable and to explain them clearly in French.
“Pursuing the TMM program in French allows me to combine my identity, my community and my scientific ambitions.”
Jean-Paul Azzi
— Fourth-year student in Translational and Molecular Medicine
The Francophone cohort also enjoys some particularly rewarding research opportunities. For my fourth-year research project, I had the opportunity of working with Dr. Jeffrey Perry in ER clinical research featuring a cross-Canadian multicentre study that included 14 hospitals in which Francophone physicians wrote their clinical notes in French. Being fluently bilingual meant that I could read and interpret such data without language barriers—a definite advantage in my growth as a researcher.
In short, pursuing the TMM program in French allows me to combine my identity, my community and my scientific ambitions into a single coherent pathway while I develop the skills I need to become a bilingual researcher capable of effectively serving French-speaking populations.
Active offer of health care in French, or the resilience of Francophone communities, by Alexandra Godin-Lurette
Accessing health-care services in French remains difficult outside Quebec
In an officially bilingual country, access to health care in French is still far from a given for many Francophones outside Quebec. Despite significant progress in recent years, obstacles remain and directly impact the quality and safety of care.
“Receiving health care services in one’s own language promotes better understanding, strengthens the caring relationship and contributes to better health outcomes.”
Alexandra Godin-Lurette
— Coordinator, CNFS projects - Francophone Affairs
But the research is clear: receiving health care services in one’s own language promotes better understanding, strengthens the caring relationship and contributes to better health outcomes.
Initiatives that are transforming the landscape
Across the country, French-language health networks are working to strengthen the active offer of services and to support health-care professionals. The federal government recently announced new grants to improve access to health care for Francophone minority communities in Ontario (Government of Canada improves access to health services for Francophone minority communities in Ontario).
Locally, a new interdisciplinary primary care clinic, set up in partnership with the University of Ottawa, will be serving patients in Sandy Hill and Vanier, two areas where access to primary care remains limited. The clinic will be taking an integrated approach that combines care, research and education: a model that shows promise of meeting local needs in a sustainable manner (uOttawa roots new vision for primary care in teamwork and local needs | University of Ottawa).
The Faculty of Medicine’s Francophone Affairs section is also doing its part. Throughout the Mois de la Francophonie, a variety of activities will be promoting the active offer of French in health care services, including a half-day training session for first-year medical students and interprofessional clinical simulations.
Continuing the commitment
These initiatives testify to the resilience and creativity of Francophone communities. However, they also remind us that we still have a long way to go to achieve truly equitable access to health care delivered in French in Canada.
In March, all members of the Faculty of Medicine are invited to participate in uOttawa activities that celebrate the Francophonie and to support these collective efforts (Events Calendar | University of Ottawa | Faculty of Medicine).
Help promote health care in French
The Office of Francophone Affairs equips professionals with the skills to treat patients, teach and innovate in French for the benefit of communities across the country.
When you give to the Francophone Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine Fund, you play a direct role in bolstering education, research and fair access to care in French.
Your donation helps ensure that future generations can continue to receive care in their own language as a rule, not an exception.