“Urgence. Restez penchés. Emergency. Bend down, head down.” I pressed my head to my knees. There was no time to negotiate emotion.

I had not been back to Chisasibi since residency. My first visit was as a senior resident, at a time when travel to the North was still limited by the pandemic. Yet despite the steep learning curve, that week became a catalyst in shaping my path as a physician learning to build projects with and for the community.