Pap tests are an essential part of preventative healthcare for anyone with a cervix, but not everyone has access to them. Barriers can include not having a family doctor, feeling uncomfortable receiving a pap test from one’s regular provider, lacking knowledge around the procedure, and not being able to access inclusive care.
To help address this lack of access, Anika Brown (IMP Class of 2024) and Marie Schulze (IMP Class of 2025) are part of a provincial team of UBC medical students organizing free cervical cancer screening events – called Papapalooza – across BC.
“We wanted to host events that would directly benefit the health of our communities on a population level,” says Anika, who is one of two provincial leads for Papapalooza. “We both feel really passionate about increasing access to this essential screening practice in a safe and welcoming way. People delay pap tests for numerous reasons, including ongoing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the primary care shortage. If we can eliminate some of those barriers and screen individuals who may otherwise not participate in screening, then we will have accomplished our goal.”
Anika Brown (IMP Class of 2024)
All Papapalooza events will offer a safe environment for anyone with a cervix to participate. The organizers hope this will make the events more accessible, as well as increase everyone’s comfortability with the procedure so they can become lifelong champions of engaging in preventative health screenings.
The team is modelling their events after the original Papapalooza, which Nanaimo-based family physician Dr. Christine Layton and OB/GYN Dr. Kristi Kyle began in 2020. Dr. Layton and Dr. Kyle have hosted five events in Nanaimo so far and have screened more than 300 patients.
“My colleague Alisha Hussey (VFMP Class of 2024) and I, who were co-leads of the UBC Public Health Club at the time, saw a post about the original Papapalooza on Instagram last year and reached out to the founders,” explains Anika. “They were thrilled to have interest in the event and they have really supported us in expanding this initiative provincially.”
Marie Schulze (IMP Class of 2025)
Anika and Alisha, who is the second Papapalooza provincial lead, received a grant from the Canadian Federation of Medical Students to help bring the screening events to Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Prince George. They also gathered a team of fellow MD students to act as site leads in each community. “I immediately thought of Marie for Victoria,” says Anika. “I knew she is passionate about this type of work and is extremely motivated and diligent.”
Marie took on the role and connected with Victoria-based family physician Dr. Laura Birdsell to organize their Papapalooza. The Victoria event will take place at the Vancouver lsland Women’s Clinic on Saturday, April 15. Dr. Birdsell and a couple other physicians will perform the approximately 110 screenings, while a crew of 15 IMP students will help run the event by greeting patients, assisting the MOAs, turning over exam rooms, and more.
Anika says they fully booked the Victoria event less than 24 hours after announcing it on Instagram. She says they hope to host additional local clinics in the future for those who were not able to secure a spot. In the meantime, the organizers have posted educational resources and links on their Instagram page to help people find a pap test provider in BC.
Dates, locations, and registration information for Papapalooza events in Kelowna, Prince George, and Vancouver will be also announced on the Instagram page in the near future.