A member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Turtle Clan, Dr. Jamaica Cass practises Indigenous Health as a primary care physician at Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. She has an additional focused practice in obesity medicine, for which she is board-certified. Through her community-focused practice, Dr. Cass advocates to reduce gaps in services and inequities in care for Indigenous patients, with current efforts focused on inequitable access to medication. She also provides Indigenous representation on the local Physician Primary Healthcare Council.
Through the Department of Family Medicine, she serves as an Assistant Professor, Program Director for the Indigenous Health Enhanced Skills Program, and Director of Indigenous Health at Queen’s University. Dr. Cass was the 2024 awardee of the Principal’s Teaching and Learning Award for Indigenous Education at Queen’s.
Dr. Cass is deeply involved in shaping medical education and contributing to policy development, community engagement, admissions, and curriculum design as a member of the senior leadership team at the Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine.
Dr. Cass was the recipient of the Indigenous Physicians’ Association of Canada’s 2024 Community Impact Award and was recently elected to the board of directors.
She holds a Medical Doctorate from Tulane University and completed her family medicine residency at the University of Calgary. With a background in breast cancer molecular biology, she earned her PhD from Queen’s University, garnering recognition with various institutional and international awards. Throughout her academic and professional journey, Dr. Cass has been actively involved in Indigenous mentorship and advocacy, fostering a supportive environment for Indigenous learners and a safe space for Indigenous patients.
Dr. Cass enjoys creating beadwork and has recently started designing textiles with Indigenous themes. She is a mother, wife, auntie, and daughter and resides on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe.
1021 Thomas Spratt Place
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