Karen Hill

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine

Karenna’onwe (Gaw-law-naw-oo-way) – Dr. Karen Hill is a Mohawk woman and practicing physician from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. She is a Daughter, Sister, Mother Auntie, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.  She completed medical school in 2003 and Family Medicine Residency in 2005 – both from McMaster University. Her passion is to see Traditional Indigenous Knowledge return to the centre of life and healthcare for Indigenous people across Canada. This vision led her to co-create a collaborative practice at Six Nations called Juddah’s Place with her friend and colleague Dr. Elva Jamieson.

In 2015, Karen became the first recipient of the Thomas Dignan award for Indigenous Health conferred by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. In the same year she also received The College of Family Physicians Excellence Award for leading the way in Indigenous collaborative care in primary practice.  Also, in 2016 she was honored by McMaster University with a Community Impact Award.

Karen continues to practice consultative medicine at Six Nations and is the Clinical Lead for the Indigenous Medicine Service at the Brantford General Hospital. Karen is also an Assistant Professor and Faculty Lead for Indigenous Health with the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. She has completed 4 years apprenticeship (really 9 years) in Traditional Indigenous Medicine and continues this learning along with Mohawk language classes as lifelong commitments.