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| Indigenous health content in the medical course |
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Since 2006 all Australian Medical Schools must have significant Indigenous Health content in their curriculum and this is assessed by the Australian Medical Council (AMC). The AMC is the body that accredits medical schools ensuring students will graduate with the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes to practice in Australia.
The rationale behind the specific Indigenous health content is that “Australia has special responsibilities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ... and these responsibilities should be reflected throughout the medical education process.” (Assessment and Accreditation of Medical Schools: Standards and Procedures, Australian Medical Council, 2006).
The content needs to cover such things as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history from pre-contact to the present, through to influences on culture, perspectives, attitudes, assumptions beliefs and behaviours; through to historical Aboriginal developments, such as community controlled health-care, the Tent Embassy and their functions; through to diagnosing and treating Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients, all the while challenging students to explore their own understandings and beliefs as well as discussing those of others in a safe and culturally sensitive way.
Please be aware, that as a student, at no time should you be asked to speak of your own experiences unless you want to, nor should any Indigenous student be looked to as an expert on ‘all things Indigenous’. If this happens to you, feel free to contact AIDA. |
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