Warren, Johanna M

Irish, Georgina L

Purbrick, Brydie

Li, Joule J

Li, Xi

Fitzpatrick, Danielle J

Faull, Randall J

2016-10-01

To describe and evaluate a programme where medical students designed and implemented Indigenous health placements for students with an interest in rural/Indigenous health. In 2011, a student-led programme at the University of Adelaide was set up to give medical students the opportunity to undertake outreach trips and clinical placements in remote Indigenous communities. Twenty-four medical students attended trips to remote communities between 2012 and 2014. Here we evaluate our programme using a single-arm experimental design. Responses to questionnaire items before and after attending an outreach placement, scored on 6-point Likert scales. Following their remote Indigenous health placement, participants expressed a significantly higher mean likelihood of working in an Indigenous community in the future (3.17 (2.69-3.64) versus 4.00 (3.65-4.35); P < 0.007). Furthermore, after their placement participants felt better prepared to work in Indigenous communities (mean 1.79 (1.44-2.14) versus 3.21 (2.88-3.54); P < 0.001). A placement programme initiated and run by medical students can provide meaningful exposure to Indigenous health. Implementation of this student-led model in other medical schools may encourage nationwide development of the Indigenous health workforce.

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia. johanna.warren@sa.gov.au..

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia..

Royal Darwin Hospital, Tiwi, NT, Australia..

University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia..

University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia..

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia..

University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia..

The Australian journal of rural health 2016-10; 24(5): 306-311

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27087669/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/5356

Indigenous community placements

curriculum development

medical education

student advocacy

Feasibility Studies

Humans

Program Development

Schools, Medical

South Australia

Surveys and Questionnaires

Curriculum

Health Manpower

Population Groups

Developing the future Indigenous health workforce: The feasibility and impact of a student-led placement programme in remote Indigenous communities.

Journal Article

Publication