Expanding Aboriginal Health Knowledge

in Communities and in Educating Future

Health Care Professionals

Leah May Walker and Lyana Patrick

Division of Aboriginal People’s HealthNAHO Conference, Ottawa 2009

Aboriginal Health Elective

A one-month immersion in

Aboriginal health in Aboriginal

communities for health science

students teams

Students: Medicine, Pharmacy,

Dietetics, Social Work, Nursing

Communities: Cowichan

(Duncan); Seabird Island

(Agassiz); Lil’wat (Mount

Currie); Esketemc (Alkali Lake)

Context

Aboriginal health status lower

Western/Aboriginal concepts of

health at odds

Need for culturally competent

health care providers

Impacts of colonization

Essentialism

Community aspirations

Particulars

Students live together

Interprofessionalism

Clinical settings

Traditional settings

Aboriginal teachers, Elders

Community Curriclum

Community Projects

Community Instructors

Some Activities

Community Project Examples

Mentorship Program for Youth

Re-think Your Drink

Healthy Homes: A Guide to

Keeping Your Home Clean and

Safe

Team Project: Building a pharmacy

Culture Shock

The real curriculum

“Never underestimate the power of pizza”

How can you adapt to meet the

needs of the community?

How can you build trusting relationships

with Aboriginal people?

Where do Aboriginal people feel

comfortable?

What do you know about this

community, its history and current

perspectives?

Student Evaluations “I have gained a deeper understanding of Aboriginal

culture, as well as how past experiences have impacted current issues facing the community today. I learned through careful listening of stories told, and I am grateful for the openness and honesty the community members brought to this experience.”

“This course should be mandatory for all students. I truly feel that it has given me insight into the depth and breadth of aboriginal culture. It also helped me to challenge my assumptions about aboriginal people and created more understanding.”

“The best learning opportunities for me were the sweat ceremony and the individual discussions and storytelling

because I can learn more about the people this way.”

Community Evaluations

“Can we hire some of these students?

They were amazing.”

“It felt even better this year. The students

were great and we were more confident

about teaching. We have lots of ideas for

next year.”

Essential Elements

Personal relationships

Being in community and out of clinic

Knowledge of historical relationships

Being comfortable with discomfort

Long term commitment

University appointments

Reciprocity

Thank you!Acknowledgements: Ts’ewulhtun Health Centre, Seabird Island

Community Health Centre, Esketemc Health Centre, Mount

Currie Health Centre, AHHRI, CPD-KT