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Policy Document - Indigenous Medical Education 1
Policy Document - Indigenous Medical Education 1
Policy Document - Indigenous Medical Education 1
POLICY DOCUMENT –
Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students and their
experiences of medical school
BACKGROUND
The New South Wales Medical Students’ Council (NSWMSC) is the peak
representative body for medical students in New South Wales (NSW).
NSWMSC promotes the importance of indigenous health, which is a
significant Australian concern with far-reaching historical, cultural,
geographical and social impacts, and one that has been consistently highly
prioritised by the Committee of Deans of Australian Medical Schools. This
document approaches the topic of indigenous health from the perspective of
1. Prospective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have
not yet started their medical education, which is anchored to the
intake of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; and
2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students, which is
anchored to the retention of these students. This allows us to address
the critical shortage of indigenous practitioners, which is one of the
most crucial steps towards improving indigenous health.
Furthermore, NSWMSC promotes general well-being for all medical
students, and recognises that the quality and accessibility of support systems
can greatly influence one’s experiences of medical school. According to
AIDA’s findings, this is especially true for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students, who are more likely to thrive in learning environments
that demonstrate cultural safety and sensitivity. These students have unique
needs borne of unique circumstances that are wholly different from non-
indigenous students, and the support that are given to them must reflect
these needs.
While it is important that all medical students have access to a safe learning
environment, there is a special kind of urgency in providing this for
Indigenous students due to the extreme dearth of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander doctors across the country, and the positive health outcomes
that are associated with training Indigenous doctors who are able to connect
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Furthermore, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students must often
overcome significant disadvantages that may include, but are not limited to
socioeconomic, geographic and negative attitudes towards higher education.
These can include: [4]
Attending medical schools that are not properly equipped to provide support
for these students may lead to deleterious experiences for them very early in
their medical career. For instance, unintentional racism from staff, students
and within the curriculum may occur, which greatly impacts indigenous
students’ mental health and well-being. This can affect their studies and
ability to engage with materials, particularly those with racist contents. This
also affects their ability to form connections with non-indigenous students,
which can have far-reaching impacts all throughout their professional
careers.
Yet, many Indigenous medical students have expressed dissatisfaction with
the available support services provided by their universities. [4]
Currently, only four medical schools provide direct access to medicine-
specific scholarships, bursaries or grants for Indigenous medical students.
[4] Limited tutorial support is available in some universities, but only one
university to date employs a medically trained tutor to work part time with
Indigenous medical students. [4] Collegiate support is available through the
Indigenous support unit in some universities, but medicine-specific
collegiate support is limited; some medicine faculties provide social and
learning opportunities for Indigenous students, and one university holds
extra clinical tutorial sessions for Indigenous students on the weekends. [4]
As per AIDA’s position statement, which states that cultural safety refers to
the accumulation and application of knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander values, principles and norms, the ideal medical school
curriculum will include cultural safety training for its staff and support
programs. In addition to this, evidence of indigenous engagement in medical
curricula will demonstrate that indigenous health is included in the broadest
possible terms, where both specific subjects and areas and Problem Based
Learning (and its variations) cases about indigenous people are taught.
Indigenous-specific subject areas that can be incorporated into medical
curricula, as suggested by CDAMS Indigenous Health Curriculum
Framework [5] include history; population health; models of health service
delivery; culture; self and diversity; indigenous societies, cultures and
medicines; working with Indigenous people (ethics, protocols, research);
clinical presentation of disease; and communication skills.
Achieving a curriculum that is well rounded and is an accurate response to
the unique challenges posed by indigenous health will produce practitioners
who are culturally aware and competent, and provide a safe learning
environment for aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
POSITION STATEMENT
POLICY
REFERENCES:
[1] Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand Inc. (2017). Workforce
Data Report 2017. Retrieved from
http://www.medicaldeans.org.au/wp-
content/uploads/2017_Snapshot_Data_Report.pdf
[2] Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013, Estimates of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Australians, June 2011, cat. no.
3238.0.55.001, viewed 2 September 2017,
<http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3238.0.55.001>
[3] [Australian Medical Students’ Association. (2015). Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Health Policy. Place, AU: Author.
[4] Minniecon, D., & Kong, K. (2005). Healthy Futures: Defining best
practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical
students. Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association. Retrieved
from http://www.aida.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AIDA-
Healthy-Futures-Report.pdf
[5] Philips, G. (2004). CDAMS Indigenous Health Curriculum
Framework. Committee of Deans of Australian Medical Schools.
Retrieved from http://www.medicaldeans.org.au/wp-
content/uploads/CDAMS-Indigenous-Health-Curriculum-
Framework.pdf
This policy was ratified at the NSWMSC Council 3 meeting on October 15th
2017.
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Authored by:
Sara Kim
The University of New South Wales
Liam Mason
NSWMSC Advocacy Officer 2017
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