MMPA’s Mentorship Program is off to an exciting start!

The Manitoba Muslim Professionals Association (MMPA) Mentorship Program was launched in October 2024, spearheaded by Dr. Osama Jarkas, Vice-Chair of MMPA, and Dr. Oussama Outbih, Chair of the Mentorship Committee.

The group began with a mentorship dinner that brought together 10 physicians and student leaders from the University of Manitoba to develop a structured mentorship plan. Since then, the group has expanded to include over 40 participants, ranging from undergraduate students to medical students, resident physicians, and MDs.

This growing network aims to foster guidance, collaboration, and support across various stages of medical education and career development.

To kickstart to our mentorship initiatives in 2025, we hosted a successful Zoom session for 26 Muslim participants who were admitted to the University of Manitoba Medical School interviews in February 2025. This session provided valuable insights and preparation strategies for the interview process.

We are currently collaborating with 22 medical students, resident doctors, and staff physicians to conduct multiple mock interview sessions to help prepare candidates.

Looking ahead, we aspire to create small mentorship families, consisting of staff physicians, resident doctors, medical students, and undergraduates, with the goal of fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment.

Ultimately, we aim to expand this mentorship model to other professional fields, ensuring that more individuals from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in their careers.

Hear it from one of the participants directly:

"Joining MMPA was one of the best decisions I made—having Muslim representation in medicine made a world of difference. The kind mentors provided unwavering support, and the experience truly helped me build confidence in my journey. Grateful to be part of such an empowering community!" - Zobia

MashAllah is just one story and MMPA hopes to facilitate more of these successes for future Muslim Professionals in Manitoba!