Hayley Laughlin

Area of Study / Keywords

Indigenous Health Rehabilitation Indigenization

About

I am a third year occupational therapy student as well as the Indigenous Liaison for the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. My journey to becoming an occupational therapist began at MacEwan University where I obtained a diploma in the physical and occupational therapy assistant program in 2017. Following this, I worked as a therapy assistant for 5 years gaining valuable experience in the field and growing my passion for helping people through rehabilitation. In 2022 I graduated with distinction from Thompson Rivers University with a bachelor's degree in health science, and in 2023 I began the Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta. 

In October 2024, I joined the faculty as the inaugural Indigenous Liaison and began the important work of supporting Indigenous students within rehabilitation medicine programs, building connection and community, and providing support and guidance on Indigenizing the OT curriculum. 

I am a proud Métis woman born and raised in High Prairie, Alberta in Treaty 8 territory. I am a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta and my family belongs to the Gift Lake Métis Settlement. My lived experience and understanding as an Indigenous woman from a northern rural community, as well as experience in the healthcare field has instilled in me a passion for building a strong rehabilitation network that integrates Indigenous ways of knowing and healing to meet the needs of Indigenous people. 

If you are an Indigenous student in the faculty of rehabilitation medicine please reach out to me if you’d like to connect or have any questions! I can be reached via email at hlaughli@ualberta.ca